Sam Walls of Samuelle Couture gives the ins and outs of creating a custom wedding dress vs buying readymade.
By Vané BroussardI met Sam Walls of
Samuelle Couture
about a year ago at a bridal event in NYC and was instantly enamored
with her custom wedding dresses. She's got an amazing style and
friendly demeanor, so it was a no brainer to have her discuss the
process in designing a custom wedding dress, and maybe why a bride
would want one in the first place! Thanks Sam!
Why
a bride may want a custom wedding dress rather than a ready to wear dress.
Choosing
to have a custom-made wedding dress can come from many starting positions.
Sometimes it's because brides have a particular vision for their big day and
want a more creative input into their dress; sometimes because they have spent
days and days searching the stores and have not found a dress that encapsulates
everything they want; sometimes the bride wants to incorporate vintage trims
that they have collected or a family heirloom that they have inherited;
sometimes they are having a really unique ceremony or marrying in an unusual
place, and want a dress that is suitable for the event and climate.
Often it is because they want something that is more personal and unique to them and
want to bring a more contemporary twist to tradition.
Whatever the starting point, having a custom dress made especially for you is the ultimate
in luxury, as well as being a really fun and creative experience leading up to
your special day.
There are many designers offering custom made wedding dresses, from Vera Wang to
local seamstresses. Every designer is different and can offer different
quality, services and price points so it is worth doing some research, and
going to meet the designers before committing yourself to working with them.
It is important to find the right designer for you, as you will be working closely
together for the next 6 months and trusting them with a very important task!
The designer needs to be able to understand and interpret your ideas and advise you
on the best solutions; you need to feel confident with their professional
competence to take your dress to completion. A suitable time frame needs to be
discussed and agreed upon, so that your dress is delivered to in good time so
you can find your accessories, veil, shoes etc. This time frame can also help
with payment installments, so it feels more affordable.
What it entails
At Samuelle Couture, the process usually takes 5-8 months. It starts with an initial meeting where the bride will bring along pictures and
their ideas of what they are looking for. It may be a silhouette or a neckline,
inspired by a favorite dress or details from their grandmother's wedding dress.
It may be a fabric or an old photograph, a painting or photos in a magazine.
This is the starting point, from where our designer will continue to research the
theme, interpreting all the ideas together into designs for the dress. Sketches
and mood boards are created, and are then presented with fabric swatches and
detailing ideas back to the bride for further discussion.
A design is agreed upon, measurements are taken and a pattern is made. The dress
will be made up in muslin, and there will be the first fitting. Here the bride
and the designer can visualize the dress, we develop the style lines, make sure
that the fit is perfect. Alterations and developments are made to the pattern
and then a more sophisticated toile is made which is much closer to the actual
wedding dress silhouette.
At the second fitting we again check the lines and fit, as well as considering
hand picked fabrics, trims and detailing and how each one will enhance the
uniqueness of the dress.
When everyone is happy with the choice of materials and the design is perfect, the
dress finally goes to fabric. With plenty of time to spare, the bride will have
a final fitting so we can make any minor tweaks or alterations.
The dress is usually delivered a month before the wedding, but we are on call for
any last minute alterations, steaming or cleaning advice. Throughout the
process, advice is given about accessories, veils, shawls, shoes etc.
At the end of each dress, we feel as though we have been on a very special journey
with each bride. Getting married is so deeply personal, and we are happy to
have been party to this wonderful experience in their lives.
We think that you can see this quality and attention invested in each dress, and
that is why we love doing what we do!
How expensive or inexpensive is a custom wedding dress?? Does it matter where or who you go to?