by Johanna Osborne

It was a passion for bone china from a bygone age and an eye for her grandmother’s precious antique pieces that sparked a life-long love affair of all that is vintage for Susan Hesp, who is now the proud owner of gorgeous boutique vintage china hire company Heirloom Vintage Tableware. As a child, Susan loved nothing more than visiting her grandmother and “being trusted with the best china at tea time. A visit to my great-grandmother would see me glued to the old rocking chair for the entire visit – a loved antique piece, which I still have today. I have been collecting “old stuff” all my life, much to my grandmother’s amusement!”

When someone does something because they love it, they are bound to be good at it. And Susan Hesp is no exception. You simply have to browse her amazing website to see all the glorious pieces on offer – from stylish teacups with matching saucers, beautiful hand worked linen and tiered cake stands (very en vogue and in high demand right now, she informs me), to my favourite – the hollow stem champagne saucers- the list goes on. The variety and options are endless, each piece so beautifully reflecting the era and time it comes from, in pristine condition yet containing many stories and secrets of the past. It’s easy to understand the fascination. Susan has a true eye for the beauty in vintage china and glassware, and spends a lot of time going to auctions, fairs, and shopping online to build up her ever-growing supply. It’s all so elegant, so chic and harks back to an era where drinking tea and dining was a ceremonious event, and everyone wore their finery to enjoy something truly special.

As a hard working lawyer in a fast paced commercial law firm for over a decade, Susan excelled in the legal field. But she has now stepped out of the hustle and bustle to focus on her strong creative side, and Heirloom Vintage Tableware lets her do just that – create and enjoy. Passionate about history, Susan is always researching and learning more about the pieces she owns.

Susan is a pleasure to be around; a personable and capable lady who gives off a calm aura, just what brides and grooms in the flurry of wedding planning need. And it’s their good fortune that Susan particularly enjoys working on weddings. She has some wonderful ideas and inspiration for table set-ups and decoration, and is able to assist couples not only with the hire of the pieces, but also the overall styling if they desire. She explains “Weddings are what I love to do most. I love a good project and something with a bit of scope to satisfy my creative streak. Helping a couple plan table settings for a wedding is a huge amount of fun for me.” Susan shares that she recently helped a bride who has chosen pastel coloured dresses for her bridesmaids to match pastel coloured china in various shades to create an overall theme, which will no doubt look amazing on the big day! An online service also exists to make things even smoother and easier for anyone wishing for something old fashioned, in the very modern way of clicking a button!

Current trends are interesting Susan explains; “I’ve witnessed quite an increase in the last 6 months. The vintage trend of the last season is still big, but has evolved once again; a trend within a trend if you like. People are putting pieces together slightly differently now, mixing eras and styles. High teas have always been very popular, but now anything vintage at all is in high demand. It’s so much fun working with different couples and helping them find what would suit them best.” The thing that gives Susan the most joy of all is people sharing her passion, and “loving it for what it is”. She says; “People seem to get so much pleasure from it, and that’s a pleasure for me.” And it’s that joy which motivates Susan to share some of her most prized possessions, some of which she is “quite emotionally attached to, with anyone needing vintage styled event.

The process for hiring anything from Susan’s range is very simple. Whilst the website gives a great overview, Susan is more than happy to organise viewings of pieces and table settings for brides and grooms. She can also organise delivery and pick-up, and can assist in decorating tables on the day, if requested. And in most recent news, Susan has joined forces with the fabulous Trish Perrins from Simply Food to create a whole high tea package – with delicious food supplied by Simply Food, and tableware by Heirloom Vintage Tableware. The package includes delivery and set-up, pack-up and clean up. For brides and grooms looking for a simple yet tasteful way to celebrate their nuptials, a “high tea wedding reception” is an elegant way of having a beautiful wedding reception that can cater to almost any budget. Add in a glass of champagne in hollow stem champagne saucers in true ‘high tea’ style to complete the package. It’s a different and elegant way to have fun, without being elaborate and serving 10 courses, yet still being very special. This new and exciting package option will be launched at the upcoming Wellington Wedding Show where couples can learn more about what’s on offer, and what Susan can do to cater to their needs.

So are you coming to our show THIS weekend? Don’t miss your chance to chat to the delightful Susan Hesp and check out Heirloom Vintage Tableware’s glorious stand at The Wellington Wedding Show this coming Sunday the 16th September at the Old Town Hall!

“The spirit of the tea beverage is one of peace, comfort and refinement.”- Arthur Gray

Susan's favourite place setting of the moment. The pattern is called ‘Merrivale’ by Paragon

Susan describes this as pretty and delicate - we think she's right!

Just gorgeous!

Fit for a queen and her king!

Just imagine the amount of tea parties and fun gossip this set has witnessed

I would be very impressed to sit down to this at a wedding

My favourite!