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 bronze. There is something so regal and elegant about this silhouette, and I think Rae’s choice of colours is inspired.
The wedding dress itself was an elegant tea length dress in layers of satin and tulle. Rae wanted a fitted and boned bodice, for support (you can see she loves to dance), with a V-shaped neckline at the front and back. I used beautiful embroidered tulle and lay it across the bodice. Finally I added short sleeve, with ‘cold shoulder’ openings. The dress was cut with princess line seams (those lines you can see running vertically down the dress), with godet panels in the skirt for volume.
Because I layered the satin, the skirt flowed and fluttered beautifully when she moved. Rae looks like a green goddess in this dress! A bit like Persephone from Hadestown, don’t you think?
“I can’t thank you enough for creating my stunning dresses, I was showered with compliments, and everyone thought they were so me, which they were. I felt so amazing wearing them. You created everything and more that I could have dreamed of.”
Photography – Smiling Tiger Studios
If you scroll down, you’ll see details about both the dress coat, and the dress that went underneath.
“I cannot thank Felicity enough for creating two fabulous dresses for me, Felicity was a joy to work with and just seemed to understand exactly what I wanted and then worked her magic. They not only looked amazing but were a dream to wear.”
Making The Green Wedding Dress Coat
Fitting 1: As always, I started with the toile – the rough draft in an inexpensive fabric. This is the bride’s first opportunity to see the transition from a 2D sketch, into 3D reality.
Fitting 2: Once I was satisfied with the fit of the toile, and Rae was happy with the style, I cut into this beautiful shot silk dupion.
Fitting 3: It might be hard to see the changes between this fitting and the last, but there was a lot of internal work and subtle changes made. I checked the gorgeous purple lining worked, and refined the pleats around the waist.
Final Fitting: This was the day Rae came in to try on the finished dress. Between this and the previous fitting, I had cut out, placed and hand-sewn all these beautiful floral embroidery pieces. The green, purples and yellows complimented the sage olive colour of the wedding dress so beautifully, and the flowers and fronds added a touch of nature to the whole look.
Some details about this dress that I love: the three-quarter sleeves with a slight slit. The cross over V-neckline. The train, embellished with more gorgeous embroidery. And the formal pleating around the waist.
Below you can see how the sumptuous purple lining looked on the day itself.
Making the Short Sleeve Green Wedding Dress
These photos are from the second fitting. In the first fitting we just focused on the bodice, and when Rae came back, I had refined the fit, as well as added in the skirt with the godet panels. The panels are what gave the skirt that lovely full and floaty look, which swished around her when she danced.
Once the toile was complete, I began constructing the garment using this gorgeous grass green satin. I think this shade of green is so beautiful, like the colour of fresh leaves in the spring.
Here we have Rae trying on her reception dress during the final fitting. We had one last fitting before this one, where I checked the fit of the cold shoulder sleeves, and began to overlay this beautiful, leafy, beaded lace across the bodice. I cut out separate pieces of the lace and hand sewed them, so it looked like vines creepy down from the top onto the skirt.
Looking for a Bespoke Wedding Outfit?
I love making colourful wedding dresses, and I’m so happy that my brides love wearing them. I’m particularly fond of this green Victorian-inspired wedding dress, and this fabulous purple wedding dress coat I made for a London cabaret-themed photoshoot.
If you want something entirely unique for your wedding day, then get in touch. This is the kind of commission I absolutely love making – beautiful, elegant and one of a kind (with a touch of the dramatic).
Book your no-obligation consultation here!
