Danielle wanted a pretty and elegant dress with applique lace and subtle sequin sparkles on a nude base. We were aiming for something lightweight, feminine and figure-hugging. So I designed a dress that was a little soft romantic, a little boho and a little sexy, accentuating Danielle’s hourglass figure. This bespoke nude lace wedding dress...
For this bespoke wedding dress photoshoot in Hertfordshire, we created an autumnal woodland wedding. We chose a colour palette of burnt orange, red, burgundy and pink, with accents of white and gold. Everything was handmade including the bunting, macrame and tablescape, for a truly bespoke feel. This wedding is for the kind of bride who...
For this bespoke wedding dress photoshoot in Hampshire, we wanted to evoke the feeling of a fairy tale. Of a princess being whisked away by her prince, of magic, whimsy and romance. The colours we wanted to focus on were blush pink, various shades of green and deep burgundy. All inspired by the colours found...
Angie wanted a blue halter neck wedding dress for her special day. As a mature bride I encouraged her to have whatever she wanted and I love that is had the confidence to live our her fantasy wedding dress dreams. Choosing a colour instead of white can be more flattering to the mature figure and...
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...
I designed this custom wedding dress, made in Surrey, for a spring wedding photoshoot. Along with the chic bridal separates. The shoot took place at Somersbury Barn, a beautiful oak framed barn nestled in the idyllic Surrey countryside. This gorgeous venue, complete with a stunning Victorian glasshouse was the initial inspiration for our shoot planner...
I created this couture Cruella Deville wedding dress for a Cruella themed wedding photoshoot in London. I was very lucky to get the blessing of award-winning costume design (and personal friend), Jenny Beavan. Jenny designed the costumes for the 2021 live action Cruella and her designs formed the inspiration for this bridal look. All the...
I made a traditional lace wedding dress for Sofia’s wedding day. My design echoes the classic lines of Grace Kelly’s famous 1956 wedding dress, designed by Helen Rose. The simple boned bodice with sweetheart neckline and bold lace over-lay extending up to a higher boat neck. The lace had a wide scalloped edge which we...
For her wedding day, Katie wanted a feminine and floaty dress in layers of tulle and floral lace. And what a dress it turned out to be! It’s such a romantic wedding look, fit for a fantasy princess.The dress was made from layered silk dupion (one of my favourite fabrics to work with), rose pink...
For this forest wildflower wedding dress, I wanted to take inspiration from nature. Especially since the ceremony for this shoot took place outdoors, it felt right to try and incorporate those elements into the dress. This is the kind of look for a bride who loves meadow flowers, like cornflowers and poppies. For a bride...
Posts from Felicity Westmacott
Come away to an intimate wedding in the countryside...
The wedding we wanted to evoke in this shoot is for a bride and groom who want to keep things simple and small.
The venue, Chafford Park, has just been newly renovated and is available for dry hire. Personally, I love a dry hire because it means you can treat it like a blank canvas, making it into whatever you want.
The wedding dress I provided is made of ivory silk georgette (or chiffon) and lace. The style feels both modern and vintage, with lots of lovely textures and a lace up corset bodice. Simple, yet effortlessly elegant. I also made a lace and tulle overskirt, to give more options when frolicking.
(top tip: make sure you scroll through to the hand-painted macaroons - I`m obsessed!)
Would you use a dry hire for your wedding?
Photography: @isobelwnphotography
Stylist: @halo_beautiful.xo
Venue: @chaffordpark
Dress: @felicitywestmacott
Celebrant: @madewithlovecelebrations
Food: @vinedinecatering
Cake & macarons: @bluebellkitchen
Jewellery @oliveandedenvintagejewellery
Stationery @simply.laura.calligraphy
Flowers: @baileyandblossom
When I signed up to do this Surrey based wedding photoshoot, I wasn`t expecting to find two of my dear theatre friends there as well! In fact, we had been having dinner together a few weeks before, and they mentioned they were modelling for a photoshoot, and I mentioned I was supplying a wedding dress for a shoot, and neither of us realised it was the same one! So it was extra lovely to spend some unexpected time with them.
It was also lovely to connect with other local wedding suppliers. Working in this industry as a wedding dress maker can be quite a solitary existence, so part of the reason I do shoots like these is to network with others, and also to revel in their creativity! There were so many gorgeous little details from this shoot, but those will be in my next post...
Follow along for more pretty wedding dress content!
Photography: @isobelwnphotography
Stylist: @halo_beautiful.xo
Venue: @chaffordpark
Dress: @felicitywestmacott
Celebrant: @madewithlovecelebrations
Food: @vinedinecatering
Cake & macarons: @bluebellkitchen
Jewellery @oliveandedenvintagejewellery
Stationery @simply.laura.calligraphy
Flowers: @baileyandblossom
#weddingdress #ukwedding #ukbride #bride2025 #bridetobe #bespokeweddingdress #surreyweddingdress #sussexweddingdress #englishwedding #barnwedding #surreybride #surreywedding #customweddingdress
I`ve been nominated for the 2026 Wedding Industry Awards 🥳
Recently I was looking through my emails, as you do, when I see one that looks a little bit more exciting than the usual spam. It was from the Wedding Industry Awards letting me know that one of my clients has put me forward for the "Independent Dressmaker/Designer" category. It was such a lovely surprise!
I previously entered these awards in 2016 and 2018. Both times I made it to the regional finals, but I never came away having won. So I thought this year I`d give it another try, spurred on by the kindness of a client 🥰
Which leads me to asking you all for a favour. If you used my services between Oct 1st 2024 up until now (all that way until Sept 29th 2025) then you are eligible to vote for me. Unfortunately, anyone I`ve made a wedding outfit for before this can`t vote.
Winning an award voted for by the people I work for is such a gorgeous feeling, so if you have a few minutes to spare, you can find the voting link in my bio 💜
If you do vote for me, let me know so I can give you a big virtual hug!
The second shoot I`m featuring for this week`s Pride celebrations includes a real queer couple and a dress with a rainbow on it - you can`t get more Pride than that!
Our two brides are looking absolutely gorgeous and absolutely in love in this slightly more subtly rainbow themed shoot. What else can I say? They just look so perfect together.
If you`re looking for a friendly, welcoming and open-minded seamstress for your dress, then look no further. I want to celebrate everything that you are on your big day - including making you the perfect outfit. Just drop me a DM, I`d love to hear from you 💜
Venue - @skitbyhouse
Photographer - @lucyalexandra_photography
Dresses - @felicitywestmacott
Hair & Makeup - @Clairealexandrahairandmakeup
Celebrant & Organiser - @ribeiroceremonies
Hair accessories - @nujewellery_byemma
Butterflies - @flutter2me
Jackets - @niamhdesigns
Florals - @fioredoratoflowers
Ribbons - @_lkdesigns
Model - @missjenaroo
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#lesbianwedding #queerlove #queerwedding #wlw #dipdyeweddingdress #sapphicwedding #rainbowwedding #leatherjacket #bridaljacket #romanticwedding #londonbridaldesigner #surreybridaldesigner #surreydressmaker #londondressmaker
This Pride month I`m featuring real LGBTQ+ couples I`ve had the pleasure of working with over the years 🌈
Nathalie commissioned me to dip dye her wedding dress with this fiery colour scheme and I love how it matches her hair.
This couple, armed with their swords, look like real life battle maidens. Or fantasy book characters...enemies to lovers, anyone?
Plus their cake topper also featured a tiny version of the dip dye dress 😍
Tempted by a dip-dye wedding dress but would rather not have your actual dress coloured? I can create a custom overskirt for you, with up to 5 colours - check out my Etsy page (link in my bio) for more info.
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Photographer: @bubblydeer.studio
The Inspiration vs. The Wedding Dress
The first image is what Barbara brought to her design consultation as a basis for her Edwardian lace wedding dress. And the next images are how it turned out.
Being an older bride doesn`t mean you have to conform to anyone’s idea of how a ‘mature lady’ should dress and I love that Barbara lived her dream! It`s also very exciting to me when a bride wants a historically-inspired look, and the Edwardian period is one of my favourites.
I made this dress using duchess satin and beaded Guipure lace, and trimmed it with gathered lace flounces and groups of pink flowers. The dress is actually made in three pieces, with the base dress, an over-bodice with long sleeves and a high collar, and a removable presentation train.
If you`ve got a specific vision for your dress, be in it period-specific, or something completely original, I`d love to hear about it. Drop me a DM and let`s chat!
