Bespoke Sheer Black Wedding Dress

Non-binary stunner, Stevie, saw this Addams Family wedding photoshoot where I made my Morticia inspired look. They knew it was the perfect vibe for them, so they ordered their own bespoke sheer black wedding dress for their own gothic wedding.

This dress is comprised of a simple bodycon fishtail, with a plunging v-neckline front and very low back. I made the dress from modern beaded and sequin sheer fabric, layered over a silver and black floral lace. The skirt flared out from the knee with chiffon godet panels that spread into points at the sides and back to create a statement train behind. And I finished each of the long sleeves with gothic waterfalls and padded shoulders.

This dress, and Stevie wearing it, looks like a combination of Morticia Adams, Vampira and the iconic Bride of Frankenstein. There’s something so sexy about it and I love it!

Scroll down for more gorgeous, vampy photos and a look into how I made the dress.

Photography – Giovanni Logrono Photography

Making of a Bespoke Sheer Black Wedding Dress

Stevie requested a few changes to the original design from the photoshoot. These included making an underlayer for the skirt of skin-coloured stretch fabric. We also made the skirt godets higher, so that Stevie would be able to move around with more ease.

Below, is early on in the process, where the outer part of the dress had been constructed. I still had a lot of work left to do, including all the beading work, the modesty layer and adding those dramatic tendrils (the godets) coming from the skirt.

Some of the work a seamstress does goes entirely unnoticed. In fact, if you’re doing your job right, a lot of it is so subtle that unless you’re into garment construction yourself, you’re not going to see it.

For this bespoke sheer black wedding dress, the bride chose to have a modesty layer underneath the dress. So I constructed a bodice out of a stretch fabric that matched their skin tone. The bodice had to fit Stevie’s body perfectly, so that it looked and felt like a second skin. An ill-fitting base layer becomes obvious by the folding and bunching that can be seen whilst it’s being worn, and can ruin any smooth silhouette you’re trying to achieve. This is when accurate measurements and fittings become essential.

I also added some skin-coloured tulle to the top of the dress, for some added support around the bust.

The back of the design featured a gothic arch, inspired by cathedral windows, fastening across the shoulders. From that arch hung a necklace-back made of faceted jet-black beads. I draped the strings of beads so that a pentagram star appeared where the loops of beads crossed. More beads hung around the top of each sleeve, as well as the high points of the skirt.

And here it is, finished and on the mannequin. Looking nowhere as stunning as it does when Stevie wore it!

If you love the idea of adding a bit of drama to your wedding dress, then I recommend having a look at this red feather masquerade wedding dress. It’s all things moody, dramatic and gothic. Or if you’re looking for more black wedding dress inspiration, there’s this one I made for a classic goth wedding.

And, of course, if you’ve decided this dress is perfect for you, then this design is available to order from my shop.