Custom Wedding Dress
The process of having a custom made wedding dress, bridal attire or bespoke evening dress is a wonderful experience and very different to a ready-to-wear bridal boutique. The first custom wedding dress consultation with River Elliot Bridal is always free, with no obligations. It takes place in Cambridge and starts with an informal friendly chat about your initial idea using inspiration pictures or internet links that you can send me in advance or bring to the meeting. My studio is private and you will be the only client during your appointment. I offer a safe, non-judgemental environment, which is inclusive to all people intending to get married. The first consultation about your custom made wedding dress or bridal attire takes up to 60 minutes.
During the consultation we can look at fabric swatches so that I can get a better idea of the cost of your final garment. We’ll discuss many important aspects such as your personal style, what kind of fabrics and colours best suit you, your overall vision of how you imagine your dress or outfit will look, as well as what’s important to you; such as comfort, length, fit and skin coverage. All these elements will combine to make you feel confident in yourself and to ensure that your final custom made wedding dress or bridal outfit will make you feel completely wonderful on your special day.
My expertise in style has been quoted in OK! Online, The Daily Express and The Daily Mail. When you choose me to design and create your custom made wedding dress or bridal attire, you will be choosing a professional who will ensure the very best style and design for you.
Bridal Wear Design and Cost
The next stage is the overall design of your custom wedding dress or bridal attire using sketches, images and fabric swatches. This will also allow me to formulate a final quote of how much your custom made garment will cost including chosen materials.
Bespoke prices at River Elliot Bridal start at £1800 plus fabrics and other materials. On average custom made wedding dresses can cost from £2500 – £4500 depending on design and fabric. Bridal wear including jumpsuits, shirts or suits have different costs depending on fabric choices. Any changes are always run by the client and costs are kept to a minimum at all times. The final cost will include the labour which is the design, pattern making and construction of your truly unique bespoke wedding dress and bridal attire plus fabric costs. Your wedding dress or wedding attire will be one of a kind and not replicated in any way for anyone else.
Once the cost and quote has been agreed I will then schedule production in my studio in Cambridge and start making the pattern for your dress or wedding outfit. This is not final and minor tweaks and adjustments can be made during the fitting sessions in Cambridge. Over the whole process, you’ll begin to see your idea transformed into a real dress or bridal garment, understanding how a custom wedding dressmaking service ensures your garment is tailor-made to your figure, style and preferences. At the end, you’ll have a dress or outfit that’s truly unique to you, incorporating your own vision and design not to mention a dress or outfit that fits your body perfectly.
Bridal Wear Fitting
To ensure the garment fits and is what you envisioned, a toile of your custom wedding dress or outfit is constructed. A toile is a dummy version of the dress or outfit made in either calico or muslin fabric. It will allow me to assess fit and style and make any final changes to the design, as well as lets you visualise what your dress or outfit will look like. This stage also allows us to review the fabric choices to make sure they will work with the final garment’s design. All work including both pattern making and garment construction is done by me in my studio in Cambridge. I do not outsource any work, use cheap labour or commission factories. I am your designer and maker and you can trust that only the highest quality and skills are being applied to your custom wedding dress or bridal outfit.
The Final Look
After we have completed the fitting stage and both fabric and style have been finalised, I will start the proper construction of your final custom made dress or bridal outfit. This is where the magic happens! I am trained in couture techniques and these will be applied with individual care and skill to your beautiful garment.
Depending on style and required technique, our production of bridal wear can take from 3-6 months to complete.
For more detailed answers about various stages of the custom made process, you can also read my blog post called ‘All Your Questions Answered About Bespoke Wedding Dresses‘.