The theme for this bespoke wedding dress photoshoot in London can be summarised as “Nile Queen”. Whilst being inspired by things of the past, we still wanted to keep this wedding very modern and chic. I had the pleasure of designing the wedding dress for this shoot, and absolutely loved making something fit for a...
This was the first styled shoot I ever organised – but certainly not the last. I live on the border between Sussex and Surrey and as a wedding dress designer, it only made sense that I gathered together some local wedding suppliers, chose a stunning location, made some dresses and had some fun! Hence this...
For this styled wedding shoot, the aim was to create an atmosphere that was dark, dramatic and regal. We used royal purple, lavender, deep burgundy and vibrant cerise as our colour palette, with plenty of gilded gold highlights. And no white! This was the inspiration for my dark fairytale feather wedding dress. My design was...
Rebecca wanted a Victorian-inspired wedding dress made in deep forest green and ivory silk dupion. We prioritised historical accuracy with this gown, from the custom-made corset underneath, to the embroidered bustle, all the way down to the layers of knife pleats around the skirt. Photography – Yuriy Nutsa Photograhy and Babb Photo Why wear that...
Catherine wanted a flamboyant and theatrical two-piece bridal ensemble in red and white, with feathers, sparkle and a lot of tulle. This red feather masquerade wedding dress is the result. The drama of this dress is so exciting to me, and as someone who’s educational background is in theatre design, this one couldn’t have been...
Tracey wanted a Tudor inspired wedding dress with a modern twist for her wedding at the Tudor period hotel, Langshott Manor. I love designing alternative wedding dresses so this was a lovely project. The two piece ensemble made in deep red silk velvet has a firmly boned bodice cut in a ‘Tudor’ style with a...
Eleanor commissioned a beautiful Victorian wedding dress in palest blue embroidered silk dupion. I designed Eleanor’s dress using a mixture of historical sources as inspiration. Tudor, 18th century and Victorian corsetry came together to create a dress that flattered her petite but curvy figure. I made Eleanor’s dress with a fitted and boned bodice and...
I made an orange wedding dress 1950’s style for Clare’s Florida wedding. She commissioned a flamboyant 1950’s style dress made in burnt orange satin and ivory chiffon with beaded lace and tulle. Official wedding photographs by www.gingermidgett.com The fitted and well boned bodice had a sweetheart neckline framed with straps that narrowed on the shoulder....
Posts from Felicity Westmacott
Curious about the steps to take towards getting your wedding dress altered? Here are my tips for making your alteration journey a smooth and pleasant one.
1. Finding options
The shop where you find your dress might have a list of recommendations, or have their own in-house seamstress. You can also ask friends who they have used (and more importantly, liked).
2. Choosing a seamstress you can trust
Check online reviews. You can get a good sense of their professionalism from the look of their website or when you visit their work space. Getting undressed and trusting someone with your wedding dress is an intimate process so it’s important to pick someone you feel comfortable with.
3. Book early
Ideally, as soon as you have bought you dress. Seamstresses usually get booked up months ahead, especially in the busy spring and summer months. I normally recommend alterations are started 6-8 weeks before your wedding day.
4. Have realistic budgets expectations
Most wedding dress alterations with me cost between £300-£500 total, though this depends on the work that needs doing. Don`t assume that alteration costs will be proportional to the cost of your dress. Buying a cheap dress that needs a lot of work can end up costing as much or more than a more expensive dress that needs very little changing.
6. Buy a dress that is close to your size
Choosing a dress as close as possible to your actual size will give the best result. Making a dress smaller is much easier than expanding one.
If you have any more questions about the altering process, pop them in the comments!
There are so many lovely, hand-sewn details to this unique wedding dress, made for a mature bride having a seaside destination wedding.
Sometimes it`s the little details that make all the difference, and when it came to finishing this dress, I felt that the look couldn`t be complete without adding some lace from the dress onto the shoes.
Scroll to the end to see the matching shoes 👠
If you want to see what the dress looked like on the bride, have a look at this week`s earlier post (including the loveliest couples portrait on the beach).
#weddingdress #bespokeweddingdress #customwedding #ukbridalboutique #colourfulwedding dress #laceweddingdress #maturebride
This bride was one of those rare and wonderful creatures in the wedding industry - a repeat customer!
She first came to me for help with her daughter`s wedding outfit, and when her own wedding plans became reality I was flattered that she thought of me again.
We started with one set of designs and got as far as the toile (practice run) but when her wedding plans were deferred (eugh, covid) and with extra time on her hands, she researched ideas more and changed her mind on the style she wanted.
It always makes me happy when a bride feels comfortable enough with me to let me know when the initial design turns out not to be what they want. Then we can work on figuring out the perfect design.
If the idea of working together to make something truly unique to you for your wedding day, then I`d love to hear from you 🥰
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Venue – Boho Cornwall
Photography/Video – Thomas Frost Photography
Hair and Makeup – Ione
Flowers – Jenny Oakley
A call to all Mother of the Brides (to be)!
If you`re struggling to find the perfect outfit for the big day, then getting something completely bespoke, made to fit your body and style, may be the right choice for you.
I have one slot left at the end of April, if you`d rather get going sooner rather than later. After that I have slots available in June, July and August for weddings happening in late summer or autumn.
For this mother of the bride I created this beautiful deep navy silk velvet dress, complete with diamante bows.
It`s always a pleasure to design and create a Mother of the Bride (or Groom) outfit that is not only in keeping with the wedding`s theme, but also reflects the personality of the MOB 💜
Step 1: meet the bride-to-be, and discuss her vision. Shapes, fabrics, themes, colours, all of it!
Step 2: making! With regular fittings to make sure everything is perfect.
Step 3: the big day 💜
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Photographer - Corina Oghina
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#weddingdress #realbride #bespokeweddingdress #surreyseamstress #sussexbridal
"I had been looking for the dress of my dreams for a couple of years. Felicity made it happen. I loved how creative and knowledgeable she is. I was always made to feel comfortable to ask and specify what I really wanted.
The process was relaxed (once I finally found the lace I wanted) and really enjoyable. The dress is perfect. It was comfortable to wear and Felicity thought of everything. She is reliable, trustworthy and brilliant at what she does.
I wish I had more dresses to be made but him being the love of my life, I will have to settle with one wedding dress only."
This is exactly what I hope for in an experience with a bride, so I`m thrilled to get a review like this!
If you feel you can trust me with your wedding dress as well, make sure to drop me a message 💜
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Photographer - Corina Oghina (@corina.photographer)
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#luxurywedding #weddingfashion #bride #realwedding #weddingdress #weddinggown #weddinginspo #bridalgown #realbride #plussizebride #silverweddingdress #bespokeweddingdress #laceweddingdress
