Wedding Dress for Issey

Silk wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott: caffe coloured silk and black lace applique

Caffe-latte coloured silk and black lace wedding dress. Very tight laced corset beneath ruched fishtail dress, button back and hand appliqu? work.

Photography by www.robbinsphotographic.com

Issey’s dress has a sweet heart neckline on her boned bodice. The fit and flare skirt extends into a small train at the back. Black lace creates little cap sleeves, finished with scalloped edging, and covers her shoulders too.

Silk wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott: caffe coloured silk and black lace applique

Silk wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott: caffe coloured silk and black lace applique, original design sketch
The original design sketch, with two different sleeve options, neither of which were used in the end.
Silk wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott: caffe coloured silk and black lace applique

Silk wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott: caffe coloured silk and black lace applique, detail of the back button fastening

The back featured a cut away lace neckline above the main silk dress. The buttons were covered in black silk and extended up through the cut-away to the high neckline.

Silk wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott: caffe coloured silk and black lace applique, the train with beaded motifs

The train was embellished with hand appliqu?d black lace motifs.

Silk wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott: caffe coloured silk and black lace applique, thank you letter from issie

Issey wrote: Dear Felicity,

Thank you so much for making my wedding dress, it is absolutely beautiful and I had great fun swinging the train around with the hand loop! Getting it on was a mission though – you made it look easy! I will send some pictures as soon as we get them back. I might be in touch again to see if you can transform my dress into something I can wear again and again ? it would be such a shame to have it hang up out of sight for the rest of it’s life. Best of luck with baby number 2, I hope everything goes well for you.

?Love from Issey (and the ‘Isabella’ dress)

Silk wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott: caffe coloured silk and black lace applique, many hands make light work of fastening Issie into her dress

Issey’s dress was created over a tightly lace inner corset, integral to the dress. The silk layer then closed with real buttons and loops.

Silk wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott: caffe coloured silk and black lace applique, dressing the bride

Silk wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott: caffe coloured silk and black lace applique

Silk wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott: caffe coloured silk and black lace applique, a wrist loop for her train help issie keep her dress out of the dust

The train came with a wrist loop so Issey could hold her dress out of the dust when walking outside. A tiny ‘something blue’ was sewn to be revealed when she lifted her train in this way.

Silk wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott: caffe coloured silk and black lace applique

Silk wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott: caffe coloured silk and black lace applique

Silk wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott: caffe coloured silk and black lace applique, beaded motifs on the train

Making Issey’s dress

Silk wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott: caffe coloured silk and black lace applique, fitting picyures

Three pictures from the making process, on the left, the ‘toile’ or practice run in cheap fabrics. The right is an intermediate fitting, with the black lining layers not yet covered with the ruched silk. In the centre Issey is at her second to last fitting with just the hem and black lace embellishment to finish. She was choosing, as well, between short or elbow length sleeves.

Posts from Felicity Westmacott

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“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.”⁠
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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.⁠
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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.⁠
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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.⁠
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Photography - Birdseye 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
"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
emailme@felicitywestmacott.co.ukTEL 07762 543230TOUCHGet in
from design to completionbespoke wedding dressesFelicity Westmacott
Dorking, RH4 1RT241 High Street• Visit the Studio •
Dorking, RH4 1RT241 High Street• Visit the Studio •
emailme@felicitywestmacott.co.ukTEL 07762 543230TOUCHGet in