For this made-to-measure wedding dress in Surrey, Laura wanted something elegant, with full length sleeves, a flowing skirt and featuring floral lace. Laura’s wedding was planned for winter, so the dress also needed to be warm!
I went for a boned bodice with cups built in, so Laura would feel supported throughout the day. I chose a plunging sweetheart neckline, with mesh to give stability to the front and back. A common challenge with wedding dress design is incorporating sleeves with an off-the-shoulder neckline. Often the weight of the sleeves without the support of a higher neckline can lead to the sleeves slipping down. To combat this, nude coloured mesh is used, giving some invisible structure. You can see some of the mesh at the back, with a button and loop fastening.
I used this delicate floral lace to cover the bodice, as well as for the fitted sleeves. The pretty scalloped edge of the lace was used to soften the neckline and finish the sleeve ends. Those are the kinds of little details I love. The finishing touch was the row of covered buttons and loops.
The skirt is full, and cut in an a-line silhouette, which creates all those gorgeous gentle folds. It closes with a concealed zip and extends into a medium train behind. I used stiff netting to create even more fullness to the skirt, and for a bit of additional warmth.
Laura had one final, beautiful request. That the whole dress be fully lined using her mother’s dress. This meant the fabric would be next to her skin, holding her. Such a lovely lovely idea.
Photography – Mark Shaw
“I’m not sure I can put into words how brilliant Felicity is and how grateful I am to her. It’s a difficult thing to trust someone with making your wedding dress from scratch, but with Felicity I needn’t have worried for a second.
– Laura, the bride
Having searched high and low for ‘the one’ off the rack and not had any luck, I found Felicity by chance and from our very first conversation I knew I wanted her to make a bespoke dress for me due to her extensive knowledge, experience and affability. I couldn’t really articulate what I did and didn’t want in a dress, and yet Felicity managed to somehow take what was in my head and make it a reality.
Everything about the dress was perfect – I’ve never felt as confident or happy wearing anything as I did walking down the aisle that day. Felicity is extraordinarily talented and practised in what she does, as well as being hugely creative, friendly, and approachable. If you are considering a bespoke dress or alterations – look no further. She is beyond compare.”
Making a Made To Measure Wedding Dress in Surrey
As a wedding dress maker, the fitting process is when I need my brides to trust in me the most. It’s all well and good showing them beautiful drawings and fabrics, but when it comes to those first fittings, things can look very different to what you imagined. And that’s fine – it’s all part of the process.
All art goes through a process, whether it’s layering oil paints on a canvas, or refining the clay of a sculpture…but an artist knows, it will all be worth it in the end.
And that’s what it feels like when I welcome clients into my bridal boutique in Dorking – we’re beginning a process together, and the end result will be something truly unique to that person.
I think the finished product looks absolutely beautiful, and that’s thanks to those fittings, where I could refine, check and double check, and make sure this bride’s dress fitted her perfectly!
I especially love how the bustle hook turned out. It completely transforms the look of the skirt, whilst also being super practical!
If you liked this made-to-measure wedding dress in Surrey, and you’re looking for more ideas around classic wedding dress styles, you might find this ivory silk crepe and lace wedding dress of interest (the back is especially beautiful). Or, if you’re also planning a winter wedding, this dress with three-quarter length sleeve may be useful inspo.
