I loved making this labyrinth wedding dress to feature in the styled photoshoot. We combined the fantasy of a fairyland wedding with the solid reality of an English Tudor castle backdrop. Florals with glass globes and touches of ultra-violet, a gingerbread maze wedding cake, a modern take on the fantasy ball gown with accessories to...
I made in Liz’s dress flamenco inspired wedding dress in teal blue shot silk. It has a boned bodice with ruching to the hip and a wide off the shoulder neckline. The skirt falls in graduated tiers of waterfall frills. Hand applique of teal lace adds sparkle and texture to the neckline and skirt. Liz...
Clare wanted something pretty but informal and not too ‘wedding’ for her special day. She knew from the start that a rose pink informal wedding dress was the way forward. She brought a skirt she loved to her design consultation with gorgeous little godet flare inserts at the back which we used as a basis...
I created a bespoke wedding dress Berkshire for Julia’s in a grand stately home. So her dress needed to compliment this and her figure. I designed this elegant dress made in gold silk duchess satin and rose gold lace. Official photography by sophieduckworthphotography.com The dress has a fitted and boned bodice with a plunge neckline...
Aine commissioned a 1950’s short wedding dress made up in white taffeta. Wedding photography by Michael Dillon The dress has a fitted and boned bodice with square shaped neckline and invisible zip back closure. The flared, knee length skirt has soft white tulle peeking out below. I decorated both the waistline and neckline with white...
Nicola’s daughter and niece were her two beautiful bridesmaids and I made them bespoke teen bridesmaid dresses. With two very different ages and figures we created design elements that could be used to link the styles together. I made both dresses are made from peacock blue silk dupion with a beaded lace back which creeps...
I made this bespoke wedding dress Guildford for beautiful Nicola. I made a simple and elegant dress in pale gold and buttermilk coloured soft silk satin and ivory beaded lace. The dress has a fitted and softly boned bodice in layered silk and lace with the pretty scalloped edging used to soften the line of...
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....
The dress needed to have a vintage, showgirl feel and be really sexy but still realistic as a bridal dress, not many people actually get married in a leotard and feathers! The wiggle skirt with a boned bodice hit all these marks showing off our lovely model, Vanessa?s curves and cinching her waist. I added a teal net petticoat that would show when the high/low hem moved and delicate gold lace detail with Swarovski crystals for showgirl glamour!
Posts from Felicity Westmacott
“Felicity listened to what I wanted, gave a clear quote and completed the alterations so nobody could see them. Clear booking system as well. Would recommend.”
Sometimes it takes a little adjustment here and there to make a wedding dress feel like it was made for you, and sometimes a dress needs a more dramatic transformation. Either way, I`m here to help.
If you`re interested in getting your dress altered for this year, I`m currently booked up until the beginning of October. So if your wedding is November onwards and your dress doesn`t feel quite right yet, drop me a message. But don`t wait too long - spaces are filling up fast.
You can always book in a no-obligation consultation with me, to see if I would be the right fit for you and your dress - link in bio.
Photography - Birdseye Photography
Isabelle thought she had found the dress she wanted for her wedding day. But her mum wanted to gift her something a bit more special for such a special day.
When I met Isabelle, she showed me the dress. It was pretty, but it was made from cheaper fabrics, and there were parts of the dress she wasn`t as keen on.
We worked together to identify what about her inspiration dress she liked, and I made sure to include all those elements in her design. And, on top of that, we also changed the parts of the inspiration dress that she didn’t like that much.
She knew she wanted colour (whereas the original dress was white), she knew she wanted shorter sleeves, and a straight neckline, instead of the sweetheart neckline the other dress had.
We came up with a pale blue silk cocktail dress, with Chantilly lace layered over top and Guipure lace trim on the waistline.
It goes to show the difference between a cheaper dress and the bespoke experience. You can love both versions of the dress, and want to wear both, but with bespoke you get to make every element tailored to your preferences.
Photography - @mirandavphoto
Throughout my years as a bespoke wedding dress maker, lace is a fabric I have worked with time and time again. And it never gets boring.
Why?
Because there are just so many different kinds, in different colours, finishes and patterns. I have books and books of lace samples from my suppliers (shout out @bridalfabrics) you could easily lose a few hours admiring.
This is just a glimpse into what can be done with lace when it comes to alternative wedding dresses. If there`s a kind of lace in this post you want to know more about, ask away in the comments and I`ll make sure to reply.
And make sure you scroll to the end to see the fabric that always gets mistaken for lace, even though it isn`t.
Which of these lace looks is your favourite?
Photographers:
1. @jessicajillphoto
2. @dinawardphotography
3. barryholder.co.uk
4. @jessicajillphoto
5. @altweddingco
6. @snappedbycatx
7. @emilyhudson.photography
8. @carolinehorne.s.photography
9. @emilyhudson.photography
Sure, my usual role is a bespoke wedding dress maker, creating beautiful and unique garments for brides looking for something a little different.
But sometimes I`m also a lighting assistant, a caterer, a last-minute-rush-to-the-shopper. That`s the fun of being a creative, working with other creatives.
This was from a styled photoshoot I organised, based on the iconic 90s film, Strictly Ballroom. I made these dazzling neon bridesmaids outfits based around the stunning costumes of Latin ballroom dancers. Our photographer really wanted the colours to pop in the atmospheric darkness of our location, so of course I volunteered myself as floor level tripod 😂
The photos turned out amazing, so it was definitely worth it!
Have you ever found yourself doing a job you never expected?
Dresses @felicitywestmacott
Photography @jessicajillphoto
Video/content @weddingstorytellerco
Venues @theoldtimberstore_se1 @malt.maltby
Florals @jemimainthewoods
Event Equipment Hire @cohire
Bridesmaid models @Lisaeggy3 @Boobzylou @oleksanacoaching
Choreography @oleksanacoaching
Hair and Make-up lead @melindabridal @melinda_grant
Hair and Make-up @beccibrushes
Jewellery @CatherineMarche
Neon Sign @thisisasignuk
Shoes @shoesbylarisa
Forget-me-nots, cornflowers, bluebells, hydrangea...
All those blooms in shades of lapis, azure and sapphire, growing up from the earth, and cascading down from the neckline - a bride enveloped in blossoming sky blue beauty.
Layers of light, fluffy tulle floating to the ground, with every petal carefully placed to create the perfect composition. Botanical and beautiful. With balloon sleeves and a wide neckline, so the sun can still kiss her shoulders.
This is a bride from a modern fairytale. Like Sleeping Beauty awakening from her slumber and taking her fate into her own hands.
And the final detail, to bring it all together? A bespoke waistcoat for the groom, with hints of the same floral elements. A happily ever after.
Photography - @rsbrown.photography.film
Location - @stanlakepark
Flowers - Nicola Hozier Flowers
#BespokeBridal #AlternativeBride #UnconventionalBride #MatureBride
"Just a very quick note from Rome to let you know how very admired your dress was. Lots of people said how beautiful it was. It really was the most beautiful dress I have ever seen. I definitely would like to work out how to potentially wear it again - I can’t bear the thought that I’ll never wear it again!
Thank you again - you truly are an alchemist!"
All the quiet hours designing, cutting, sewing and hand-stitching were all worth it, just to hear a bride so happy with her wedding dress.
Want to see what this dreamy dress looked like on the day? I`ll be posting the official wedding shots later this week. You won`t want to miss this one, I promise you. This gown has quickly become a new favourite of mine 💙
#bespokeweddingdress
BethThis is so utterly stunning I could cry.