I created an elopement wedding dress for this stunning mature bride, made in pale peachy pink silk satin with incredible beaded and applique tulle overlay. Silk chiffon flowers with bold colour print, pearls and glass beads fade from neckline to hem. The shape was simple and flattering, a column dress with round neckline, cap sleeves...
Angie wanted a blue halter neck wedding dress for her special day. As a mature bride I encouraged her to have whatever she wanted and I love that is had the confidence to live our her fantasy wedding dress dreams. Choosing a colour instead of white can be more flattering to the mature figure and...
For real bride, Rae, I created this gorgeous green wedding dress coat to fit over her other wedding dress. That way she had a more dramatic look for her ceremony, and then a lighter option during the reception. I made the dress coat in a stunning shot silk dupion that colour shifted from green to...
I made a bespoke portrait collar jacket and wedding dress trimmed with chantilly lace for Angela. The dress and jacket were both made in opulent oyster pink duchess silk satin. Photography bywww.christellephoto.com Angela wanted a little old world glamour for her wedding so we created this vintage inspired ensemble in luxurious silk duchess satin and...
I have been privileged to create many wedding dresses for mature brides. It’s lovely to be trusted with the task so central to anyone’s wedding day whatever someone’s age. I do feel that older brides have lived life a little more and ‘know what they like’ in a different way to those younger women planning...
Lisa wanted an elegant Santorini blue dipdye wedding dress, with hints of Grecian style for her destination wedding in Greece. After a lot of trial and error, I managed to create what I think is the most perfect, vibrant sky blue. I love how this dress turned out, from the peek-a-boo shoulders, to the floaty...
This bride was looking for a UK seamstress and found me online. She then approached me, asking if I could make her an elegant couture dress with ruching, pleating and a statement bow. The end result is this opulent, bespoke, bronze gold wedding dress. We combined 1950’s and Elizabethan style details to create a modern,...
Rebecca wanted a Victorian-inspired wedding dress made in deep forest green and ivory silk dupion. We prioritised historical accuracy with this gown, from the custom-made corset underneath, to the embroidered bustle, all the way down to the layers of knife pleats around the skirt. Photography – Yuriy Nutsa Photograhy and Babb Photo Why wear that...
Catherine wanted a flamboyant and theatrical two-piece bridal ensemble in red and white, with feathers, sparkle and a lot of tulle. This red feather masquerade wedding dress is the result. The drama of this dress is so exciting to me, and as someone who’s educational background is in theatre design, this one couldn’t have been...
Suzanne commissioned a pretty tea length brown wedding dress and bolero made up in taffeta and chiffon. I made her knee-length dress with a fitted and boned bodice. She wanted a gentle sweet-heart shaped neckline and slim straps. We chose a beautiful shot taffeta (shot pink/green/ivory) with chocolate chiffon on top and I ‘plaited’ the...
Posts from Felicity Westmacott
Now and again I`ll take one of the wedding dresses I`ve made, and break down some of the elements. So, if there`s something you love about a dress, but you don`t know the `proper words` to reference them, hopefully this will help you out.
This beautiful 1950’s style wedding dress with delicate cream lace over golden-orange silk has lots of really scrummy details:
🧡 the opening at the back of the dress is called a keyhole (or you could call this a slit opening). This one is closed at the top with three covered buttons.
🧡 the base dress is made of a beautiful russet orange silk dupion, with dark ivory lace layered on top.
🧡 the base dress is essentially a halter neck, with a turn over collar at the front, with the ivory layer providing semi-sheer, full length sleeves.
🧡 the edges of the ivory layer are cut along the floral pattern of the lace, making a pretty scalloped edge.
🧡 this length of skirt is called `ballet` or `ballerina`.
🧡 the front of the dress has a line of false buttons (buttons that are just there for decoration), that match the buttons at the back.
Those are just some of the details of this dress. If you have any questions about anything else, just leave a comment. I could talk dress making all day!
“Felicity – dress maker extraordinaire. I loved the dress, EVERYONE loved the dress. Comments range from “so beautiful”, “stunning", "gorgeous”, “wow”. THANK YOU”
Thank you Rebecca 🧡
I absolutely loved making this 1950s style wedding dress for Rebecca. Taking inspiration from the classic Dior New Look collection, whilst adding plenty of details that are completely `Rebecca`. Isn`t this dress joyful!
Not only stylish, this wedding dress is also sentimental. The turn-over collar was cut to the pattern of Rebecca`s mother`s wedding dress. And to tie everything together, I also made ties and hankies for the groom and best man in matching orange silk.
Can we give a moment to the perfectly matched shoes as well? Divine.
Utterly unique and utterly gorgeous - I love working on bridal looks like this!
~
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On my birthday, 43 years ago, I was gifted a beautiful name...does it suit me?
Felicity means "happiness", from the Latin word meaning "good luck" or "fortune". Shortening to Fliss is good, but never Flick!
What about your name? Does it have a meaning?
Continuing on from my last post, it`s still my birthday week, and I`m still celebrating! I`m celebrating 43 years in this body. 43 years in this life. I`m very happy to be turning 43 - it means I`ve gathered years of experience, both professionally and also generally in life.
It`s important to me that I always remind myself it`s privilege to age. Sometimes that`s a hard thing to remember. When you notice more and more grey hairs, the fine lines around your eyes, eyelid droop, and even voice changes. And I know my body will change even more in the future.
But I`m lucky I get to live through those experiences. It`s a privilege to have grey hairs (whether you choose to dye them or not), it`s a privilege to see your life`s journey in the creases in your skin. I remind myself that nature is always changing, and my body is a part of nature too.
What things are you grateful for, when you think about growing older?
~
Photos by the brilliant Kate of @altweddingco
Today`s my birthday! So I`m allowing myself the week to celebrate myself.
Of my (now) 43 years, over half of them have been spent creating outfits for brides, bridesmaids and more. When I was younger I spent a lot more time making things for myself, now I have less opportunity to.
I made this outfit about 15 years ago. Me and my spouse were out shopping and she gifted these fabrics to me for another birthday. I first wore the outfit I made from them to the Henley Regatta. It`s so wonderful to remember the history of the various garments I`ve made 💜
I absolutely loved frolicking in nature with Kate of @altweddingco a few years ago for these photos, where I got to model a slew of different things I`d made over the years.
I felt like an art deco flower fairy 🧚🏼♀️ we don`t do enough frolicking as adults, don`t you think??
It’s the night before you’re wedding day. You have your dream bridal outfit ready to go for the morning. But there are a few things you should do before you go to sleep, to make sure your wedding dress is looking its best for the big day.
First up, make sure to hang your dress up high. A curtain rail or a wardrobe door are good choices. And make sure to hang it in a pet and fiancé secure room.
When unzipping the bag, put your finger behind the zip to stop it catching on any delicate fabric.
Your main priority is to get the train out, so it has time to flatten out overnight. Hang the dress in the bag so it’s facing inwards. Leave the shoulders of the bag on the dress to keep protecting the dress from dust.
You’ll want to lay a clean towel or sheet on the floor to protect the train when you pull it out.
Check to make sure the dress is hanging from its dress loops, not straps or sleeves. This prevents any delicate fabrics being stretched out by the weight of the dress. As you can see from the one I’ve chosen, that’s a lot of (heavy) dress!
On the wedding day, your dress can be taken completely out of the bag. To prep it for the photographer, turn it round so it’s facing the front, and pop any straps or sleeves, back onto the hanger so it looks its best..
And that’s about it. It isn’t very much, but it can make all the difference, and avoids any unwanted wrinkles, especially on your dress’ train.
Let me know if you have any other tips and tricks!
(Shout out to @engaged_bridal_studio for inspiring this post 🙌🏻)
#wedding dress #customwedding dress #weddingdressinspiration #bespokeweddingdress #bridalboutique #surreywedding #sussexwedding #londonwedding #weddingdaytips #weddingdresstips #bridaltips
