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...
If you’re in search for some mixed Indian British wedding dress inspiration, then you’ve come to the right blog post. I’m Fliss – a bespoke wedding dress maker from the south of England (Surrey, to be exact). I love making wedding dresses that are a little unusual. My brides are often looking for an outfit...
For this made to measure wedding dress in London, bride Karah approached me looking to commission a layered gown in scrolling ivory floral lace, with a corset inspired by the late (and very great) Vivienne Westwood. The base layer is a floor length strapless column dress made of champagne-coloured silk dupion. I made the top...
For this made-to-measure wedding dress in Surrey, Laura wanted something elegant, with full length sleeves, a flowing skirt and featuring floral lace. Laura’s wedding was planned for winter, so the dress also needed to be warm! I went for a boned bodice with cups built in, so Laura would feel supported throughout the day. I...
Lauren’s whole wedding was inspired by the choices Kate Middleton made for her wedding in 2011. I made Lauren’s Kate Middleton inspired wedding dress from matt satin and hand embellished with delicate lace patterns Wedding pictures by Bumble and Brown The dress has a very fitted, princess line bodice, lightly boned and fastening with real...
“Normal is an illusion. What is normal for the spider is chaos for the fly.” Morticia Addams I was so excited when Lex, our excellent photographer and event organiser (along with Revelry Events), chose me to make a gothic Morticia wedding dress for this styled Addams Family inspired photoshoot. I love creating looks that push...
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...
Gerry commissioned an elegant bespoke wedding dress with sleeves in ivory dupion with ruched bodice and off the shoulder sleeves. Official photographs by www.timelesspictures.co.uk Gerry’s dress was made with a fitted and boned bodice with ruched silk sweeping in a cross over design to one side. The sweetheart neckline flowed into the off the shoulder...
Stunning illusion back wedding dress for dark skin in winter white duchess satin and bold guipure lace. The bodice was built on skin coloured illusion tulle netting with an open back and plunging front neckline. A simple fitted fishtail skirt with dramatic round train balanced the detail above. Official photography by DSVisuals Ayesha’s bodice had...
I created a blush illusion back wedding dress in palest blush satin with ivory organza and tulle layered on top. This commission was lots of fun as the bride is a designer herself and really only wanted me for the labour, all the design was her own! Alexandra also did all the lace and beading...
Posts from Felicity Westmacott
Destination Vegas. Rockabilly bride. Halloween vibes.
Sounds like the perfect wedding.
Gorgeous goth Ellie got married in Las Vegas on Halloween. She wanted something alternative, retro and a little spooky. She realised she was never going to find that with an off-the-rack wedding dress. That`s where I came in.
I designed and made her white and purple wedding dress with a wonderful blend of 1950’s and 90`s shapes, modern styling and subtle Halloween Vixen detail. Harkening back to when Halloween was a little more stylish - perfect for this gothic bombshell. Below the boned bodice, I ruched and layered white satin over sumptuous shot black/purple taffeta and layers and layers of white net. The white satin was spangled all over with hand sewn crystals, ready to sparkle under the Vegas lights.
My favourite detail? The hand beaded spider web made from Swarovski crystals. Spooky but subtle.
As a seamstress there are certain things that give me the ick. Usually they`re pretty specific and unless you`re also a dressmaker it might be something you`re completely unaware of.
I`ve always had a ‘thing’ about language generally. I find it really interesting. I`ve noticed how strong a reaction I can have to people using language differently to what I’m used to. And when I notice that I often go on a bit of a deep dive to understand where that difference stems from. I think coming from a historical costuming background also means I love to know the history of things (and despite my instinctive language-conservative leanings, I do actively work on being accepting and open minded, trying celebrate the differences).
That said, please don’t say your dress has a trail!
Snails have trails - dresses have trains! 🐌
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
