I made Sarah-Louise’s dress in Ruched silk georgette with a gentle fishtail flare. The lace over-bodice had scalloped edging and a button back.

Official photographs by Sebastian Lomas

The dress was made in two parts, a strapless underdress in ivory silk Georgette (a type of matt finish chiffon) and a removable beaded lace over-bodice. The main dress had a firm, boned bodice with a sweetheart neckline and concealed zip back fastening. It was made with a base of duchess satin, with the silk georgette ruched on the bodice and cascading into the flare of the skirt.

The lace over bodice had a higher neckline finished with a wide scalloped edging, also used on the short, t-shirt type sleeves. The bottom edge of the lace finished just below Sarah-Louise’s natural waistline and was finished with a more subtle scalloped edge. It fastened at the centre back with feature buttons and loops.

The thistle brooch Sarah-Louise wore had family significance, such a lovely special touch!

I always provide a wrist loop to make carrying the train outside easy, and pretty too!

Original Design Sketch

Sarah-Louise wrote: Thank you so much for designing and making me such a beautiful dress that will be shared with generations to come. I am so pleased with the final outcome. I felt like such a beautiful bride and I would have been lost without such an eye catching dress. Thank you so much for all your time and effort spent. Words cannot express how much it means to me.
Lots of love from Sarah-Louise.

I was lucky enough to be invited to this wedding, here I am with my then 10 month old baby girl, Rosalind. I made the dress I am wearing too, in bright printed cotton with fuchsia pink chiffon overlay. It’s made as a breast feeding dress with the front sections unclipping from the straps to reveal a modest inner bodice with feeding access.

One lovely things about the georgette we used as Sarah-Louise’s main fabric was it’s lightness and flow so the dress looked as lovely in motion or still.

Making Sarah-Louise’s dress

Pictures from the ‘toile’ fitting or practice run.

Creating the ruching for the front panels, lots and lots of pins on the stand!

pictures in the partly made dress

Final fitting pictures

A hidden something blue on the wrist loop of the train.