Ordering your bespoke wedding dress
Enquiries for weddings in 2025 and 2026 are welcome.
I start just one dress per month, and each dress takes 6-12 weeks to complete.
Bookings for 2026 weddings are now open. At present I have bespoke commission start dates available from November 2025 onwards, suitable for weddings in 2026 and beyond.
I take on a limited number of bridal alterations per month. I am now taking bookings for late 2025 and the 2026 season.
HOW DOES MY bespoke DRESS GET DESIGNED AND MADE?
A free design consultation appointment begins the process where we will discuss what you require covering elements such as style, materials, the budget and time-scale. A design sketch and cost quotation will then be posted or emailed to you for your consideration.
An individual pattern will be drafted to your measurements and series of private fittings will ensure a perfect fit and finish. The process of a bespoke bridal dress will usually include the making of a toile, which is a mock-up of the design in cheaper materials, allowing the maker to perfect the cut and the wearer to check the style.
All consultations and fittings take place in my own home and so will be completely private and you will have my full attention during your appointment.
For a more in depth exploration of the design and making process click here
Four to six months notice is usually required for bridal work though I do get booked up for the summer more quickly than the winter months. Once your booking-in fee is paid your sewing time is booked into my schedule and your dress will be made in the time we have reserved for you.
Most wedding dresses take me between 30 and 70 hours of sewing to create. The actual timescale is very flexible, we can spread the work over many months or begin and finish inside a few weeks.
I have made dresses with less than 3 weeks notice on occasion, please ring or email to see if I have space for your rush order.
What if I lose or gain weight?
This should not be a problem, though ideally you have reached your target weight before we begin work. The final fitting would normally be in the last few weeks before the wedding anyway to ensure a perfect finish.
If you lose more weight or gain after we have started, the dress can be altered to fit, within reason, as we go along. However if the change is more than 2 inches (a whole dress size) in either direction I cannot make the same promises about perfection that I can when I am able to measure and make for a stable body size.
Maternity: I have also made dresses for expectant mothers and new mothers without any problems. We can make plans to measure you and create the dress at appropriate points in your pregnancy or after the birth. Having worked with such body shapes before (and having had a few kids myself) I know roughly what to expect and will make sure the dress allows for your changing shape.
Yes, I can, but no I don’t. I would usually be capable of re-creating a dress for you but if it is a design that is still available from the actual designer it is illegal for me to copy it. I am happy to use other people’s designs as inspiration and I actually encourage you to bring along pictures from magazines or the internet which we can use as a basis for designing your dress. It’s useful to have some idea of the kind of thing you would like.
I have made people near copies where the original was nearly right but not quite, with changes to the style, detail or colour to create the exact dress they wanted. If you really love a dress exactly as it is by another designer it’s best to buy it from the original source.
wedding dress alterations
I will sometimes undertake alterations on off the peg dresses if I have space in my schedule. I usually advise that wedding-dress alterations are made about 6-8 weeks before the big day but you can visit much earlier for a quote and then reserve time by paying a booking deposit.
I have altered more than 1000 wedding dresses during my sewing life and there is very little I cannot manage. If you are unsure whether your dress can be altered the way you would like I am happy to offer advice and help at a consultation appointment.
Most dresses cost £200-£600 to alter depending on what needs doing and how the dress is made.
For more information visit my alterations FAQ page.
today consultationBook a Bespoke ConsultaTions
The start of the bespoke process is personal a consultation.
We look at fabrics, sketch out ideas and talk about timescales & budgets
Bookings for 2026 weddings are now open. At present I have bespoke commission start dates available from November onwards, suitable for weddings in 2026 and beyond.
For Holly`s city wedding, she commissioned this lovely, romantic-yet-modern two piece ensemble in dove grey and blush pink.
There`s something so quietly unique about this wedding look. The subtle yet unusual colour choices, the simplicity of the separates, the inspired choices of details. It all just makes you look twice.
Choosing something different for your wedding dress doesn`t necessarily mean you have to go for something big, dramatic and colourful. You can make choices like Holly did, that stay true to her sense of style and her vision 🕊️
Photography - Andy Wright
#weddingdress #weddingdressmaker #ukbride #2026bride
I found this sheet music in my house, and I was so surprised by what it was 🎹🎵
There’s a music stand in my childhood home, and when I was having a look, I found this: “Three Songs composed by Ethel M. Lightfoot”. And my curiosity was peaked. So I sat down at the piano.
When it comes to reading music, I can play piano and sing a little. Nothing outstanding but enough that I could put the music in front of me and have a go at playing it. And I was surprised to discover that I found it was really easy to sightread and sing. Ethel liked the same key signatures, melodies and intervals as me. The things I wrote in my teens (usually quite a bit more angsty) were really similar in terms of structure. Her themes were different, of course, like “Cradle Song”, where a mother sings to her child about their father being away at war.
Ethel, as it turns out, is my great grandmother. Ethel was a musician, and it was so wonderful to find some of her published work, play it and somehow feel connected to her through our similarities. Somewhere in my blood is Ethel’s love for music, and it was so special to find her sheet music flowing so easily from my fingertips.
I love learning about history generally, but there’s something extra special about learning about your own personal history 💜
Is there something from your family history that you’re particularly proud of?
Off-the-rack wedding dresses rarely fit perfectly on the first try. Which can be tricky if you`ve found something you`ve got your heart set on.
But not to worry! That`s where I come in!
Rochelle had this stunning three piece ensemble for her wedding, consisting of a bra top, a beautiful lace top and a long skirt. But the fit wasn`t quite right. The bra top needed the straps shortened and buttons moving accordingly. And then the shape of the waistband of skirt was changed to fit her body better, the buttons were also moved and the hem was brought up slightly. Finally, we added a bustle hook for good measure.
And voila, a bride who looks like her dress was made exactly for her ✨️
Alteration bookings for 2026 are now open. You can always book in a no-obligation consultation with me, to see if I would be the right fit for you as well as your dress! (link in my bio)
Photography - @nataliacasephotography
With leaves starting to change to colour, my thoughts have turned to autumn. So I`m sharing my process for this autumn inspired dip dye wedding outfit;
🍁 deciding I wanted to layer a dip dye overskirt on top of the bridal playsuit
🍁choosing lots of warm, rich colours that make me think of autumn leaves carpeting a forest floor
🍁 cutting the tulle of the skirt to the right length
🍁 gradually blending each layer of colour, using an ombre of yellow, orange, brown and just a little bit of gold at the end
…and then the finished product!
Doesn`t this bridal outfit look right at some in the woods?
If you love the idea of an overskirt for your wedding dress, drop me a DM and let’s talk colour palettes!
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Photographer: @charlymaephotography
From Design 🪡 to Destination 📷️
For this autumnal-inspired (or fall for those of you on the other side of the pond 👋) bridal look I started off by designing a greige-coloured satin jumpsuit. I went with wide-cut legs for lots of comfort and movement, and pretty cross over back strap details.
When I was researching the kinds of fabrics I might use for this outfit, I came across this stunning sequin lace, covered in gorgeous flowers and stems. I knew I had to use it. So I created a sheer dress layer to go on top of the jumpsuit.
A wedding dress design wouldn`t be mine if I didn`t add a little versatility, so I also created detachable balloon sleeves, for drama during the day and practicality in the evening.
I`ve designed bespoke wedding dresses based around all the seasons, but autumn has got to be one of my favourites. Which season would you use to inspire your wedding?
Photography - @charlymaephotography
Katie wanted some alterations done on her wedding dress before she flew off to Portugal. So after a consultation discussing what she needed, I got to working my wedding dress alchemy.
For her dress, we brought up the hem to make it the right length. Originally Katie wanted to also add sleeves, but as we progressed she realised that she would be too hot and too overwhelmed by them, so instead went in the opposite direction and chose to narrow the shoulder straps. Sometimes less really is more.
To the back of the dress we added a three-point bustle, and the final detail was the cathedral length veil. Almost 400 satin flowers later and I think it`s the perfect accessory for this chic bride.
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Photography - Visual Stories Co
Venue - Monte do Serrinho
Planner - Forever Events Portugal
Florist - Flower Shop Bonita
