THE CUSTOM WEDDING DRESS
So you’ve narrowed down your search—decided you like the evening gown look but aren’t absolutely, positively, 100 percent sure an A-line is out of the question. Next, you turn off the computer (or whatever device) and go shopping. You hit every salon within a twenty-mile radius and plow through racks of gowns in all kinds of fabrics you never knew existed. You’ve tried on more than a few in every shade and texture of white imaginable. And while you’ve had a crash course in Bridal 101 and your dreams feel like Act II of Giselle every night, still nothing out there grabs you. Then, a week later this picture of a gown finally comes together in your head—the neckline you found on a wedding blog; the sleeve on a dress you tried on in the salon combined with the sweep train you spotted last week in the film noir.
Once all this comes together, you’ll have a custom-designed gown, something one of a kind and only yours, like no other in the world. It’s finally in your head. Now all you need is help from a skilled designer or dressmaker and the savoir-faire to know the difference.
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DRESSMAKERS
Once upon a time before mass production, every woman had a dressmaker or became her own. Nowadays most dressmakers specialize. You’ll want one with expertise in bridal and evening wear. Dressmakers either work on an hourly basis or estimate their labor. They usually work from store-bought patterns and expect you to supply the fabrics and materials, such as buttons and zippers. This is a good option if you already have a unique cut of silk or know how to shop for fabrics yourself. Dressmakers sometimes work from home, while others have their own shops. Though a dressmaker might save you cash, the trade-off might be that your fittings take place in an intense work environment with rudimentary surroundings. Don’t be surprised to find yourself undressing in a sweatshop with fluorescent lights, ironing boards in the way, and some guy getting measured for a suit in the next room. If ambiance is a big factor, find a custom salon or designer.
CUSTOM BRIDAL DESIGNERS
Over the past two decades, more custom bridal designers have emerged in studios and ateliers. They’re experts at helping you translate what you see in your imagination as reality. Like dressmakers, they work one one-on-one with you. Unlike a dressmaker, they typically have more upscale establishments and higher prices. The reason? Their services are zeroed in on you—the bride. Most offer small sample collections as well as bolts of fabric right in-house to inspire you along with your decisions. Custom designers usually work all the materials and labor into the price of the garment. Prepare to pay more here. Prices can range from $ 1,700.00 for something unadorned and straightforward to $10,000.00 for the works: full trains, petticoats, underskirts, bustling options, intricate beading, etc. The median price range for a custom-made wedding gown at this writing would be around $3-5,000.00.
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WHAT TO EXPECT OUT OF THE DESIGN PROCESS
A custom designer or skilled seamstress puts many hours and a high level of craftsmanship into the creation of a custom gown. Working with fragile, white fabric and delicate lace is an art form. Figure any custom gown crafted by a designer usually takes four to six months to complete from a listing of your measurements. Since the design process involved with a custom gown is more of a direct collaboration between you, you’ll have more input with decisions regarding fabric, silhouette, and style.
STEP 1
Every first consultation begins by asking questions about the actual wedding itself. You’ll look at and evaluate all the factors involved in optimizing gown design: the scale of the ceremony, the nature of its backdrop, your use of tradition, even right down to the surfaces on which you’ll be walking. With respect for cleaning and preservation, sometimes even post-wedding plans are made for the gown.
Any photos, sketches or swatches of fabric you’ve collected are discussed, usually with the designer running a few of her own ideas back to you. Choices and cost of materials, fabrics and a few other details are usually explored.
If the designer has a small sample collection, this is usually when you can begin trying gowns on to see what the fabrics are going to look and feel like with you in them. This is the time too to look over how well the samples are made. Don’t worry about whether or not you know haute couture techniques here—just pull up a hem or look at the inside of one of the garments; you’ll know if it's cleanly made and as beautiful on the inside as out.
STEP 2
Eventually, a gown is in the making. After a final sketch is approved, an estimate follows, complete with fabric swatches and your measurements are taken. For every gown order, a paper pattern is made. Think of the paper pattern as a blueprint, a record with all your dimensions on it. From this, most designers (some dressmakers too) work out a muslin. The muslin is an actual cotton mock-up and ‘living pattern’ of the gown design, fitted exactly to your body. Now, think of the muslin as the foundation work—laying all the necessary groundwork upon which your dress will be built. This is where most of the fine-tuning is done to achieve the perfect fit before a single cut or stitch is made on the actual fabric.
STEP 3
After your muslin fittings (there might be two of them), the muslin is unstitched and laid out on the actual fabric and the
gown is made up. Since most of the fitting is worked out on the muslin, second and third fittings usually follow up with finishing touches on the gown such as final hemline, closures, remaining design details, etc. Be prepared for more than three fittings though.
A gown made from the ground up is a work in progress, each step painstakingly taken, checked and rechecked.
Keep in mind you want your gown delivered at least a month before your wedding. Yes, and be sure to synchronize your calendars on this one. You want to be able to relax and deal with all those other last-minute details like choosing flowers and scheduling caterers.
THE WHERE AND HOW OF FINDING DRESSMAKERS AND DESIGNERS
INTERNET- Etsy has been an answered prayer for many a bride. This is a mega-site for artisans featuring a special niche just for weddings. Custom wedding dress and accessory designers from all over the world feature handmade products, mostly crafted in private and home studios. You'll find everything from wedding dresses to veils, hats, cover-ups and even fabric bouquets. Generally, most designers, whether they’re small artisans turning out one-of-a-kind items or mainstream hotshots like Vera Wang, all have their own websites. How you search or come across the dress you absolutely adore is up to you, but know you'll find it eventually, whether it is through a dressmaker, designer, or retailer. After you OD and get a general idea of what kind of dress or look you’re going for, let's narrow it down some. Zero into your local area first. Once you've found that perfect designer you absolutely love, make an appointment. Realize hottie designers will usually do custom work as long as it is in their flagship store. Remember though, top designers get top dollar. As for indies and custom designers, if you’re near a metro area, your chances of connecting with the right one are good. Check out the gown photos on their website, first to see if her vision and yours are on the same page. Next, go to her gallery of Real Brides . . . (if there is one). See what others looked like on their wedding day.
SALONS- Bridal salons and specialty stores sometimes employ custom designers or dressmakers either in-house or as outside contractors. Depending on how they are set up, sometimes they’ll give a referral if it doesn’t interfere with the flow of their business.
CONSULTANTS- Bridal consultants or planners are an excellent source of referrals and usually know who’s truly expert in the area by years of working with them. Some are willing to work with you hourly or for a small referral fee.
REVIEWERS--Is YELP the new Yellow Pages? Before the internet, the Yellow Pages used to be the first and last place brides got started on their dress quest. After word of mouth, this was the easiest though riskiest way to find a reliable dressmaker. Fast forward past the Millennium and YELP with its 5-star review system has become the new word of mouth for extolling shouts of praise as well as thumbs down complaints. Google, Yahoo, Etsy, and Wedding Wire all have a respected review system as well.
FRIENDS- Finally, word of mouth and recommendations through friends hook up designers and dressmakers. Someone knows someone who wore that stunner of a gown. Sometimes the same name will keep popping up in discussions. Follow it.
MORE ABOUT ETSY— Ideally, you want to find an ETSY shop that's in your region. But, what if you love a designer in Australia and live in Orlando? Fifteen years back, I would never have thought it was possible, but mail-order wedding dresses are a happening trend for brave and determined brides who want something one-of-a-kind. With the proliferation of the net all you have to do is dream it and you'll eventually find it. So, how do you make this virtual gown a reality once you locate it 5,000 miles away? First, determine whether the designer you adore has something similar to what you want in their collection, preferably something that can be customized (making a few of your own changes). If you are working long distances with your own design, you’ll need to provide a top-notch sketch and have good communication skills. Whether customizing an already designed creation or going the made-to-order route, if you’re far away you'll want to have your measurements taken by a professional seamstress or tailor where you live. I need to reiterate 'professional' here. Ideally, this is the place you’ll have the gown altered after it’s shipped to you. Please note that you will need alterations. No matter how beautifully or personally made, anything as ‘Red Carpet’ as a wedding dress needs some kind of alteration to make it your own
