“Frost on the leaves” Autumn Bridal Photoshoot

falling leaves autumn bride

I made three bespoke wedding dresses for this frost themed Autumn bridal photoshoot.

From time to time I collaborate with other wedding professionals on styled wedding photoshoots. This one took place in November 2016 in leafy Surrey with the theme “Frost on the Leaves”. We wanted to explore the underrated beauty of the late English Autumn, a magical time of coloured leaves and silver frost. You can see photos of the making process and behind the scenes pictures from the shoot in my blog entries about this shoot.

Photography:JessicaJillPartridge,
Dresses made & designed by Felicity Westmacott
Styling by Jessica of www.foxandpartridge.com
Models: Katja Cemic, Keely Simeoni and Isabella Crighton
Hair styling by Very Bettie
Make up by www.charlottemuapro.com,
Bespoke Shoes by Marsha Hall
Jewellery by Vicky Forrester
Veil and headpieces by Jen Levet
Floristry by Michelle Knibbs of Muscari Whites
Garden wreath by The Girl who Gardens

I designed three dresses for this shoot, a white and silver dress layered that could be worn in three different ways. Plain underdress only, both layers, or for the daring, the lace layer alone! I also created a dip-dye dress that soaks up the colours of autumn in the hem and a flower-girl dress to compliment them both, in rose-gold silk lame and georgette.

styled shoot with gold leaves red hair bridal inspiration

‘Sylphide’ Frosty silver sheer lace dress

I designed a sheer lace dress with antique silver floral accents and silk georgette flutter sleeves. It can be worn alone as below, with with the custom underdress or that was made to go with it.

low back mermaid beaded lace wedding dress bespoke waterfall train
flutter sleeve waterfall wedding dressy scallop edge lace neckline

Here is the lace dress, for the daring only, worn without the lining!

winter sun on shear metallic wedding gown silver beaded slim
flutter waterfall sleeve modest wedding gown
Juliette cap vintage veil custom to order by Jen Levet

This lace cap veil was created especially for our shoot by Jen Levet and compliments the dress perfectly.

vneck wedding dress matt satin straps winter sun

The under dress or lining layer in pale ivory duchess satin makes an understatedly elegant dress all on it’s own.

Here is the silver lace dress, worn with all it’s layers. The main dress is beaded antique-silver lace and the lower skirt is silk chiffon.

heart cut out wedding shoes custom

Romantic Ivory shoes with lace and heart shape peep-toe, by www.marshahall.com

Lace edged veil by Jen Levet

ivory mermaid v neck chiffon lace custom gown in the woods

This dress was used for another photoshoot a few years later. Seeing how the same dress works differently for different figures and wedding themes can be very interesting. See the Tuscany wedding photoshoot here.

slimline wedding dress bespoke to order winter bride
peeptoe lace shoes autumn winter bride

flowergirl with bride holding train rosegold chiffon and beaded lace

This dress is for sale, made to measure for each bride from my Etsy shop, or direct from me for the full bespoke experience.

blush and copper make-up for wedding with hair garland

Make-up by www.charlottemuapro.com

Rose gold Flower Girl Dress

child bridesmaid dress custom made with long sleeves for winter

I made a flower girl dress in layered silk georgette in shades of rose-gold with beaded lace detail and long sleeves.

Silk Lily band headdress by Jen Levet

Hair garland by Muscari Whites

mix metallic lace and beading custom dress design

Make-up by www.charlottemuapro.com

Hair styling by Very Bettie

Ombre fire Dipdye Dress for Autumn Bridal Photoshoot

Model Keely Simeoni wears ‘Phoenix’ a silk dupion and tulle dress dip-dyed with the colours of autumn as if the season is creeping up her skirt. Creating this dress, took 7 hours on the colours alone, see more detail of how this was done in my blog entry on the shoot.

ombre bridal gown red yellow orange and ivory train
bespoke ivory tulle wedding dress silk roses corset laceup back

Hair by Alex Sadler of Very Bettie

Silk Lily band headdress by Jen Levet

This dress is for sale, made to measure for each bride from my Etsy shop, or direct from me for the full bespoke experience.

phoenix dip dye wedding dress made to order
velvet wedding boots autumn winter wedding

Autumn red shoe-boots by www.marshahall.com

bespoke velvet wedding boots stilettos roses on bed of leave
ombre bouquet pussy willow rainbow roses

Rainbow rose bouquet by Muscari Whites designed to compliment the phoenix dress.

Flame Fantasy Styling

snowflake fire bride ombre wedding dress

Lastly some images of the dip-dye dress with a little Bowie-homage: daring make-up and fairytale styling.

Hair styling by Very Bettie

Make-up by www.charlottemuapro.com

sleeping princess bride ivy autumn flowers


The Leaf Pendant is an ideal choice for an Autumn wedding. The green stone is a piece of Moldavite. The rippled texture that gives the leafy appearance is entirely natural. It’s a type of tectonic glass, created in an explosion of energy over 14 million years ago, when an asteroid collided into Earth. This notion of ‘heaven-and-earth’ makes it a perfect symbol for the magic that marriage inspires.

bespoke wedding dress ombre hem tulle silk ivory veil

Styling for an Autumn Bridal Photoshoot

gold cobweb cuff and jewellery custom to order

Bespoke jewellery by www.vicky-forrester.com

autumn photoshoot table setting inspo gold flowers and candles

Styling by Jessica Jill Partridge of www.foxandpartridge.com

Flowers by Muscari Whites

winter inspiration crockery gold cups leaf plate and tea set
bridal bouquet rosegold and orange vase arrangement
wedding garland november wedding leaves and berries

Garden Wreath by The Girl who Gardens

gold leaf bridal peeptoe shoes handmade with love
gilded bouquet autumn wedding inspiration

bespoke wedding rings with leaves

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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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follow me on instagram@felicitywestmacott

Sure, my usual role is a bespoke wedding dress maker, creating beautiful and unique garments for brides looking for something a little different. 

But sometimes I'm also a lighting assistant, a caterer, a last-minute-rush-to-the-shopper. That's the fun of being a creative, working with other creatives. 

This was from a styled photoshoot I organised, based on the iconic 90s film, Strictly Ballroom. I made these dazzling neon bridesmaids outfits based around the stunning costumes of Latin ballroom dancers. Our photographer really wanted the colours to pop in the atmospheric darkness of our location, so of course I volunteered myself as floor level tripod 😂

The photos turned out amazing, so it was definitely worth it!

Have you ever found yourself doing a job you never expected?

Dresses @felicitywestmacott
Photography @jessicajillphoto
Video/content @weddingstorytellerco
Venues @theoldtimberstore_se1 @malt.maltby
Florals @jemimainthewoods
Event Equipment Hire @cohire
Bridesmaid models @Lisaeggy3 @Boobzylou @oleksanacoaching
Choreography @oleksanacoaching
Hair and Make-up lead @melindabridal @melinda_grant
Hair and Make-up @beccibrushes
Jewellery @CatherineMarche
Neon Sign @thisisasignuk
Shoes @shoesbylarisa
"Just a very quick note from Rome to let you know how very admired your dress was. Lots of people said how beautiful it was. It really was the most beautiful dress I have ever seen. I definitely would like to work out how to potentially wear it again - I can’t bear the thought that I’ll never wear it again!

Thank you again - you truly are an alchemist!"

All the quiet hours designing, cutting, sewing and hand-stitching were all worth it, just to hear a bride so happy with her wedding dress. 

Want to see what this dreamy dress looked like on the day? I'll be posting the official wedding shots later this week. You won't want to miss this one, I promise you. This gown has quickly become a new favourite of mine 💙 

#bespokeweddingdress
What do you do with a wedding dress that's too precious to forget, but too beautiful to leave in a box forever?⁠
⁠
Last year I shared a wedding dress transformation I had done. I upcycled a Victorian-inspired dress I'd made fifteen years earlier - something only suited to a wedding - into something infinitely more wearable.⁠
⁠
And people had feelings about it. Big feelings.⁠
⁠
I understand that when you really love how something looks, it can feel criminal to see it changed into something you wouldn't choose for yourself.⁠
⁠
But this is what Eleanor chose for her wedding dress. And she, of all people, is the most attached to how it looked in the first place. But as she said, if she'd just had a new dress made for her anniversary, it wouldn't have been the same. This fabric gently held her as a young adult, making a life long commitment to someone else. It rested against her chest as her heart beat hard and fast when saying "I do". It swirled around her hips as she took her first dance. It pooled around her feet as she finally sat down, exhilarated and tired. Now a wife.⁠
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And now this new dress can be with her through so many more experiences, holding those old memories, whilst also making new ones.⁠
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This is what I do - I help your dress live a second life. Would you ever have yours transformed?
This gorgeous bespoke bronze wedding dress has gained a bit of attention recently, ever since I shared the secrets of how she fastens at the back, so I thought I'd bring her back for you to see in full. ✨

Making this dress was a dream, but nothing beats seeing how beautiful this bride looked on the day, surrounded by old stone, wild forest, and the people she loves.

Your wedding dress is about you, it's you, showing up in something that tells everyone exactly who you are. And I think this dress tells us this bride is opulent, elegant and regal. Basically? She's a queen. 👑

Getting your dress made specifically for you means you get to be really specific about how you want to look and feel on the day. Bright, modern and playful. Wild, dramatic and daring. Whatever your vibe, working with a maker who prioritises your ideas is a must.

If you're ready to take a step towards a truly bespoke bridal experience, drop me a DM. 💌

Photography @duncanireland

#bespokeweddingdress #uniquebride #colourfulweddingdress #rosegoldweddingdress #maturebride
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