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 October 2025 onwards, suitable for weddings in winter 2025/26 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 October onwards, suitable for weddings in winter 2025/26 and beyond.
As a mother of three, I may not have a favourite child, but I certainly have dresses which I love a *little* bit more than the rest - and this is one of them!
Danielle wanted a pretty and ethereal wedding dress in lace, with subtle sequin sparkles on a nude base. With a fully boned bodice, a deep V neckline and a figuring hugging skirt, this dress is both daring and pretty. What a combination!
My favourite detail has to be the pretty bunny tie bows at the shoulders - they look so beautiful fluttering in the breeze! Ah, but I also love the flared mermaid skirt in layers of frothy tulle, making it look like Danielle is walking on seafoam. Or maybe my favourite bit is the low back, with just a hint of lace over the skin.
Okay, so it would appear I love a lot about this dress.
Are you also in love with this dress? Have a look on my website (link in the bio) to find out more about this dress, and about getting your own unique, custom made wedding dress.
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Photographer: @jessicapiazzaphotography
Venue (ceremony) - Winter Garden, York House, Twickenham
Make-up & hair: @carlafrancesca.mua
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#bridetobe #weddingstyle #weddingdress #modernbride #bridestyle #bespokebride #surreydressmaker #londondressmaker #seamstress #tulleweddingdress #ukbride #ukwedding #weddinginspiration #elegantbride #femininebride #bodyconweddingdress
Let’s appreciate some of the details of this dress together…
This bohemian wedding dress was made for a vintage Romani Gypsy inspired wedding shoot, and since then it has been used for a few Edwardian and Titanic inspired shoots as well.
For this look, I chose beautifully lightweight ivory silk georgette (or chiffon) and lace, trimmed with ribbons. I spent a lot of time embellishing with hand sewn lace appliqué and tiny glass beads, to make the dress truly unique.
I always like to add versatility to my designs, and for this one I created a lace overskirt, decorated with red and black floral lace and a bold red sash around the waist. Then I made a ¾ length sleeve bolero in black velvet, lined with red satin for the chill nights.
This dress makes me want to dance around a fire, singing folk songs to the stars!
If this dress feels like the one for you, you can find it, ready to order, on my Etsy (link in the bio). Or, you can order it any size you like, completely bespoke to your body and taste.
#weddingdress #vintageweddingdress #modernvintage #2025bride #2026bride #customweddingdress #bridalboutique #ukbride
"Working with Felicity was a joy. She very quickly understood what I wanted and created accurate sketches that brought my idea to life.
The fitting process was easy and fun, and she had good advice for accessories and how to look after the dress.
The finished article was beautiful and much admired at both our wedding events, it sparkled and flowed."
A lovely review from a lovely bride 🥰 I thoroughly enjoyed working on this bespoke ballroom inspired wedding dress, especially using that beautifully textured guipure lace.
(scroll to the end for a bonus goose 🪿 the perfect accessory for any English country wedding)
Flowers by Willow of Reigate
Cakes by Planet of the Cakes in Brighton
#weddingdress #maturebride #laceweddingdress #modestweddingdress #ukbride #2025bride #2026bride #bespokeweddingdress #customweddingdress
Have you ever watched Strictly and thought "I would love to wear that"?
Alison wanted a wedding dress inspired by a gown she saw on Strictly Come Dancing. I love ballroom dancing - my grandmother was a famous dancer in her time, and as a result, I feel a real affinity with the culture of ballroom. So it was really exciting for me to work with Alison in creating her dream dress.
As with all my brides, before I started to cut into the beautiful guipure lace Alison had chosen, I made a toile. The toile is a rough draft of the dress, made in cheaper fabrics. It`s a really useful way of checking the fit of the pattern is right, and it also gives the bride a chance to ask for any changes they might want. It`s an invaluable part of my process!
The smile on her face during her final fitting says it all ☺️
I think this dress is perfect for Alison, who could easily dance the night away in this gorgeous, floaty frock 💃
#bespokeweddingdress #surreybride #sussexbride #kentbride #londonbride #ukweddingdress #maturebride #modestbride
Being nominated for the Wedding Industry Awards feels like such a big deal, especially since I`m just a one-woman business, doing the best I can!
However you choose to help, I`m truly truly grateful 💜
How fabulous does Caroline look??
For her bespoke design, bride Caroline wanted a vibrant jewel tone wedding dress in a sparkling sequined tulle and dramatic coat with portrait neckline.
I`ve noticed a rise in popularity in this double design. It`s such a fun way of adding a bit of drama to your wedding day - you can wear the dress coat during the ceremony, and then reveal another stunning look underneath for the reception.
Caroline has already said she plans to come back to me to get her dress and coat altered, so she can wear them out more. Yes Caroline!
#colourfulweddingdress #maturebride #bespokeweddingdress #customdesign #bridalboutique #dorking #surrey #bridetobe #bride2025 #bride2026
