Custom Tailored Wedding Dresses

Hand Made Evening Gowns &  Bridal Gowns

Getting A Custom Made Wedding Dress

Tips For Having A Bridal Gown Made


Brides who choose a custom wedding dress can get exactly what they always envisioned: the perfect wedding dress for them. However, choosing the dress and the dressmaker can be overwhelming. Brides who want the process to go smoothly should consider these tips:

Try On Some Dresses

Many dresses that look fantastic on bridal magazine models may be less than impressive in the dressing room. Brides considering a custom wedding dress should try on some gowns at a bridal salon to get a feel for what styles are most comfortable and flattering. Brides can also look in their own closet for inspiration-- is there a cocktail dress that always makes her feel sexy and beautiful? What silhouettes and necklines does she feel best in? Brides who are confident in what looks best on them will have an easier time discussing design with their dressmaker.

Find A Dressmaker

Designers who make custom wedding dresses can be found in several ways: many will have advertisements in magazines or in online classifieds. Brides can also ask friends and family if they know of anyone who had a dress made, and if they would recommend the dressmaker. Brides should never be afraid to interview potential dressmakers to get a feel for if they will be able to work well together, and to have a chance to see the dressmaker's portfolio.


Bring Pictures

Designers tend to be very visual people, and having photographic examples of what the bride likes and wants is very helpful when designing a wedding dress. Having pictures will also give the dressmaker a chance to discuss potential costs, and how a design might be altered to be more flattering to the bride.
Ask for References

If possible, brides should talk to the wedding dress designer's previous clients, look through his or her portfolio, and see some of his or her work up close. Does the dress look finished and professional? Are there loose threads, buckling and stitches? Is the trim carefully applied, or is there a sloppy look about it? When talking to previous clients, questions to consider might be:

    * what was the designer like to work with?
    * was their estimate of costs accurate?
    * did he/she have trouble meeting deadlines?
    * were you able to reach the designer easily, or did he/she return phone calls and emails in a reasonable amount of time?

Consider Cost

Some people have the impression that having a wedding dress custom made should be equal to or even cheaper than the price of the gowns in bridal salons. In fact, quite the opposite can be true. The benefits to a custom gown are numerous: the bride gets exactly the dress she wanted, tailored to her body type. However, making a wedding dress requires many hours of painstaking attention, and brides should not be surprised when labor costs begin to add up.

Brides should be honest about their wedding dress budget with their dressmaker, to see what is and is not possible for the money they want to spend. Fabric choice, amount of lace and trim, and the type of dress can all have an impact on price, and the designer may have many helpful suggestions on how the dress may be made more cheaply.

Get Sketches and Fabric Samples

Brides having someone design their wedding dress should expect to see some sketches of ideas, and fabric samples to choose from. Fabric not only has an impact on cost, but on the drape and overall feel of the dress, and brides should discuss any concerns they have with their designer.
Have The Dressmaker Make a Prototype to Try On

After taking measurements, most dressmakers will make a muslin prototype of the dress for the bride to try on. This allows the designer to adjust for fit, and gives the bride a chance to see the general shape of the dress.
Consider Having Someone Make An Existing Pattern

Brides who want a custom wedding dress on a small budget should consider having a dressmaker make an existing wedding dress pattern for them. There are many beautiful dress patterns available in fabric stores, and some small adjustments to the design may be made without proving as costly as making a pattern and a dress from scratch.

Having a wedding dress custom made can be a long, but ultimately rewarding process. Brides should be up front and honest about their budget and their tastes, and should expect the same from their dress designer. If the bride chooses her designer carefully, the result will be a beautiful and unique wedding gown.

Choosing a Wedding Dress Shape

In a way wedding dresses are like any other items of clothing - some will suit you, some won't and the secret of looking good is to know which is which.

The relative infrequency of wearing formal gowns these days means that few of us, even if we are confident about our choices of every day clothes, are entirely sure about what sort of wedding dress will make us look our best.

These are the most commonly encountered shapes of wedding gown, with a quick run down of who should, and shouldn't, consider each. If you have not already figured out what body shape you are, look here first.

Ball Gowns

The distinguishing features of the ball gown style wedding gown are a fitted bodice, a defined waist and a full skirt.

It is probably the sort of wedding dress most little girls dream of wearing on their big day, but while it will make some of them look wonderful when the have grown up, it really is not for everyone.
           

                                                           



Ball gowns work for:
Thin and tall brides, triangle or rectangle figures, slight pear shaped figure, slim hourglass figures.

If you are tall and slim with a well balanced shape, a classic ball gown can work great. If your figure is less than perfect, try a less defined waist (as in the middle above) or a less full skirt with perhaps some ruching to soften the look (as in the image on the left above).

Ball gowns won't work for:
Petite figure, pronounced pear-shaped figure or larger hourglasses.

While often recommended to disguise a pear shape, this is only true of the hips are just slightly wider than the shoulders, those with larger hips will find it disguises nothing but emphasizes the hips instead. These are statement dresses and can overwhelm small brides.

A-Line Dresses

Less full than ball gowns, with a skirt that flares out from either a natural or a dropped waistline, usually with no seam at the waistline.

This is a style that flatters almost all figures and works especially well for pear-shaped or fuller-figured brides. The fullness of the skirt can be varied quite a bit.
            

A-Line works for:
Petite or full-figured brides, short waists

The simple lines of an a-line dress can make a small bride look taller and a full figured brides one slimmer. It is also flattering for the pear-shaped, especially with a lower waistline.

A-Line won't work for:
Thick waists, hourglass figures.

If your waistline is large, the dress will end up looking straight - effectively losing the a-line that gives it it's name, and will emphasize your waist. While hourglass figures can wear a-line dresses, they will not be making the most of their curves if they do.

Empire Line Dresses

Straighter than a-line and less figure hugging, in an empire line dress the skirt starts just below the bust, and falls softly from there.

The style and shape of the seam above the skirt can vary quite a bit, as the examples above show.

Empire line works for:
Petite figures, larger waist, small bust

Brides who don't want a figure-hugging dress should consider an empire line. It is good to conceal a larger waist. Tends to elongate the body, giving an appearance of being taller.

Empire line won't work for:
Curvy, pear-shaped or full figures.

Tends not to work with a larger bust, and the line of the skirt emphasizes larger hips.

Column or Sheath Dresses

Column dresses have a slim outline, cut close to and following the natural curves of the body. Some have a waist seam but generally they are sheath dresses.

They are often bias-cut (center, right), which allows the fabric to flow around the body and can be very flattering - provided you are slim.

Column dresses work for:
Slim, tall brides, rectangle and triangle body shapes

Column dresses have a very sleek modern look and can be stunning.

Column dresses won't work for:
Curvy, pear-shaped or full figures. Short brides.

A column dress hides nothing - it follows the body contours, wherever they are! They can make a short slim bride seem insignificant, especially if the groom is tall.

Mermaid Dresses

The top of these dresses can be like sheath dresses, but they flare out below the knee, putting more emphasis on the curves above.

Fishtails tend to have most of the flaring to the back of the dress, with mermaid it is very evident in front too. They are invariably quite figure-hugging.

Mermaid dresses work for:
Slim but curvy or hourglass figures

Very good on an hourglass figure, showing off the curves of the body to perfection.

Mermaid dresses won't work for:
Pear-shaped or full figures

Curves need to be in proportion and a waist which is noticeably smaller than the hips or shoulders is essential for this style to work. Really emphasises the hips, so not a style for the pear-shaped bride.