Lace Wedding Dresses

Working with lace is one of my favourite aspects of wedding dress making. There are so many different types of lace, with evocative names; delicate ‘Chantilly’, bold ‘Guipure’, traditional ‘corded’ or modern ’embroidered’, to name but a few. I have more than 400 samples in my books from lace making regions all over the world. Choose from French or Italian lace, lace from the Far East or closer to home, the traditional lace making town of Nottingham! Lace can be used as flat fabric with the beautiful scalloped edging trimming hems and necklines, or the motifs can be carefully cut and hand appliquéd onto plain fabric to magnificent effect.

A selection of real brides and photoshoot dresses featuring lace fabric or detailing.

Forest wildflower wedding dress: For this dress, I wanted to take inspiration from nature. The star of this dress is the beautiful embroidered tulle, with flowers and leaves springing from the waist and growing organically up and down the body.

Wedding Dress and Veil for Issie: Issie’s dress was made with a boned satin bodice with pretty lace overlay. Long sleeves and a boat neckline were trimmed with a pretty scalloped edging.

Wedding Dress and Veil for Lauren Lauren’s wedding dress was made from matt satin and hand embellished with delicate lace patterns in hand applique. At the back the train was made from over lapping petal panels inspired by Lauren’s love of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress. This was also the inspiration for the lavish quantities of hand lace embellishment all over the bodice, cascading over the train and edging the skirt all round.

Wedding pictures by Bumble and Brown

Traditional silk georgette and guipure lace wedding dress for Izzy: Izzy’s dress was created to be simple and flattering with pretty lace and butterfly detail. The square neckline and cap sleeves were modest and feminine. Lace applique highlighted Izzy’s waist and the lace up back gave a detail focus from the back.

Wedding pictures by Sebastian Lomas

Waterfall skirt with applique lace detail for Hannah: This was a ‘restyle’ rather than made from scratch. She found the almost perfect dress in a bridal boutique but brought it to me to have the skirt changed to the organza waterfall loveliness she craved.

Official photography by Adebayo Deru

Illusion back lace wedding dress for Helen: The bodice was a traditional sweetheart shape, lightly boned but totally cut away at the back. A simple straight skirt and train balanced the drama of the sheer tulle and lace applique back and sleeves.

Official photography by alextentersphotography

Wedding Dress and Veil for Sofia: Classic boned bodice with sweetheart neckline and bold lace over-lay extending up to a higher boat neck.

Wedding Dress for Ayesha: Stunning dress in winter white duchess satin and bold guipure lace on an illusion bodice

Official photography by DSVisuals

Antique Silver beaded lace dress for Claire: Claire commissioned a light and elegant dress made in layered ivory silk dupion and organza with silver beaded lace applique.

Official photographs by www.rubielovephotography.co.uk

The main dress was made of ivory silk dupion with a fitted and boned bodice and sweetheart neckline. Beaded antique-silver lace was hand sewn to the bodice and creeps upwards on the sheer organza to create the shape of embellished straps. I added extra hand beading and Swarovski crystals on the bodice area, especially on the neckline and straps.

Ivory beaded lace and orange satin dress for Clare: Clare commissioned a flamboyant 1950’s style dress made in burnt orange satin and ivory chiffon with beaded lace and tulle for her Florida wedding.

Official wedding photographs by www.gingermidgett.com

The fitted and well boned bodice had a sweetheart neckline framed with straps that narrowed on the shoulder. The bodice was made in burnt orange satin layered with scrolling beaded lace. Pretty scalloped edging was used at the neckline and to highlight Clare’s waist. The back fastened with a lace-up back of wide ivory ribbon through loops over an orange modesty panel.

Wedding Dress for Emily:  This dress was made from layers of silk satin, chiffon and delicate beaded lace. Made with a fitted and boned bodice with beaded Parisian lace. The sweetheart neckline and straps are trimmed with scalloped edging. The lace extends over the full skirt in handkerchief points below a silk satin sash.

Official photography by www.jeaphotography.co.uk

The skirt is made of floaty silk chiffon divided at the front to reveal the shine of the satin below.

Photoshoot: Frost on the Leaves: Silver lace dress with silk chiffon flares skirt and optional lining.

Photography: Jessica Jill Partridge,

Photoshoot: Frost on the Leaves: Detail of lace edging to bodice on dip-dye wedding dress.

Photography: Jessica Jill Partridge,

Wedding Dress and Birdcage Veil for Faye: Faye’s dress has a fitted and heavily boned bodice with a sweetheart neckline edged with pleated black tulle and beaded lace to soften the line.

Official Wedding pictures by http://www.allanbreezephotographer.co.uk

Wedding Dress for Charlie: Charlotte commissioned a dress in layered silk satin and Georgette with a dramatic low back filled with beaded lace.

Official Wedding Pictures by Sarah McDonnell

Wedding Dress and Jacket for Angela: in oyster silk duchess satin and chantilly lace.

Photography bywww.christellephoto.com

Wedding Dress for Vicki: Vicki commissioned a dress in ivory soft satin and Georgette with a cowl back and hand appliquéd lace.

Official photographs by Vivien Woods

Wedding Dress for Reeta: Reeta commissioned a plunge back dress in buttermilk silk satin and ivory corded lace.

Official photographs by www.photofactorysite.com

Wedding Dress for Karen: Karen commissioned a beautiful dress in layers of ivory lace and satin with beaded neckline detail.

Wedding Dress and Veil for Harriet: delicate French ‘chantilly’ lace on the bodice with silk organza skirt.

Photography by http://www.barryholder.co.uk

Wedding Dress for Felicity (my own): My dress was made 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. The bodice fastened 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 at the back and worn over a hoop and netting. I also had a gold lace bolero.

Wedding Dress for Amanda: Simple dress made in pale gold silk satin with an ivory/gold beaded lace top layer.

Photographs with kind permission from Paul Johnson http://www.pjphoto.co.uk

Wedding Dress for Kate: Kate commissioned a soft floaty gown in ivory silk satin and silk georgette with touches of Nottingham lace

Wedding Dress and Ties for Rebecca: A beautiful 1950 s style wedding dress with delicate cream lace over Autumnal golden-orange silk.

Photography by Gregg Brown, http://www.greggbrownweddings.com

Wedding Dress for Madeleine: Madeleine commissioned a slim fitting wedding dress in ivory lace over duchess satin.

Wedding Dress and Coat for Catherine: The boned bodice was duchess satin with a guipure lace over-lay.

Embroidered Wedding Dress for Karen: Simple modern wedding dress in ivory silk dupion with contrast purple silk detail. Hand embroidered butterflies in silk thread and lace applique complete the picture.

Wedding Dress and Veil for Angie: Angie wanted something really different for her wedding: as an older bride she wanted to feel extravagant special without wearing a long white dress. Together we created a design all in torn layers with a mix of all the fabrics from my sample books that Angie liked. Angie wanted it to look like a fairytale-attic dress, cobwebbed and tatty edged but with delicate lace and a bit of sparkle.

Photoshoot: City Burlesque Wedding: Ivory duchess satin dress with lace applique detail.

This dress is for sale here

Photography by jessicajillphotography.zenfolio.com

Wedding Dress for Elsa: The finished dress had a fitted and boned bodice with modest round neckline and short sleeves. The dress was fitted to the upper hip and then flared gently to the floor. The whole dress was covered with ivory corded lace and heavily embellished with sequins and pearls.

Official Wedding pictures by http://www.chrislegg.net

Wedding Dress for Liz: Made in teal shot silk Liz’s dress has a boned bodice with ruching to the hip and a wide off the shoulder neckline. The skirt falls in graduated tiers of waterfall frills. Hand applique of teal lace adds sparkle and texture to the neckline and skirt.

Wedding Dress for Aine: Aine commissioned a 1950s style wedding dress made up in white taffeta.

The dress has a fitted and boned bodice with shaped neckline and invisible zip back closure. The flared, knee length skirt has soft white tulle peeking out below. Both the waistline and neckline are decorated with white and silver lace and hand beading.

Wedding Dress for Barbara: Edwardian inspired dress made from duchess satin and beaded Guipure lace. The dress is trimmed with gathered lace flounces and groups of pink flowers. Made in three pieces the lace over bodice has long sleeves and a high collar. The train attached with poppas and was trimmed with matching lace flounces

Photography by http://www.michellebeanphotography.co.uk

Wedding Dress for Nicola: Simple v-neck bodice, lightly boned with beaded lace over-lay. Draped crepe silk satin skirt with lace panel train to echo the bodice.

Wedding Dress and Veil for Alexandra: Palest blush satin with ivory organza and tulle layered on top with lace applique.

Official photography by Shannon Lafayette

Wedding dress for Julia: Elegant dress made in gold silk duchess satin and rose gold lace.

Official photography by sophieduckworthphotography.com

The dress has a fitted and boned bodice with a plunge neckline fading to narrow straps. Pleated fabric in an asymmetric design emphasises Julia’s waist. Rose gold lace sleeves are trimmed with beaded scalloped edging. A mixed metallic lace edging is also used inside the neckline and on the hip hand beaded with crystals and seed beads.

Wedding dress for Clare: was made in rose pink duchess-satin with a fitted and boned bodice with a sweetheart neckline. A layer of matching lace extended over the bodice and up to a boat neckline at the front and vee at the back. Half cap sleeves and the back neckline were both finished with pretty scalloped edging.