As the PR and Marketing Manager at One Day, as well as sister to Founder and Creative Director, Kyha, you could say I had a daunting task ahead when deciding on a gown to wear for my wedding.
I had always known I wanted to wear something less traditional on my wedding day. Having worked in the industry for just over four years, I have loved seeing the shift away from tradition. Brides are now taking more risks and planning weddings that represent them and their partner. So, I knew my gown had to be a reflection of me and my style.
In the end, I decided on a Bespoke gown, designed by my sister, Kyha. I gave her a lot of creative control over the design—we work closely together and have a very similar eye so I knew what she was going to create would be perfect!
The bespoke process starts with the design and lots of Pinterest boards. I began by saving images of the gowns I loved. I knew I wanted a full skirt from these early stages—when else was I going to be able to wear anything like this?
The next step, and probably the hardest part in finding your wedding gown, is deciding on the shape. I don’t wear a lot of dresses, so I was worried about whether this full skirt style would actually suit my body shape. So, we had a consultation at the One Day Boutique and I tried on a range of shapes and styles. To my relief, the style we loved did suit me and the initial design was confirmed.
For any bride looking for their wedding dress, ensure you try on a range of shapes and styles. Finding the shape that suits your body is the hardest part. Once you have that, the rest is easy!
Having a bespoke gown does take a lot of visualisation. The design usually evolves and changes shape over the course of the process, but this is all a part of the experience. At this initial consultation, we had decided on a full circle skirt that came in at the waist. During the process, Kyha and the team decided that a fully corseted bodice that came down to the hips would be more flattering and we could include more corset detailing that I loved. As the experts in this, I completely trusted their vision and was happy with the design changes.
The last part of the design process for a One Day Bespoke gown is the fabric. Over the last 12 months, we have been designing our own beaded fabrics and it’s often a process we use for our Bespoke clients as this adds another completely custom element to our designs.
The design team took my inspiration images and designed the most incredible fabric I have seen. With a range of 3D flowers and gold leaf detail, this fabric was unlike anything I had ever seen and I loved it.
Then construction begins. The first step in construction is an initial measure and then a calico fitting. This is a very unglamorous fitting for the structure and base of the gown. In my case this was the bodice. The fit of the bodice was important because of the strapless design. This is the most important fitting for our seamstresses as this forms the base of the gown.
The next step is a mock up fabric fitting. Sometimes this is in the base fabric of the gown. In my case, because we wanted the gown to be completely sheer, the mock up was in tulle and organza so we could mimic the shape of the sleeve and skirt.
This fitting was pretty exciting. Although there was no lace and the dress was completely transparent except for the pair of nude underwear and bra cups that I wore on the day, I had such a clear idea of what the finished product was going to look like, and we all loved it!
From here, the construction of the gown started. The base of the gown was constructed, the lace hand appliqued on and, all of a sudden, my dress was there.
The first time I tried on my gown in its most complete stage, I was completely blown away. I cried, overcome with emotion.
The process of having a Bespoke Gown is such an incredible journey in itself, and for this reason I wanted my last fitting captured by Olivia from Olivia & Thyme. I wanted to look back on this fitting after the wedding and be able to share this with my husband and with other brides-to-be, as the process is just as important as the day itself.
During this fitting, the gown was in its most complete state. The lace had been attached, and everything was ready to finish. The importance of this fitting was marking the hem and ensuring everything looked perfect. There were some final adjustments, some more lace pinned and the sleeve and neckline double checked. I had my shoes ready, and we talked about accessories and the veil.
Having the opportunity to work with my sister to design such an incredible gown is something I will cherish forever. The process of designing a Bespoke gown is so special and a part of the wedding planning process I could share with my mum and sisters exclusively.
On the day, Dylan had absolutely no idea what I was going to look like. He knew I wasn’t in white and he knew I had two dresses. That was it. Keeping this detail a secret meant that moment when he saw me walking down the aisle was a complete surprise.
For those ladies interested in a Bespoke design for their wedding day, keep in mind that visualisation is the key, trust the experts and enjoy every step of the process.
Steph x
