I was privileged to be asked to make two christening ensembles for Family S. We used fabrics left over from Mummy’s wedding dress to create a traditional christening gown for their baby girl and an 18th century style waistcoat, cravat and trousers for their little boy. Traditional Christening Gown with long skirt The family decided...
Suzanne commissioned a pretty tea length brown wedding dress and bolero made up in taffeta and chiffon. I made her knee-length dress with a fitted and boned bodice. She wanted a gentle sweet-heart shaped neckline and slim straps. We chose a beautiful shot taffeta (shot pink/green/ivory) with chocolate chiffon on top and I ‘plaited’ the...
I made a bespoke silk dupion dress and coat in old gold and blue silk. Irene had very firm ideas about what she wanted to wear to her daughter’s wedding. The dress and coat ensemble was designed to take her from a cold January daytime to the black-tie evening party. The dress was made from...
Posts from Felicity Westmacott
With wedding dress alterations, usually it`s about making the dress the right fit for the bride. Bringing up the hem, adding in cups for support, making the bodice smaller or bigger. That sort of thing.
But sometimes, when I`m very lucky, I get to play!
Inspiration: a wild meadow of flowers by the sea
What do you think of the end result?
Photography: @sbyrnephoto
#weddingdress #weddingdressalteration #ukbride #ukseamstress #surreybride #sussexbride #londonbride #bespokeweddingdress
Here’s my handy guide to bridal veil lengths! When it comes to your wedding, a veil is such a lovely accessory to have – it can really elevate a bridal look. Some veil lengths have different names for the same thing, so let`s clarify the different lengths can be called:
Shoulder - 16"
This one is two tiers, bubble style, in vintage tulle. Cute and fun, it has a retro vibe to it.
Elbow length - 28"
I chose a 3-tier style, giving this veil a bit more volume. Again, made in vintage tulle with a cut edge.
Fingertip length - 36"
I’ve notice this length is one of the most popular for brides, so I’m showing a few versions. The first is a single tier with a corded edge, and the second has a lace edge instead. (dipdye, cut edge, with blusher )
Waltz (or calf) length – 58”
I made this wedding veil from vintage tulle with a diamante sparkle. This is a good choice is you want something long, but you’re a little clumsy.
Floor (or puddle) length - 72"
For this video I went with a floor length veil with a blusher (2-tier) and a cut edge. This one is extra wide as well, for extra drama.
Chapel length - 90"
This one is in a cowl (or draped) style, meaning it’s placed on the head in a different way to a usual veil. I made this one from a super soft English tulle, which floats so beautifully.
Cathedral - 115"
If you’re looking for maximum drama, then this is the length for you. This is the length used in the weddings of royalty. With a metallic corded edge, I also made this one extra wide, because if you’re going to go big, you might as well go all the way.
Which is your favourite length of wedding veil? Do you plan on having one for your wedding?
#2025bride #2026bride #bespokebridal #bridalboutique #weddingveil
A few more photos of bride Danielle looking utterly ethereal on her wedding day, wearing one of my fully bespoke designs 🥰
I love how the tulle is light enough to be lifted by the wind to create these gorgeous shapes! Maybe the British weather isn`t always bad...🍃
What was the weather like on your wedding day?
(and if you haven`t had it already - what kind of weather are you hoping for?)
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Photographer: @jessicapiazzaphotography
Venue (ceremony) - Winter Garden, York House, Twickenham
Make-up & hair: @carlafrancesca.mua
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#instabride #wedding #weddings #weddingideas #weddinginspiration #weddingdress #luxurywedding #bespokeweddingdress #bespokebridal #bespokebride #bespokedressmaker #beautifulbride #realbride #elegantbride #modernwedding #modernbride
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
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