I made a green and gold waterfall train wedding dress for my own wedding day in 2007. Having worked so much in ivory and white I decided to be bright and colourful. And anyway I don’t think white or ivory suits my very pale skin well at all!
I made my dress with a boned bodice in green silk with a gold lace overlay. The bodice has a pointed waistline, sweetheart neckline, shaped straps and a peplum at the back. I created a fastening at the back with with two rows of cover buttons and loops. The full skirt was made in gold silk with contrast green silk waterfall train at the back. I wore the dress with a hoop for extra fullness as well as the netting underskirts I had sewn in. I also made a gold lace bolero.
Inspirations
Many people comment ‘oh medieval’ but in fact nothing of my dress comes from that historical period. I think it’s just the gold and green colour that makes people think of that style. In fact the dress is absolutely modern, there being no period in history when dresses like this were worn, except bridal in the 2000’s! There are elements which have a Victorian feel to them, the peplum, the boned and fitted bodice shape, the full skirt over a hoop, and the colouring makes people think of Anne Boleyn or an elven Queen; but I could not travel back in time and fit in!
I also made a silk waistcoat for my husband, with 18th century style elements and hand embroidery of fuchsias on the pockets. A gold silk cravat in the same fabric as my dress finished the look.
The back bodice fastened with two rows of real buttons and loops above a flamboyant peplum. The skirt back and train were made in a waterfall of green and gold silk.
Left: with my grandmother on my wedding day. Centre, by bridesmaids helping me with the final stitches to my hem on the morning of my wedding – as I had prioritised everyone else’s dresses over my own! And right: detail of the peplum back bodice with gold lace applique and a double row of buttons and loops
The back waterfall and train all bustled up in the evening to enable me to dance a jive with my new husband.
And seventeen years later we were lucky enough to be invited to another friend’s wedding at the same venue. The lovely photographers kindly re-created our photo for us! Photos below by Glenn and Lauren
Hand embroidery
The embroidery on my train was all done by hand in Japanese silk thread. Fuchsias on a curling vine with gold lace highlights and a tiny bee to one side. The stamens were highlighted with tiny cerise and gold glass seed beads. I also attended a shoe making course a few months before my wedding and made my won shoes with more hand embroidery featuring.
I went on a shoemaking course and make my wedding shoes too. The fuchsias are hand embroidered on ivory silk damask. I designed the ‘vine’ to flow across both shoes.
Dressmaking for my attendants
I also made dresses for my four adult bridesmaids and my child bridesmaid. I made waistcoats for my two pageboys and both best men! And of course my gorgeous groom (who is now my wife).
Some views of the dress as a ‘work in progress’.
Priestly Robes
Some years before my wedding I was asked to create new stoles (the coloured scarves) for our Rector, Rev. Bill Campen. I also reconditioned a cope (the big cape) I bought secondhand and donated it to Charlwood Church. Our Rector quite enjoyed dressing finely for services and I think he was very pleased with the cope and stoles. It is unusual for the bride to have made not only her own dress and all the attendants, but also the Priest’s outfit too!
At the time of my wedding I had been a member of the choir at St Nicholas Church, Charlwood for almost 20 years. It was very special to have them sing for me on my big day. We had the Benedictus from Karl Jenkins “The Armed Man, a mass for peace” during the signing if the register. And yes, I’ve sewn for the choir too, making a round of new collars for the adult members.
Mother of the Bride
I also made my mother’s dress. Forest green duchess satin was the perfect choice to make her bodice and skirt. I hand appliquéd black lace and glass beads as an echo of my own dress design but with a flare of it’s own.
Waterfall train wedding dress photoshoot
After my wedding I was invited to a ‘treasure the dress’ photo-shoot and came back with this (and other) wonderful fashion-spread style images. Similar shoots can be booked via The Image Cella .
Maternity alterations
Five years after I got married I planned a party for my 30th birthday with the dress code ‘wedding dress’. I had been trying for a baby for over a year by then and it was therefore with much joy that I discovered I would be 20 weeks (half way) pregnant on the day of my birthday party. Of course that meant I needed to perform some special alterations to my wedding dress to make it fit over a growing bump.
I added a small panel into the side of the bodice and redistributed the fullness of the skirt to fit the wider waistline. I was lucky I wasn’t further along in the pregnancy when accommodating the bump would have been much harder to do!
It was so much fun to wear my wedding dress again and to share the evening with many of friends who also wore their wedding dresses too!
Anniversary Photoshoot
The most recent outing for my wedding dress (I do believe they should be worn as often as reasonably possible) was a celebration photoshoot with my spouse in 2021. These photos were taken by The Alt wedding co.
To see another green wedding dress with floral embellishment head over to Janet’s dress. Or to learn even more about me, the maker and wearer of this dress you can visit my about me page.
