I feel as though bride Alex and I are birds of a feather. I also had a period-inspired, unusually coloured wedding dress for my wedding. Alex wanted to meld 1950’s and Tudor influences to create something unique. Taking inspiration from history, but not being limited by having to be completely accurate, is my ideal design...
For this Marie Antoinette wedding dress photoshoot, we took inspiration from the aesthetic of Bridgeton. I think we ended up with something slightly different, but equally wonderful, don’t you think? Our colour scheme was pastels; blush, pinks, coral, creamy ivory and hints of baby blue and gold. We wanted to evoke something romantic and ethereal...
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...
My favourite type of dress to make is an historically inspired wedding dresses. My whole career has stemmed but an interest in costume history. I began by colouring in photocopied pages from my mother’s fashion history books. This led an arts degree in costume design for the stage and screen. Making costumes is not only...
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...
Posts from Felicity Westmacott
Have you ever dreamed of getting married somewhere beautiful, gothic and very Scottish?
Richelle got married in Edinburgh and wanted a bespoke wedding dress that could compete with one of the most iconic cities in the world.
We had to go structural, to echo the beautiful architecture of Edinburgh Castle (where she got married), as well as the rest of the atmospheric city`s layers of winding lanes, stacked stone buildings and hidden tunnels. So I designed her a pink and silver waterfall skirt wedding dress in organza, silk and lace.
I also included lots of versatility in the outfit, by making several removable pieces. These included a medieval-inspired bolero with waterfall sleeves, and a 1950s skirt for London part of her wedding (scroll to the end of the photos to see).
Oh, and her wedding reception was museum of Scotland. What a dreamy wedding 😍
Photography - @LinaandTom
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!
~
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
