Illusion back wedding dress for dark skin

destination wedding confetti shot

Stunning illusion back wedding dress for dark skin in winter white duchess satin and bold guipure lace. The bodice was built on skin coloured illusion tulle netting with an open back and plunging front neckline. A simple fitted fishtail skirt with dramatic round train balanced the detail above.

Official photography by DSVisuals

Ayesha’s bodice had beaded guipure-lace hand appliquéd onto a skin colour base. A plunging front neckline is echoed at the back with a dipped skirt line to reveal as much back as possible. The lace comes round her shoulder line and arms to frame her neck and head. A stunning pearl button and loop fastening appears to float on her skin. The skirt is cut straight and slim at the front and flares into a dramatic circular train behind. The lace applique continues from the bodice onto the skirt and down Ayesha’s hips.

just married bride and groom guipure lace bodice
church door mermaid fishtail silhouette

The fishtail or mermaid silhouette of Ayesha’s figure with the dress to compliment makes for a dramatic look.

red carpet wedding dress vneck and train bespoke
low back illusion tulle wedding dress buttons and loops

Ayesha Wrote

I just wanted to thank you again for the dress. The wedding was yesterday and it was amazing. Soooooooo many compliments about my dress. So thank you for making such an incredible dress that was a huge part of my special day.

Every single person comments on how fabulous my dress is. 🙂 I love it!!

Thank you soooooo much for everything. I really love my dress. You were very patient with me and I appreciate that.

original design sketch by Felicity Westmacott wedding dress illusion back

Original design sketch – In the end Ayesha asked me to move the lace edge to the veil I made for her.

two tier winter white tulle veil custom
church wedding slim fit bridal gown and veil made to measure

I also made Ayesha’s veil. Two tiers, full length with beautiful guipure lace edging sewn to the bottom, to compliment the dress and add weight to the floaty tulle.

bride and groom tour the tables made to measure wedding dress
bride carrying her train and veil

The train came with a hook up for the evening and a wrist loop for ease of movement in the daytime. A tiny ‘something blue’ sewn next to the wrist loop is a finishing touch I add to all my dresses!

black bride with train wrist loop something blue
button back illusion net dark skin
plunge neckline with illusion tulle

A fitting picture detail of the bodice lace on the illusion back wedding dress for dark skin.

dressing the bride beaded lace wedding dress plunge neckline
bride lifting her train fishtail white satin wedding dress

Making Ayesha’s illusion back wedding dress for dark skin

guipure lace large flowers and leaves

The lace chosen for Ayesha’s dress was a large scale floral and scrolling leaf guipure lace with diamante and pearl detail. It had to be hand cut and sewn to the tulle bodice piece by piece to create the symmetrical neckline.

toile fitting bespoke wedding dress fit and flare

Pictures from the toile fitting (practice run) in cheap fabrics where we check style and fit before cutting the more costly materials.

ayesha6 making the dress fitting picture bust cups and tulle

Above: first fitting in the real fabrics while the illusion tulle bodice and skirt were still separate, so you can see below showing the difference the lace work makes to the final look.

fitting picture couture dressmaker wedding dress
fitting picture fishtail and lace wedding dress

To see more another design for a bride with a dark skin tone see Hannah’s waterfall skirt dress or Angela’s shell pink wedding suit.

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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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I'm a regional finalist for the Wedding Industry Awards! ⁠
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Not only that, but in both my categories; Best Designer/Independent Dressmaker and Best Seamstress/Tailor. So thank you to everyone who voted for me. Your time and effort is not only appreciated, but has also paid off 💜⁠
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And well done to my fellow regional finalists; @alexandersharpebridal, @harrietchristelow, @shell_stitches_kent, @stitchesbykristine, @nicolaleverington.⁠
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There are a few finalists outside of my categories that I wanted to give an especially loud shout out to - well done @alexjaggermua and @lushcurvebridal!⁠

Thank you to the organisers and Damien at @twia_official
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Wishing everyone the best of luck! 🪡✨️⁠

Photo by @altweddingco
This is what a bespoke veil with almost 400 flowers looks like.

On top of some other alterations, @katiepigden wanted a chic, modern bridal veil. We chose a length a little longer than her dress and I got to work.
Her wedding dress already had these beautifully delicate 3D flowers on the bodice, so we echoed this design element in the veil. I hand embellished almost 400 satin flowers, selectively scattered at the hem of the veil and gently creeping up. I wanted it to look as though Katie had been standing underneath a blossoming tree and some had happened to fall onto her veil.

A veil is such a perfect way of finishing off a bridal look, and I think Katie looks stunning. If you're looking for something completely custom for your wedding day, then get in touch 💜
Spooky season has arrived!

I love Halloween, but maybe not for the reasons you might think. For me, Halloween gives people permission to be a little more wild, a little more 'out there' with their bridal choices. And as a seamstress who loves to makes bold and beautiful wedding dresses, there's nothing wrong with a little more wild!

Take these three wedding photoshoots, for example. The first one was inspired by Morticia Addams. It's a black wedding dress! You can't get less traditional than that. And it's now one of my most popular designs. Although all these dress designs are based around a fictional character, they're still the furthest thing from a costume. They're pieces of haute couture art, taking the essence of the character and then elevating it to something truly unique.

The second dress used the designs from the live action Cruella, and I love how the model nailed her character. The final dress used Jim Henson's Labyrinth as a starting point, in particular that iconic ballroom scene (*swoon*). They were all such fun projects. So if you're looking for a wedding dress maker to embrace your wild side, I might be the perfect choice.

If you could base your wedding dress on a fictional character, who would it be?

~
Photography - @lexflemingphoto⁠
Sometimes it can be difficult to be true to yourself. The world can feel really judgemental (even if it's just the voices in the back of your head saying it). But, you might be worried about being 'too much' or worried of what people might think if they saw how vibrant and colourful you really are on the inside. How big and sparkly your thoughts and feelings are!

Well, guess what? There's no such thing as 'too much'. Not in my books! As a wedding dress maker (and honestly, a fellow big, sparkly person) I'm here to encourage you to listen to what your heart is telling you. Ignore those voices telling you should be anything less than 100% yourself, especially on your wedding day.

There is nothing that makes me happier than a bride bringing me their ideas - the crazy ones they've barely voiced to anyone else. The ones they shyly mention, usually followed by "but if that's not possible, then don't worry about it". And there's nothing more exciting than seeing the face of that bride when they realise that I am absolutely on this journey with them, that we will make it happen and that I cannot wait to get started!

Anyway, I love my job 😉

#weddingdress #fantasyweddingdress #fantasybride #historicalweddingdress #dramaticweddingdress #bespokeweddingdress
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