
I made Sarah-Louise’s classic beaded lace bespoke wedding 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 classic beaded lace bespoke wedding dress was made in two parts. I made 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. Te underlayers made of duchess satin. Over the top I used silk georgette, ruched on the bodice and cascading into the flare of the skirt.
The lace over bodice had a higher neckline than the main dress. I added 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 I used another, narrower but matching, scalloped lace edging to finish it. 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

Thank you letter
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.
Bride with her dressmaker
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 classic beaded lace bespoke wedding dress

Pictures from the ‘toile’ fitting or practice run of the classic beaded lace bespoke wedding dress

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

fitting pictures in the partly made dress


Final fitting pictures of the bespoke wedding dress

A hidden something blue on the wrist loop of the train.
To see another modern classic wedding dress you could head over to my portfolio entires for Gerry’s silk dupion wedding dress. And Charlie’s classic silk crepe and lace wedding dress
Lace Wedding Dresses » Felicity Westmacott[…] Wedding Dress for Sarah-Louise:?I made Sarah-Louise?s dress in Ruched silk georgette with a gentle fishtail flare. The removable lace over-bodice had scalloped edging and a button back. […]
Wedding Dress Trends 2020 for brides to be - Felicity Westmacott[…] strapless neckline and ruching for Sarah-Louise […]