I was nominated for the wedding industry awards 2026 in two categories. And I won for my region in one of them! And yes, I made and wore bespoke dresses to both ceremonies, see below for more pictures! Photo by Matt Rock Alterations seamstress/tailor โ regional finalist South East 2026 This category is for any...
People often ask me for advice in choosing sewing machines for beginners to dressmaking. This article is designed specifically for those looking to make clothing at home, or starting out on the road through fashion or costume training. There are specialist machines for other jobs like quilting and upholstery but I wonโt be looking at...
Posts from Felicity Westmacott
"Everyone at the wedding said my dress looked amazing, I had so many lovely comments! Thank you again for making my dress fit so perfectly!"โ
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What more can I say? Another successful alteration, another happy bride - job done!โ
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If you`re interested in getting your dress altered for this year, you better hurry since my slots for 2026 are filling up fast! For more info, visit my website (link in bio).โ
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Photography - @dandjweddingphotography
A few days` ago I shared with you some of the adorable christening gowns I`ve made, but let`s not forget the sweet little suits and waistcoats too!โ
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Like with the christening gowns and dresses, I try to incorporate some elements of baby`s mum`s wedding dress or dad`s suit. For example, in the 3rd photo, baby G has a mini-me waist that is an exact copy of his daddy`s.โ
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For the little suit in the 5th photo, I used fabrics left over from mummyโs wedding dress to create an 18th century style waistcoat, cravat and trousers for their little boy. Doesn`t he look so dapper?โ
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I think it`s wonderful when a wedding gown can live past its big day, whether that be re-purposing, upcycling, passing it on to someone else or as a christening outfit. The possibilities are endless!โ
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If you`d never thought about upcycling your wedding dress before, maybe now you might consider it. And as always, my door is always open if you want to have a chat about how you might go about doing that.โ
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Photography (#1 and #2) - @charlottelouisephotography
It`s spring! And spring is about fresh starts and new life! So I wanted to focus on a very cute part of my job - creating dresses for babies out of their mothers` wedding gowns.โ
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In the first two photo we have Eleanor, whose dress I made in 2010 and then six years later I made a christening gown out of the spare material for little Baby A. I always try to keep as many of the details from the original dress in the new design - here I kept the box pleated frills from the bottom of Eleanor`s dress, as well as that beautiful embroidered silk. Seeing baby and mother, both in their gowns is just too adorable! ๐โ
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In the 4th photo you can see another wedding dress next to the christening gown I made from it. And in the following photo, where I made two outfits from one dress (that little romper is one of my faves).โ
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I don`t always make christening outfits by upcycling wedding dresses, but when I do I really enjoy the challenge of interpreting the design for little bodies, whether the original design is mine or not. I think it`s a lovely way of respecting the original designer and also as a way of linking a big day in their mother`s life, to a big day in theirs.โ
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Let me know in the comments; would you ever re-purpose your wedding dress?โ
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Photography (#8 and #9) - @charlottelouisephotography
This Bridgerton-inspired wedding dress is so versatile!
Of course, underneath everything there first needs to be the proper shapewear to give that Regency pillar silhouette, in the form of stays and a petticoat.
Then along comes this beautiful white and gold duchess satin dress.
And this is where the fun begins...
I created some many different accessories and options for this outfit:
You can add something deeply dramatic, with a period-accurate presentation train. This one is super long and gilded in gold lace.
Or you could go for some detachable puff sleeves, finished with an ornate pearl trim.
Then there`s the bow, which can be added on top of the train, or just straight onto the dress, with the long sash-tends working as a sort of mini train.
And of course, the final, and most essential accessory for a look like this: fun, whimsy and a love for the dramatic. It also helps if you`re obsessed with this current season of Bridgerton, of course...
Which Bridgerton character can you imagine wearing this bridal look?
If you think this might be the dress for you, it`s currently for sale on my Etsy page (๐ in bio) - it`s heavily discounted compared to my usual bespoke orders, so claim her whilst you can!
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The hair matches the wedding dress! The hair matches the wedding dress! How many brides can say they had a rainbow dress and rainbow hair for their wedding day? Honestly, looking at all this colour brings me so much joy!โ
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Bryony is a gorgeous alternative woman, with tattoos, piercings and a wicked sense of humour, so she needed a dress that could match her. She had already chosen this beautiful gown when she contacted me, but that was only the start of its journey to the aisle. โ
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Along with a few alterations, I dip dyed her dress, along with the tulle shoulder bows, to make this feast for the eyes - bright, vibrant colours to match Bryony`s bright, vibrant soul.โ
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And if you`re asking yourself, "well, if it`s a rainbow, where`s the green?", I think the greenness of their outdoor wedding finishes off the rainbow perfect.โ
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If you can`t stop staring at this dress, drop me and DM, and bring some colour to your wedding this year. โ
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Photography - @alexandra_weddingsโ
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#altbride #ukbride #2026bride #dipdyeweddingdress
A little look into the process of dip dying this gorgeous wedding dress. โ
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The dress itself was chiffon and sequined lace, and my job was to make it just a little less white and a whole lot more fun. โ
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This gradient has seven different colours; buttercup yellow, tangerine orange, cherry red, magenta, grape purple and sky blue.โ
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I added each layer of colour gradually. Instead of marking out where each colour begins and ends, I used my skills and decades of experience to measure by eye, judging when the balance of colours and the blend of gradients was just right.โ
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Since the dress was layered, I had to build this ombre effect twice, and make sure they matched. And then I split the rainbow and dyed one shoulder bow one half, and the other side, the other half.โ
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Which colour is your favourite?โ
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If you want to see more photos of this dress on Bryony`s wedding day, I`ll be posting a full set in a few days` time, so why not follow me for more whimsical bridal content?โ
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Photography - @alexandra_weddings
