By Jennifer Thorp
A custom-made wedding dress – one that’s designed to the client’s specific measurements and requirements, rather than altered off a rack – is one of the biggest wedding trends of the decade.
Why? It’s easier than ever before to have your dreams come true – because of the internet and talented seamstresses all over the world.
However, before you go down that route make sure you read our tips and tricks, or you’ll end up wishing you’d taken that bridal boutique special after all. Image: The Chanel atelier, courtesy Vogue.
Know what you want and be clear about it.
The real promoter of custom wedding dresses? Famous bridal designer, and one of the world’s biggest influences on wedding trends, Vera Wang.
She herself had her wedding dress custom made – because she could find nothing she liked on the racks.
“When I decided to get married at 40”, Wang says, “I couldn’t find a dress with the modernity or sophistication I wanted. That’s when I saw the opportunity for a wedding gown business.”
However, you don’t need to set up your own business to get that special wedding day look you can’t find in stores. The crucial part? Knowing what you want.
Research pictures, fabrics, shapes and colours so you seriously have the vocab to tell a professional your dream. Pinterest is famous for this, but brides have been keeping portfolios for years – so go start one.
Image: Vera Wang, courtesy Vogue.
Use your contacts.
None of your local bridal boutiques will offer a custom service? Reach out.
Back in the day, custom wedding gowns were easy, because complicated sewing skills were widespread. These days it’s more difficult, but you can still find somebody fabulous to translate your ideas into reality.
Talk to everybody: friends who’ve also gotten married, friends in fashion, people in forums, friends who might know somebody who’s good with a needle.
Don’t neglect professional costumiers, particularly if you’re in the market for a corset-style or period dress – and also don’t try to do it yourself if you’ve got no sewing experience. That way madness and sewing your own fingers lies.
Respect their input.
You’ve found your professional, you’ve sat down to discuss your much-cherished ideas, and they’re, well, less than enthusiastic about some parts.
Don’t immediately go into diva mode and demand that your dream be respected. Find out why they’re raising issues and how to fix them.
Common problems? Brides want dresses too complicated to do by the deadline, too expensive to complete within budget or in styles that won’t be comfortable or sit properly on their bodies.
Vera Wang says, “When brides ask me ‘What’s the best advice you can give me on my wedding day?’ I always have the same answer: ‘Be yourself.'” Your dream can be altered to be more feasible and still be completely ‘you’ – or more so.
Image: Yves Saint Lauren designing for Christian Dior, 1957, courtesy Dior.
Be very clear about scheduling and time.
Don’t call them 400 times a day, but your dressmakers do need to know your deadline and agree to it.
If they organise a fitting, show up. Don’t be late or make excuses, and also don’t put on fake tan beforehand (this happens at more fittings than you think).
If you’re worried about them falling behind, make sure it’s for valid reasons and not just bridal paranoia, and then be calm about trying to sort it out. No threatening to call lawyers for no good reason.
Take your measurements exactly.
This is particularly crucial if you’re hiring somebody you’re not meeting face to face. Exact measurements are necessary for a dress to fit properly.
This seems like a very obvious tip, but some brides fall into the trap of not accounting for pre-wedding dieting – so the dress is too loose – or over-enthusiastically saying they’ll be 20kg slimmer, and ending up with a tight gown.
Be very clear about your fitness goals and what size you believe you’ll be, and whether the size will need to be revised and altered close to the wedding.
Image: Paolo Roversi for Italian Vogue 2007.
Beware deals that seem too good to be true.
If a dress of your dreams in expensive materials, made in three days to your exact measurements, pings your fraud detector, listen to it.
While outsourcing your dress design and construction to China or other parts of Southeast Asia does mean great deals sometimes, it is also occasionally ruined by scam artists. Look out for deals that seem reasonable, not miracles.
Things to watch for: no clear customer service number, unclear photographs or photos that seem excessively retouched, and a complete lack of reviews from any other customers.
Don’t skimp on fabric.
This is a classic trick. If you must lose something to fit within budget, always go for a detail or an accessory rather than the quality of the fabric itself.
The reason? Good material will look better, handle better, last better and survive the rigours of the day better. One less row of lace won’t ruin the whole thing.
But do know your options (can you substitute a material that might fit your needs better?) and compare prices – if somewhere is charging you your first-born child for silk faille, it’s legit to get a second opinion elsewhere.
Image: The Dior couture atelier, detail, courtesy Dior.
Look into portfolios and past work.
If you’re selecting a person you’re meeting in real life, ask to see as many past examples of their work as possible, and try to get one in the flesh.
Talk to past clients to figure out whether they’re the one, too – if the dress was fabulous but the customer service was crap, you might want to rethink.
Going for a long-distance vendor? Ask for photographs, up close and far away, of their work in different materials and designs. Ask message boards about their reputation, too. This isn’t offensive – it’s making sure you get what you pay for.
Monitor progress and be realistic.
Make pre-selected check-in dates if you’re the kind to worry – then the dressmakers won’t suffer the annoyance of you calling or dropping in unexpectedly, ‘just to see how things are going’.
Always pay the extra to get your dress tracked if it’s being posted to you, and make sure they have everything on paper in case of emergencies.
And know your rights: if things do go wrong despite everything (and chances are they won’t), you deserve to get your money back.
Image: Dior Couture atelier staff by Patrick Demarchelier, courtesy Vogue.
Happy dress-hunting!
