The bespoke dressmaking process
Making your bespoke wedding dress is a labour of love in four stages; consultation, design, creation and collection. Let me guide you through the bespoke dressmaking process in detail.
Initial enquiry
Your first enquiry could be through my web-form, by e-mail or telephone. I will ask about your wedding date and a what sort of dress or ensemble you would like. I am happy to answer any questions specific to your design. Then, if I have availability and think I might be able to fulfil your needs, we will make a date for a design consultation.
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I'll be happy to start the bespoke dressmaking process for your dress.
Design Consultation
The design consultation usually takes place at my shop-studio though some people opt for a video chat. In person meetings are ideal for looking at all the fabric sample books. If meeting online I can screen-share from my supplier's websites and send you samples after the meeting. You should allow a minimum of an hour for your first consultation; sometimes it may take a little longer
During the consultation we will discuss what you require and I will make notes and create quick sketches of ideas. I will be able to provide a reasonable idea of the cost of any ideas we discuss but a firm quote will be posted or emailed to you afterwards.
To book a consultation click here
Fabrics and Materials
I will advise on fabrics and materials at your consultation. I have sample books with hundreds of colours and types of fabrics to which we can refer. You can order fabrics through me or I can recommend suppliers and shops for you to visit. If you decide to purchase all or part of your materials elsewhere I can provide guidance on fabrics, weights and quantities required. I can also accompany you on a fabric shopping expedition, see the end of this page for more details.
I normally send you fabric samples and options alongside the quote letter. And once you are booked-in samples of anything missing will be provided so you can match shoes and accessories etc.
I can order extra fabric for you if you need it, perhaps for the florist, the invitations or venue decoration. I am happy to sell you fabric from my sample books even if you decide to have your order made up elsewhere!
Designing your bespoke wedding dress
If we are designing from scratch, any pictures or reference material you can bring with you to give me the flavour of what you want is immensely helpful. Sending me a pinterest board, links or attaching images to your enquiry email are all encouraged! References might be from history, bridal magazines, films, a picture of your venue, the colours of a landscape or anything that has some element of what you require. Before creating a new design for a photoshoot or for a costume I often put together a "mood board". A mood board is a collection of images that pulls together all the elements desired and conjures up an atmosphere to inspire the final design.
Pictures are especially helpful if you (like most people) are not sure of the technical or design terms for the style or details you require. Designing for someone who has no real idea or cannot explain what they want is very difficult but not impossible. It will just take me a little longer to narrow down the specifics.
Design consultations and quotes are free for the bespoke dressmaking process. Very occasionally I will ask a small fee if the design process requested goes above and beyond my usual offering.
Finalising your design and the Quotation:
After your appointment I will provide a line drawing of your design with a quotation for you to approve. There will be with notes on any styling or fabrics discussed. My quote for your bespoke wedding dress will list the materials and the making costs separately so you can easily understand which elements are costing how much. Some people get to the stage of finalising a design and putting down a deposit at the first consultation. For others it takes longer to define exactly what is required.
I will include options for any details not finalised during the consultation, for example, different sleeves, necklines or fabric choices for you to consider. I may mark some parts of the quote as only an estimate if the exact details of a design have not been finalised. Sometimes the amount of work involved (for example lots of embroidery) is not clear and a place-holder budget is allowed for that part of the work.
Below: example design and quote letter (for Lisa's 2024 wedding), bespoke dressmaking process
Making your bespoke wedding dress
All consultations and fittings take place in my shop-studio so you will be completely private and you will have my full attention during your appointment. Mum's, children, bridesmaids and friends are welcome at your fittings, but please do check beforehand as space is not infinite!
I normally carry out work with reference to the line drawing that we have agreed is the final design. But we will often confirm some elements during the fittings where it's much easier to visualise the real thing! For example, neckline depth, the placement of beading detail or the length of a hanging sleeve. Small changes rarely require a revised price of quote but I will charge for any extra time or materials needed if you change your mind on major aspects during the bespoke making process.
measuring for the bespoke dressmaking process
Every bespoke commission will have a pattern drafted especially to fit your figure. The first step is to take your measurements. I may also take a few digital photographs of you (clothed) for my own reference.
I always prefer to take the measurements myself; this means that I can make allowances for the type of figure you have, such as a short waist, low bust or rounded shoulders. If I am making items for anyone who lives too far away to attend a measuring appointment I will supply a guide to the measurements I require. I will always suggest that an experienced dressmaker takes the measurements. And I will ask you to sign a disclaimer absolving me from any problems arising from inaccurate measurements.
Small size alterations are normal during the making process for your bespoke wedding dress. I usually leave at least 2 inches of seam allowance inside the garment to allow for changes. And I always cut the hem long to allow for shoe heels. I can take no responsibility for a garment fitting if you lose or gain a lot of weight. If you plan to diet please inform me early on and we will plan the making process accordingly.
The First fitting with your bespoke wedding dress
You will need your shoes and the underwear you plan to wear on the day as early as possible in the fitting process. This is important as the shape of what goes underneath will obviously affect the clothes above! I may also ask you to attend early fittings for any corsets or petticoats for historical (and sometimes contemporary or spectacular) dresses. These foundations need to be correct before further work can be carried out.
For most wedding dresses I will make a "toile" (pronounced 'twahl'), which is a mock up of the basic elements of your design. It is made in cheaper but comparable fabric in order to check certain aspects of style and fit before using the final materials. A toile can be helpful to prevent costly mistakes. For example, if I am working with particularly expensive fabrics, to confirm ideas on sleeve length or if you have more unusual body shape.
Picture: Amy's bespoke wedding dress
The second/third/final fittings
Most bespoke commissions will need at least two fittings, and up to four or five is normal. Your final fitting will usually be about 10-14 days before your wedding to allow for any last minute weight loss/gain. I can usually accommodate earlier or later final fittings if you let me know at the design consultation.
If you are travelling a long way for fittings we can sometimes arrange to have more than one fitting inside a day or a few days.
Pictures: showing Lisa's four progressive fittings as we made her bespoke wedding dress. A toile first and then three fittings as the dress came together.
preparation
I will prepare and steam your dress so it is in perfect condition and ready to wear. I usually advocate for separate final fitting and collection dates. It is best for your bespoke wedding dress to be taken home unworn to be ready for the big day. Your commission will be ready to transport inside a suitable length gown bag on a padded hanger.
Collecting your wedding dress
We will make a 'pencilled in' picking up date at the time you first commission your order. A final date and time can be confirmed at a later fitting. When I have finished your dress you can choose to collect right away or leave it with me for storage if there are still some weeks or months until the wedding day.
Most people collect their order in person but I can also send it by secure courier. Postal prices with insurance depend on the value and weight of your order and on your location. When posted your order may need steaming upon arrival. If you are travelling overseas I can advise on packing your dress and organising for the dress to be steamed on arrival.
Photo: Kate Bellinger Photography for the bespoke dressmaking process
This wedding dress is for a bohemian bride; a bride who wants to take inspiration from nature for their whole ceremony - from the venue, to the biodegradable invitations, to the beautiful embroidered tulle, with flowers and leaves springing from the waist and growing organically along the body.
This is for a bride who loves meadow flowers, like ox-eye daisies and poppies. For a bride who enjoys being barefoot in the grass, exploring a forest, and who’s favourite season is probably spring. A woodland goddess 🌿
This dress is currently part of my sample sale, which you can find on my Etsy (link in bio). So if you`re a UK size 12-14 and looking for woodland-themed whimsy for your wedding, this might be the dress for you.
Photography - @lucykingphotography
Just me escaping the world for a bit to go and live in the woods and hang out with the birds.
I`ll be back later...(maybe) 🌿
#weddingdress #bespokeweddingdress #alternativeweddingdress
"Everyone at the wedding said my dress looked amazing, I had so many lovely comments! Thank you again for making my dress fit so perfectly!"
What more can I say? Another successful alteration, another happy bride - job done!
If you`re interested in getting your dress altered for this year, you better hurry since my slots for 2026 are filling up fast! For more info, visit my website (link in bio).
Photography - @dandjweddingphotography
A few days` ago I shared with you some of the adorable christening gowns I`ve made, but let`s not forget the sweet little suits and waistcoats too!
Like with the christening gowns and dresses, I try to incorporate some elements of baby`s mum`s wedding dress or dad`s suit. For example, in the 3rd photo, baby G has a mini-me waist that is an exact copy of his daddy`s.
For the little suit in the 5th photo, I used fabrics left over from mummy’s wedding dress to create an 18th century style waistcoat, cravat and trousers for their little boy. Doesn`t he look so dapper?
I think it`s wonderful when a wedding gown can live past its big day, whether that be re-purposing, upcycling, passing it on to someone else or as a christening outfit. The possibilities are endless!
If you`d never thought about upcycling your wedding dress before, maybe now you might consider it. And as always, my door is always open if you want to have a chat about how you might go about doing that.
Photography (#1 and #2) - @charlottelouisephotography
It`s spring! And spring is about fresh starts and new life! So I wanted to focus on a very cute part of my job - creating dresses for babies out of their mothers` wedding gowns.
In the first two photo we have Eleanor, whose dress I made in 2010 and then six years later I made a christening gown out of the spare material for little Baby A. I always try to keep as many of the details from the original dress in the new design - here I kept the box pleated frills from the bottom of Eleanor`s dress, as well as that beautiful embroidered silk. Seeing baby and mother, both in their gowns is just too adorable! 😍
In the 4th photo you can see another wedding dress next to the christening gown I made from it. And in the following photo, where I made two outfits from one dress (that little romper is one of my faves).
I don`t always make christening outfits by upcycling wedding dresses, but when I do I really enjoy the challenge of interpreting the design for little bodies, whether the original design is mine or not. I think it`s a lovely way of respecting the original designer and also as a way of linking a big day in their mother`s life, to a big day in theirs.
Let me know in the comments; would you ever re-purpose your wedding dress?
Photography (#8 and #9) - @charlottelouisephotography
This Bridgerton-inspired wedding dress is so versatile!
Of course, underneath everything there first needs to be the proper shapewear to give that Regency pillar silhouette, in the form of stays and a petticoat.
Then along comes this beautiful white and gold duchess satin dress.
And this is where the fun begins...
I created some many different accessories and options for this outfit:
You can add something deeply dramatic, with a period-accurate presentation train. This one is super long and gilded in gold lace.
Or you could go for some detachable puff sleeves, finished with an ornate pearl trim.
Then there`s the bow, which can be added on top of the train, or just straight onto the dress, with the long sash-tends working as a sort of mini train.
And of course, the final, and most essential accessory for a look like this: fun, whimsy and a love for the dramatic. It also helps if you`re obsessed with this current season of Bridgerton, of course...
Which Bridgerton character can you imagine wearing this bridal look?
If you think this might be the dress for you, it`s currently for sale on my Etsy page (🔗 in bio) - it`s heavily discounted compared to my usual bespoke orders, so claim her whilst you can!
Photography Credits on this Page
grecian dress: Iris visuals
fabrics: Rachel mills photography
fastening the back: Nathan horner
workroom pictures: altwedding.co.uk
hanging dress: kate bellinger photogrpahy