Wedding dress for mid-size bride with silver lace

light weight ivory silk wedding dress made to measure

I made a beautiful wedding dress for mid-size bride, Claire. She commissioned a light and elegant dress made in layered ivory silk dupion and organza with silver beaded lace applique.

Official photographs by www.rubielovephotography.co.uk

I made the main dress from ivory silk dupion with a fitted and boned bodice and sweetheart neckline. A layer of silk organza over the whole dress extended upwards to a higher round neckline front and back. At the back the organza closed with a single button.

I hand sewed beaded antique-silver lace to the bodice so it crept up onto the sheer organza to create the shape of embellished straps. I added extra hand beading and Swarovski crystals on the bodice area, especially on the neckline and straps.

The dress was cut princess line which means with seams and panels from top to bottom with no break at the waist. This is a flattering cut for a wedding dress for a mid-size bride. The skirt flared gently from the natural waistline supported by a few layers of netting. The lace flowed from the bodice onto the skirt graduating downwards becoming spaced out motifs instead of solid pattern, thinning out towards the hem.

top hat and tails ivory silk and lace wedding dress

The dress was fully lined in a contrast purple lining and closed with a concealed zip at centre back.

full skirt wedding dress no train floor length

wedding dress with silver applique motifs

confetti sunflowers and top hats just married

thank you letter from happy client testimonial

Claire wrote: It’s taken me a while to write this because how do you thank the person who made the wedding dress of your dreams, when you weren’t even sure what you wanted! Well now I have Chiara, and one day I will have her in a frame at the top of the stairs, despite my husband saying look like a ghost in the middle of the night!

Thank you so much

With love from Claire and Daniel

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Making the wedding dress for mid-size bride, Claire

original design sketch by felicity westmacott princess line wedding dress

Original design sketch and notes

preparing and planning with fabrics

Fabrics on the sewing room table, ready to start work

making a wedding dress sewing room picture

A panel of all the fabric layers, with lace applique work to do

sewing lace to organza panel in the studio applique

Lace work to the back neckline

silk organza hem and button loop detail

Detail of the back neckline, button and loop fastening

pinning the hem of a bridal gown fitting picture

Pictures from Claire’s fittings

fitting pictures with the dressmaker sheer yoke wedding dress

happy bride in her dress final fitting

Final fitting pictures

finished dress fitting picture ivory silk and lace
finished dress on the stand hand applique work silver lace

Details of the lace and beading with the finished dress on the stand

silver beaded lace detail applique motif
antique silver lace and ivory silk wedding dress bespoke

To see another wedding dress made with antique silver lace see this photoshoot dress.

I have made dresses for many mid size brides including this one for beautiful bride Alison

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felicity westmacott wearing a hat

Felicity Westmacott

I write about all aspects of weddings, dressmaking, fashion history, and the human relation to clothing. I welcome comments and debate.

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When you have two bespoke wedding dresses on your sample rail that are perfect for both Elphaba and Glinda, and with Wicked For Good having come out, it felt rude not to!

Wicked has done an amazing job of bringing bright, bold fashion back to our attention, which is so exciting. But I've had many Elphaba and Glinda brides way before they came to the big screen. Brides who are up for going on an adventure with me to conjure up their perfect wedding look. 

I might not be the Wizard of Oz, but I am the Dress Alchemist after all 😉

(shout out to my social media manager, Elodie, for stepping in and being the Elphaba to my Glinda. If you're looking for your own magical media witch, you can find them at www.brightbeemedia.co.uk)
The dress on the stand vs. the dress in action✨

I made the Poinsettia dress last Christmas for my window display. I never would have predicted that it would be spotted by Rosie, who then bought it and wore it for the 2025 Miss Great Britain pageant!

My bespoke designs have been used for all sorts of events. Weddings mainly (obviously), but parties, anniversaries and proms too. But this might be the first time one of my gowns has been seen on the stage of a pageant. And doesn't Rosie look so serenely glamorous? The perfect model for this sparkly, elegant dress. And she placed in the top 10. Well done Rosie!
You might’ve noticed that I can get quite particular about language. I think it’s important, especially when that word can carry a lot of meaning. When words get misused, you as a consumer might get mis-sold something.

An example of this is the word ‘vintage’, which now gets tacked onto the description of any garment, whether or not it actually is vintage. Often the item just looks like it’s from an older period of fashion, and for many sellers now, that’s good enough to warrant the label ‘vintage’ (which it’s not).

‘Bespoke’ is another of those words. The word comes from ‘to bespeak’, which means, to ask for. Like someone walking into carpentry workshop and asking for something completely new to be made to their exact specifications.

Anything can be bespoke, if it has been asked for, to be made especially to your requirements and preferences. You often hear it in the context of bespoke suits, but the term doesn’t belong to any one industry.

When it comes to wedding dresses, you have a few options. Off-the-peg, which is what it sounds like. Then there’s custom or made-to-measure, which both describe when something is adjusted or changed. You might order a dress where there are options to customise the length, the sleeves, the neckline etc. 

But true bespoke is something different. It’s a dress that’s been designed and made completely from scratch. Completely to your measurements and your ideas. With several stages of fittings and adjustments, to ensure it’s exactly how you want it. It’s an entirely unique garment, and this is why the price of a bespoke dress can be so much more than something off-the-peg or made-to-measure.

So, next time something online claims to be ‘bespoke’, now you know what to look for to make sure you’re not being tricked into pay more for less.
Tonight is the Wedding Industry Awards! I'm in the running for two awards, which is all very exciting! 🏆

Since it's such a special occasion, I decided to design and make myself a dress. That way, regardless of the outcome, I'll feel like a winner. I rarely have time to make myself anything, so this felt rather lovely.

I used some gorgeous pink coloured silk chiffon, lined with pale gold silk satin, finished off with velvet ribbon. I started making the dress at 11am yesterday, and I finished it at 3pm today. Now I just have to finish making the bolero to go with it as well. I think we're gonna make it! 🏃🏻‍♀️
emailme@felicitywestmacott.co.ukTEL 07762 543230TOUCHGet in
from design to completionbespoke wedding dressesFelicity Westmacott
Dorking, RH4 1RT241 High Street• Visit the Studio •
Dorking, RH4 1RT241 High Street• Visit the Studio •
emailme@felicitywestmacott.co.ukTEL 07762 543230TOUCHGet in