Introducing, Jackie and Joe!
"You're amazing at what you do. My whole experience with you was amazing from start to finish I was always so excited to come over and see my dress come to life. I’m so grateful, you made me dreams come true. ❤️❤️xx" - Jackie
When Jackie came to me, she spoke straight off the bat about how she wanted a BLACK wedding dress... Yes, you read that right, a black gown! I was sold instantly. She had always dreamt of a black style for many years, and I was so game. We threw some ideas around including a two piece and different sleeve and neckline ideas. Jackie had tried on some white gowns at some bridal boutiques, and found the silhouette and neckline she fell in love with. I got to work sourcing a unique lace and we chose SEQUINS!
Wedding date - August 2022
Wedding Venue - Henham Park
Photogrpher - Chloe Ellis - (I highly reccomend)
Wedding planner and stylist - Flamingo and Fern
Florals - Wild Spirit Florist
Hair - Lisa Rudder
Make up - Ria Stephenson
Videographer - Lewis Parker
What I, as the maker, love about this look...
Jackie rocked her look in front of a turquoise vintage pick-up truck, showing off her tattoos with a glass of bubbly. And to top it off, she wore a black dress that she designed herself. What a memory to have! I have to say, I loved the soft scoop neckline, paired with thin sequin straps, topped off with bold floral sequin cascading into the skirt. My favourite design choice for Jackie's gown, is how we softly draped the floral sequins into the skirt, and faded it out. Having this condensed sequin throughout the bodice, running into the plain tulle hem of the skirt, gives a super whimsical feel along side her rock'n'roll energy.
A tip to newly engaged lovelies looking for their style...
You do you. That is my biggest tip! Staying true to your style is so important. We don't wear formal long white dresses on a daily bases, so if your a jeans and vans girl like Jackie (and me) wearing something like this is super un-natural! Jackie knowing that she wanted a black dress from the start, helped her dress journey run smoothly. If you're fighting the urge to wear a white floor length gown, then just... don't? Why not opt for a different fabric colour, a jumpsuit, a trouser, a mini dress, a two piece suit? After all, it is your day, and we're seeing many more engaged people go for a unique style that is so personal to them.
A few images here from the exciting creation process. The OG red gown didn't have any trim on the cuff of the cap sleeves and we wanted to make it a little more special. The final gown had these crepe covered buttons from the neck to the hem, so we mirrored this through the circle trim on the cuff. Super cute, right?!
The Process - Long story short
Just like any other custom gown, we started of slow talking over some images Jackie had, as well as talking over some gowns she had tried on. There was an accumulation of small details that Jackie wanted to incorporate from all of these ideas, which we did!
Once we confirmed the design and fabric choice through samples, we got to work toiling. (A toile is just a fancy word for a 'mock up'. Which is basically a practice version of the final gown!) This process ensures we get the exact fit on the body correct first, adjusting as we go. Once we've nailed the fit of the gown, we copy the toile and make a start in the final fabrics (my favourite part). Here we can finally see this idea come to life! Seeing an idea, a 2D sketch, turn into a 3D product is super satisfying. Making in the final fabric can take a good few more fittings making sure every step of the way the style is perfect. And once completed, I can send Jackie on her way with her finished bespoke gown!
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Jackies Mini-Me
Jackie wanted a replica of her gown for her 3 year old ADORABLE daughter, so she bought a black tutu a while back, and we added the exact same lace onto the tulle skirt so she could look just like mama. This was a great may to use up any small bits of excess lace, as we all know I hate wasting a single thing. But it was also the perfect way to make her daughter feel like a princess, capture some incredible photos, and just bring the ultimate personalisation to their looks.
A few images here from the exciting creation process. The OG red gown didn't have any trim on the cuff of the cap sleeves and we wanted to make it a little more special. The final gown had these crepe covered buttons from the neck to the hem, so we mirrored this through the circle trim on the cuff. Super cute, right?!
