People are often a little intimidated by the idea of buying a bespoke wedding dress, to take the stress out of it I've outlined here the three basic steps towards having a bespoke wedding dress made for you.

I've got all sorts of tips on how to pick the right dress for you, from getting involved with the design to picking the right dress for your shape. The first stage of the process is picking someone you're happy working with and then having them design you your perfect dress. This is usually done in one complimentary meeting, but you may need a follow up to go over specific colour or fabric swatches, particularly if you're not getting married in Ivory or you're picking lace. Once the design has been finalised a 50% deposit is taken.

To me, this stage is the most fun part of the process but it actually scares a lot of brides off bespoke, and they end up choosing off the peg something that is almost  exactly what they're looking for, or in the worst case scenario (like my sister) picking the least bad option available. My advice with bespoke is to stay the course and have a little faith- there will be plenty of opportunities to amend details as you go along.

The next stage is for me to go away and make the pattern for your dress, and then to make it up in cheap fabric for you to try on. This process gives me an idea of how much fabric I'll need to buy, lets me see how well the pattern I've made fits you and gives you the chance to really visualise how the finished thing is going to look on. When you try on the toile it can be difficult to see past the cheap fabric, but if there are any big problems (you've completely changed your mind about the neckline etc) now is the time to raise them!

I will require you to attend several fittings, usually in the 2 months leading up to your wedding. At the first, the dress is made in the final fabric in order to check the fit again. Often the stress of a wedding means brides change size slightly, and this fitting allows me to accommodate for that. Once we are happy with the fit, the final details will be added, such as lace applique or the scallop on your hem, and the dress will be ready to take away.