I designed this custom wedding dress, made in Surrey, for a spring wedding photoshoot. Along with the chic bridal separates. The shoot took place at Somersbury Barn, a beautiful oak framed barn nestled in the idyllic Surrey countryside. This gorgeous venue, complete with a stunning Victorian glasshouse was the initial inspiration for our shoot planner and stylist, Lucy Wells Weddings.
Using periwinkle tones as a base colour palette, we wanted to create a fresh, natural and whimsical vibe celebrating the warmer months with the joy of sunshine, blue skies and light. We coupled the blues with lilacs and pinks, with a few rustic touches to bring it all together.
I made this ombre periwinkle wedding dress from layers of tulle, in graduating shades of blue. I hand dyed some of the tulle to suit the periwinkle theme. The cupped bodice is appliquéd with 3D ribbon flowers cascading onto the skirt, and the train extends from the shoulders in soft drapes creating a beautiful sense of movement.
I think this dress is a dream, with those light, floaty layers and beautiful floral details.
I wanted to give each of our brides their own identity; for the other outfit I made my ivory silk satin ‘Evie’ two piece set with cropped low back top (with removable sleeves) and split leg trousers. A pop of bright pink for the back ties was added to echo the colours in the embroidered ‘wild flower’ belt, with lots of flora and fauna motifs.
Keep scrolling to see more beautiful photos of this custom wedding dress made in Surrey, and also the see the list of suppliers from this photoshoot.
Venue, Décor & Stationery
The Barn at Somersbury was the perfect place for this rustic wedding shoot. Full of natural materials like wood, rattan, glass and of course the trees surrounding the venue itself. This feeling of nature was elevated by our floral designer, Hellebore and Rose, assisted by Into the Wildflower Farm. The team created beautiful bouquets, centrepieces for the tables and gorgeous garlands bursting with colour and texture. They included mauve roses, pussy willow, purple stock, limonium and lots of other flowers and greenery you might find in the English countryside.
The tables inside the barn were laid with The Knotted Napkin Co. linens and set with tableware from Crystal Hire, as well as further decor and props provided by our excellent styling assistant, Surrey Wedding Company. Of course no wedding table is complete without beautiful, on-theme stationery, created by The Amyverse Weddings.
Custom Wedding Dress Made in Surrey
Michele and Graziella were our stunning models and real life lesbian couple. It was joyful to watch them work so naturally together, captured beautifully by Chloe Martin Photography. Inclusivity is so important to me both personally and professionally. My shop, my business and myself are all LGBTQ+ safe spaces.
I Do Makeup and Hair allowed the natural beauty of our couple to shine through, whilst giving each bride delicately styled hair, which was still full of movement.
Cakes & Biscuits
Laura’s Pantry created these tasty masterpieces, including two wedding cakes, as well as themed cookies and cupcakes. I can’t decide which I like more; the minimalist wedding cake, decorated with a few well placed flowers, or the one with the cascading waterfall of sugar glass. In conclusion: they’re both amazing.
The Team Behind the Scenes
Shout out to the amazing suppliers I got to work with during this shoot. Here’s just a few of them!
This wedding shoot was featured on the Whimsical Wonderland Weddings blog – have a look if you’re curious about other aspects of the day.
And here I am, making sure everything is perfectly in place.
Both these looks are available to order from my Etsy shop. You can find the Evie bridal separates (top and trousers) here, and the Periwinkle ombre wedding dress here.
If you want to see the Evie separates in a different context, you can see real bride Iram during her beautiful cultural fusion wedding. Loving the idea of a blue wedding dress? How about this pale blue fairy tale wedding dress (also made by me) to add to your mood board?
Suppliers
Concept, Planning and Styling: Lucy Wells Weddings
Venue: The Barn at Somersbury
Floral design: Hellebore and Rose
Floral assistant: Into the Wildflower Farm
Photographer: Chloe Martin Photography
Videographer: Molehill Media
Models: Michele and Graziella
Celebrant: Celebrate with Verity
Hair and makeup: I Do Makeup and Hair
Cakes: Laura’s Pantry
Bridal wear: Felicity Westmacott
Stationery: The Amyverse Weddings
Ribbons: Laik Style
Table linen: The Knotted Napkin Co.
Decor, props and styling assistance: Surrey Wedding Company
Bridal shoes: The Pretty Wedding Shoe Company
Tableware: Crystal Hire Ltd
