14 January 2017

Every bride wants to find the dress of their dreams and the best service. And it doesn’t matter if your budget is £1,000 or £100,000 your criteria will be the same. Before starting what could become a lengthy search, it is a good idea to decide your priorities as this could save time and help to ensure you find the right dress.

The National Wedding Show at London Olympia next month is a good place to start as there is so much choice under one roof. Things to be thinking about as you go round are:

What style of dress are you looking for? Bohemian, Vintage, Traditional, Sexy? And what time of year is your wedding. Will it be hot or cold, on a beach, in a church or a barn…?

Will you find it at a wedding show, in a magazine or online? Before you hit the road you should really get an idea of who stocks or makes the style of dress you are looking for.

* Do you want to have your dress specially designed and made for you? If so a recommendation is always a good idea. Or wedding shows feature designers collections and sometimes you will meet the designer. As a designer myself, I always attend the shows because I believe it is important to meet brides so I can get an idea of the dress you are dreaming of – and you can find out what it means to have your wedding gown specially made. You will need to have the confidence to speak out – the right designer will listen to your ideas. Make sure you understand what is included in the price – last minute alterations are often required as brides tend to lose weight close to their wedding day- check these are included in the price.

* Nearly new/Vintage – although most brides don’t  want a second time around dress you will get a lot more for your money. Once a dress is over twenty years old it can take on the title of Vintage – and it will then become very desirable and a talking point – age is Kudos!

* My advice would be to go directly to a designer. Most bridal boutiques add 300% mark up.

A custom-made dress is always a better option than a dress that has been altered and in almost every case will have been made to ethical standards in the UK.

* Proximity of the boutique or designer – a lengthy journey for fittings could add to your costs especially if you are having your dress made because you could need as many as six or more fittings depending on the intricacy of the design. And although that sounds like pampering the travel bill could bust your budget.

I will be at the National Wedding Show next month – Friday 17th to Sunday 19th February 2017, London Olympia, and am happy to answer all your queries. I look forward to seeing you there…

7 January 2017

Paris is the home of haute couture and purists would say couture created anywhere else in the world cannot claim the title of – HAUTE COUTURE.

Traditionally an haute couture gown will have many hours of hand work using the finest materials. The gowns created are exquisite. Couture houses are trusted to keep the budget – and often names of their wealthy clients – a secret

But who are the people who can spend with no regard to the cost in order to buy their dream bridal gown? When Salome Kintsurashvili married Armenian billionaire Sargis Karapetyan last year her gown cost £500,000.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/people/inside-the-world-of-couture-wedding-dresses-6000-hours-spent-on5/

What are they actually paying for apart from the materials and hours of sewing?

Top of the list will be the status of the designer, the luxury of private fittings in a Paris Couture Salon and the undivided attention of the designer and their team – and of course the finest champagne to accompany each fitting. A dozen plus couture seamstresses will attentively embellish each gown wearing white cotton gloves. Security is also very important: there must be no leaks about what the gown looks like or who it is for until the client decides to go public.

Outside of this glamorous world, designers like myself are helping to keep the practice of couture alive – but on a much smaller budget. We do it because we love it – the artistry, fantasy and excitement come together to create a world from another century.

When creating one of our couture gowns the sewing machines sit idol while we work our way through thousands of meters of thread, sewing hand-cut lace flowers, pearls, crystals and vintage beads to the finest silks and lace. When clients come and see us they will come to a luxury Couture Salon in Beauchamp Place, Knightsbridge, which is the home of couture in London.

You will have my undivided attention and of course champagne if required although most of my clients prefer a coffee after their journey. A one-off creation, a choice of specially sourced fabrics, and all the attention of Paris Haute Couture are available to our clients – namely a personalised pattern, toile fittings, gown fittings and endless attention to detail. And if you want any changes even if it is just the re-positioning of one bead it will happen and all of this at a starting price of £5,000.

If you would like us to create the dress of your dreams please do get in touch – we are here to make those dreams come true.

5 December 2016

We are now in December and while most of us are planning Christmas some of my lovely clients are planning gorgeous winter weddings. A winter wedding is very romantic but also brings its complications.

Snow is great in photos But no one enjoys being cold so if you will be having outdoor photographs be kind to your bridesmaids and suggest they wear thick tights under their dresses. Faux fur stoles or capes are a stylish alternative to a pashmina. Brides may also want to do the same if they are not wearing a wedding coat as part of their outfit.

There are practical considerations too. Your guests will arrive wearing coats so make sure there is someone delegated to taken and hang those up, you don’t want coats draped over the back of chairs – especially if you have paid for chair covers to theme your wedding.

Rain can threaten to dampen spirits but this doesn’t just apply to winter weddings. You may want to invest in transparent umbrellas for your guests to avoid an assortment of colours and golf umbrellas with advertising logos. A white umbrella is a lovely touch for the bride – you can even get white wellies for outdoor photos!

Forward planning is even more important at this time of year, to avoid any late arrivals it would be worth suggesting guests travelling a long way stay close to the venue the night before the wedding – especially if they are crucial to the celebrations. This may also apply to your photographer although that will probably be at your expense.

Once you have braved the elements you will be able to enjoy the best a winter wedding has to offer – candles, winter floral displays and maybe even a Christmas tree.

For ideas for your special day please visit my new website www.elizabethbessant.co.uk or follow me on Twitter or Instagram.