For context I am getting married August 2027 so a long way off. I am currently early stages of pregnancy so the wedding will be a little bit over a year before babba is born. Long story short I was thinking of starting the process of looking at wedding dresses before I get too big and just to have an idea of what's to come!! For some reason I'm a bit nervous about wedding dress try ons. My taste is quite plain, and I find a lot of dresses in the shops too much. So I was thinking of meeting with a designer who specializes in wedding dresses to come up with a design. Has anyone gone down this route? Is there much of a price differential between buying in a wedding boutique versus bespoke designing from scratch?
I would definitely start off in bridal shops and try on different styles first. I went for something very different from what I thought would suit me, and lots of brides say the same.
I've never gone down the design route but I would assume it is more expensive to have something bespoke as opposed to 'off the rack'.
I completely understand what you're saying about feeling overwhelmed by dress shopping, however I will say that I thought I knew exactly what I wanted. I had a style picked out and sent it to the store ahead of time so they could pick dresses in that style for me to try on. I wasn't feeling any of them. I had another appointment at a different store and hoped it would be better but again I wasn't feeling them.
I then went back to the first store. They had just had a shipment come in and there was a dress hanging up on the floor and I immediately was drawn to it. It was everything against what I thought I wanted. The store wouldn't have pulled it for me because it didn't look anything like what I thought I wanted.
Tried it on and it was the dress. So no harm to go look at a few dresses even if you go down the design route.
This!! Try different styles, materials, fits etc. Shops have a lot of different options to cater for everyone, from very “plain” beach style to ball gown type with massive underskirts! Tell them what you’re looking for and they will pull out a few dresses for you to try on. You can always come back for second appointment and go down a different route if nothing suited you and you eliminated some styles.
The people working in the shops should be well trained and have a feeling what would and wouldn’t suit someone but obviously if you’re dead set on a dress they won’t refuse you 😂 and if you do go down the bespoke route, you will know what you like and what suits you after trying dresses on.
Completely agree on trying different styles.
When my sister was shopping she ‘knew’ she wanted fitted, kind of mermaid style, sleek, she did not want big, puffy, fussy. I persuaded her to wear a princess style dress just to see her in it (I knew it’d make me cry, she’s beautiful in anything but I just wanted to see full Disney 🤣) and she fell in love, tulle and sequins and all. I was a blubbering mess.
She actually found someone ‘down the country’ who did like imported dupes of dresses, so instead of thousands got it for about 1500 I think
This was me. I was sure I wanted this sleek 1930s style silohuette. I didn't want the puffy princess look. None of those 1930s styles of dresses really suited me.
The dress I feel in love with was a blush pink ballgown, full blown skirt with tulle, lace appliqué and a crystal beaded belt. My mam said I looked like princess Aurora (my favourite Disney princess) and the girl at the bridal shop said I was like Scarlett O'Hara (another movie I loved as a child) Only that the dress was literally hanging up to be put out on the floor I would have never seen it.
Also dresses in a shop don't mean mad money. My dress was around 700/800 if I remember correctly.
From my experience shops can generally order styles with slight alterations from the designers. You should definitely go in and try some on to see what you like/dislike.
If you are near Limerick I know “The Attic” can create bespoke dresses for you
Someone who socialises in bespoke wedding dresses would likely be more expensive than even just someone who does non-wedding bespoke. Anything with a wedding tag is marked up.
Have a look on Etsy as well, there are a huge number of wedding dress sellers, a lot who (at least claim to) design and make their own. A lot I suspect are imports but you might find someone there- check the reviews and do a google search including the seller and Reddit and you’ll often get more honest reviews. That’s what I did for my wedding ring and it worked out wonderfully.
If you do want something very simple a regular designer/seamstress might work but I agree with what others have said about trying on different styles just in case.
That said, I ‘knew’ I wanted a vintage tea dress style, just below the knee, underskirt etc. Randomly one night the first Covid lockdown saw a dress on Monsoon for £150, wasn’t even a wedding dress but they had a champagne colour one, empire line, long sequinned bell sleeves, sequinned bodice, long plain tulle skirt to the floor. Said ‘that’ll do’ (hate shopping). Got it, fit perfectly, really pretty, lovely on, so comfortable as well, put the money to having a joint wedding/honeymoon in Las Vegas and California. So I’d say it’s worth going to a bridal or formal wear shop to try on a few styles just in case you find something you hadn’t thought of
Would recommend Sarah Foy, from start to finish she will listen to what you want and work within your budget
Had a bespoke dress made by a bridal designer. It wasn’t anything crazy, relatively simple but it came in cheaper than what I was seeing in shops.
My friend did this (based off the experience of one of her other friends) with Roisin Silks in Stepaside. I went with her to the appointments, I would recommend at least an initial consultation with them!
I myself knew exactly what I wanted for my dress and I had it made by House of Mooshki in Newcastle. Not as eye watering as you'd expect price wise, I did the whole consultation about style, fabrics etc. online as it was COVID, got measured by a seamstress here in Dublin and sent them the measurements, turned up in Newcastle in person to collect the dress and it fit like a glove (if it had needed alterations they would have done them and sent it over, I could also have had it sent and sent it back etc but by then it was fine to fly). If you DM me I can send you pics of my finished one!
I have a friend who is a bridal designer, and also worked in a boutique. Tbh her own designs were often cheaper as the shop added on a huge mark up and would still probably need alterations so it might not be as expensive as you'd think. I can DM you her Instagram if you'd like to have a look?
I would love this thank you so much!!