Made To Measure Wedding Dress in London

Made To Measure Wedding Dress in London bespoke custom south uk seamstress maker

For this made to measure wedding dress in London, bride Karah approached me looking to commission a layered gown in scrolling ivory floral lace, with a corset inspired by the late (and very great) Vivienne Westwood.⁠

The base layer is a floor length strapless column dress made of champagne-coloured silk dupion. I made the top layer from ivory lace, including the high collared neckline and long, slim fitting sleeves.

There are so many details of this dress I love; the lace up back, the visible boning channels of the corset, the buttons on the sleeves and of course that big, dramatic veil.

How effortlessly gorgeous is Karah? She looks like if Wednesday Adams grew up and decided to wear white to her wedding. And her husband looks like the perfect modern Gomez. This wedding dress is chic and gothic. Whilst taking inspiration from the Victorian era, but also keeping it thoroughly modern.

Photography – Story In Time⁠

“Everything was amazing and I can’t thank you enough.”

– Karah, the bride

Making a Made To Measure Wedding Dress in London

Step 1: Designing the dress (and getting the bride’s approval)

Step 2: Fabric selection (and getting the bride’s approval)

Step 3: The toile – the rough draft of the dress (and getting the bride’s approval)

Step 4: Fitting the toile (and getting the bride’s approval)

Step 5: Cutting into the actual fabric, followed by lots of fittings to perfect the fit of the dress (and, of course, getting the bride’s approval!)

After lots more steps, you can finally bask in the glow of the completed dress and a happy bride!

As you can see, it’s very important to me that the bride involved with every step of the process. Communication is so important in a process like this. It’s why, when Karah said she wanted to change up the design from the initial idea, I was more than happy to come up with new ideas.

If you’re for more inspo, here is another historically inspired wedding dress, this time using Edwardian era details. Or, if you like the classic column shape of this dress, have a look at another one I made, based on the art deco style of the 1920s and 30s.

If you’re looking for a made to measure wedding dress in London, then I might be your perfect solution. My shop is based in Dorking, Surrey, which is a short train ride (or drive) from London. I’ve made wedding outfits for plenty of London brides, as well as mothers of the bride/groom, bridesmaids and guests.

If you want to have a no-obligation chat, just get in touch. I would love to hear your ideas!

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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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Sumptuous sky-blue silk. 
A figure-hugging silhouette.
Corseted with lilac ribbon. 
And sparkling lace accents.

This is the kind of bridal outfit that makes me excited to get into my workshop every day. Colourful, confident and completely Caroline.

Originally Caroline wanted a cocktail-style dress, but eventually changed her mind to a bodice and skirt ensemble. That’s part of the joy of having your wedding dress made specifically for you – you can explore options and try different things out. It’s all part of the bespoke process. When a bride tells me she’s not sure about something, that helps me to get her one step closer to her dream dress. And that’s what we both want!

This is only half of what I made for Caroline – I can’t wait to show you the other half properly (you may have already glimpsed it in the video). I’ll be posting about that next, and trust me, it’s worth the wait.

Photography - Phil Carr - @phil_carr_photography
Hair - Kelly Dingle
“Felicity listened to what I wanted, gave a clear quote and completed the alterations so nobody could see them. Clear booking system as well. Would recommend.”⁠
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Sometimes it takes a little adjustment here and there to make a wedding dress feel like it was made for you, and sometimes a dress needs a more dramatic transformation. Either way, I'm here to help.⁠
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If you're interested in getting your dress altered for this year, I'm currently booked up until the beginning of October. So if your wedding is November onwards and your dress doesn't feel quite right yet, drop me a message. But don't wait too long - spaces are filling up fast.⁠
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You can always book in a no-obligation consultation with me, to see if I would be the right fit for you and your dress - link in bio.⁠
⁠
Photography - Birdseye Photography
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
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