Blog - Musings from the mind of a bespoke dressmaker.

Wedding advice, fashion, history, photoshoots and behind the scenes.

 

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Wedding Dress for Karen

Wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott, vintage styling, satin and lace with beaded edging and silk sash

Karen commissioned a beautiful dress in layers of ivory lace and satin.

The dress has a boned and fitted bodice with sweet heart neckline, where the satin underlayer is just revealed inside the pretty, beaded scalloped lace edge. Half-sleeves also made from the beaded lace covered the tops of Karen’s arms. The empire-line waist is highlighted with a ruched sash in silk dupion which finishes on the natural waistline. The skirt is softly fitted to the top hip before flaring gently in a slight fish-tail. The scalloped edge of the lace is used to trim the hem and the skirt flows out into a small train at the back which came with both a wrist loop and hook-up bustle for the evening.

Wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott, vintage styling, satin and lace with beaded edging and silk sash

Wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott, vintage styling, satin and lace with beaded edging and silk sash, the bride plunges, flaring her skirt out below

Wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott, vintage styling, satin and lace with beaded edging and silk sash, thank you letter

Karen Wrote: Thank you for the amazing job you did in creating the perfect dress for me. It ticked all the boxes and had everyone commenting on how lovely I looked and what a gorgeous dress I had. We had the most fantastic day. Thank you! Love Karen

Wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott, vintage styling, satin and lace with beaded edging and silk sash, swirling her train on her wristloop

Karen’s dress came with a wrist loop for holding the train up off wet grass or gravel – or for dancing!

Wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott, vintage styling, satin and lace with beaded edging and silk sash??Wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott, vintage styling, satin and lace with beaded edging and silk sash, original design sketch

Original design sketch

Wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott, vintage styling, satin and lace with beaded edging and silk sash, samples of the lace and beaded edging we used

Pages from my sample books showing the lace and beaded edging Karen chose.

Wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott, vintage styling, satin and lace with beaded edging and silk sash the dress from above

mostert9??Wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott, vintage styling, satin and lace with beaded edging and silk sash detail of the beaded neckline

Detail from a fitting of the bodice with beaded edging and satin under layer revealed at the neckline

Wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott, vintage styling, satin and lace with beaded edging and silk sash detail of the back fastening

The back of the dress was just the lace layer with an opening all down the back from a high round neckline.

Wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott, vintage styling, satin and lace with beaded edging and silk sash a hidden something blue on the wristloop

A hidden ‘something blue’ sewn next to the wrist loop inside the train layer of Karen’s dress.

Wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott, vintage styling, satin and lace with beaded edging and silk sash, fitting pictures

Pictures from Karen’s final fitting, the finished dress with the train shown hooked up for dancing and spread out.

Wedding dress by Felicity Westmacott, vintage styling, satin and lace with beaded edging and silk sash, fitting pictures

mostert17

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In order for a bride to look beautiful and serene as they walk down the aisle, some thought has to go in to make sure that her dress is sitting just right.

Most of the time when I make bespoke wedding dresses, I'm not there on the day. But sometimes the dresses can be tricky to put on. If the bride's team aren't with her during her final fitting, they're not going to know how to make sure her dress is done up correctly and ready for the aisle. Especially if there are multiple layers, or corsets to tighten. So here's a little look into how I guide a bride's dresser. 

I go step by step through the process, carefully explaining how each layer does up, and giving any tips I think would be useful. 

This particular video wasn't for a bridal party, but for a shoot organiser. In the past I've sent dresses away to shoots and only after receiving the photos do I realise the dress was put on wrong! So now I make sure to arm the organisers with the knowledge they need. It's always good to learn from your mistakes!

Looking at the different between the dress on the mannequin and on the model makes me think: wedding dress really come alive once its on a bride. Don't you agree?

~
Suppliers
Photographer: @english.rose.photography
Concept/Cake Designer: @primrosecakesipswich
Venue: @hintleshamhall
Decor/Styling: @giantgesturessuffolk 
Models: @youdeservelove88
Wedding Dress: @felicitywestmacott
Veil: @hannahcummingsembroidery
Hair/MUA: @maxine_pfander
Bridal Shoes: @the_new_glass_slipper
Groom Outfit: @goldingnewmarket
Table Decor/Styling: @the_prop_library
Chair Drapes: @extravorganza1
Stationary: @moocollection_calligraphy
Jewellery: @nujewellery_byemma
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