What can I help with?
More than just the bride's dress...
The creation of each unique dress involves a design consultation, perfecting the fit and a couture finish. Prices usually start at £1600 + fabrics.
Boleros, veils and tiaras and jewellery can be created to compliment your bespoke wedding dress.
Commissions for Bridesmaids, Children, Mother of the Bride/Groom, Occasion-wear and Ball Gowns also welcome.
Alterations for style or fit to shop bought or vintage wedding dresses are sometimes accepted.
Wedding Tradition Series Introduction
Speaking to a client recently we traded anecdotes and ideas about the maze of traditions and customs every bride has to traverse while planning her wedding. Some are as old as the hills and others newly arrived on our shores. They vary from the common, the unusual and the nearly forgotten or entirely misunderstood. In […]
Traditions: Who’s Wedding is it Anyway
Tradition 1: Who’s Wedding Is It Anyway? So the story I was told (a friend of a friend, you know the sort of thing): A wedding organiser was sitting in a pre-wedding meeting with the Bride and her mother. But it’s a strange thing that the bride is not answering any of the questions, […]
The Wedding Secret
Felicity Westmacott and The Wedding Secret Planning weddings is often a stressful and confusing task which is why I’m passionate about ensuring that choosing, designing and fitting your wedding dress is a relaxed and enjoyable process. Recently I’ve been in touch with another company that aim to make planning a wedding that little bit […]
I have been making wedding dresses for more than 15 years. My training in Costume for theatre and film and four years as bridal alterations seamstress led me to my specialism. With an understanding of the different ways of cutting and shaping dresses through the centuries, I can draw on hundreds of years of technical and design knowledge in creating unique and contemporary gowns as well as historical and vintage styles. One of my greatest pleasures is seeing my clients over the moon with happiness as their dress ideas come to life.
My customers generally fall into two main categories: those who have searched the bridal shops and simply can’t find the perfect dress (but know the style they’re looking for), and those whose ideas are more vague and will need more of my design help and suggestions. Trying on a few dresses in the shops is essential, as your first ideas may change when you see the style on your own figure.
The key advice I always give is that every bride must dress to please herself, because no one else could pick the dress meant for her. True to my training I always feel a wedding dress is a costume. It must say something special about this girl on this day, just as a costume tells you about the character and story of someone in a film. A wedding dress tells the story of what a bride wants her future to be. That’s why the dress is important, special, and unique. When someone wears the dress that makes them happy, it will show.
Brides often remark what a delightful surprise it is to find me close to home in East Surrey, for brides coming from Redhill, Reigate, Caterham, Horley, Dorking or Guildford. But my clients travel too, as access is easy from London. Redhill being only 40 minutes direct from Victoria or London Bridge. And clients come from further afield; Kent, Sussex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and all over the South East. Over seas clients are not unknown as Gatwick airport is only 10 minutes away by train, or 20 minutes in a taxi, and Heathrow an easy 40minutes around the M25.
Testimonials
We let our happy customers speak for themselves...
At such a special time as your wedding you want professional people who you can trust and get along with to be involved in the crucial big day elements such as bridesmaid dresses, and Felicity was just that. The dresses exceeded our expectations in terms of quality of the workmanship and they were ready ahead of schedule; if you are planning your own wedding, ‘ahead of schedule’ is a phrase you’ll come to delight in! Felicity was very easy to work with, she always gave good advice whilst having the creative and technical understanding to help create the final product. My bridesmaids were very comfortable and happy in their dresses and I was so pleased with them too, they looked beautiful. I had such a special wedding day, helped by people such as Felicity. I have already recommended her to friends.
The mother of the bride wrote: Dear Felicity, very many thanks for producing such beautiful dresses, the girls are really thrilled with them. We will send you some photos after the wedding with them all looking glamorous I’m sure. Mind you I mustn’t forget the ties. Anyway thanks again and best wishes, Jean Billige
Amanda Billige
My dress is stunning and I love it – you have done me proud – I can’t wait until November to wear it, I want to wear it now!! lol. I think you can tell by the smiles on my face in the photos how pleased I am with it. Thank you just doesn’t seem enough so for now I will say in French – Merci mille fois or a thousand thankyous!”
Liz Allen
There is only one word to describe my wedding dress and that is, perfect!
The wonderful thing about having your dress designed for you, is that it can be exactly what you want and will be unique to who you are!
I was absolutely overwhelmed with the thought, time and attention-to-detail that Felicity devoted to making it! When you think how personal your special day is, what could be more wonderful than to have your dress personalised as well. Felicity’s work is exceptional!
Alison Cowell