If you’ve scrolled through to this section of my website, you think a bespoke wedding dress might be for you.
However, you’re also likely concerned about how much it is going to cost – you may even think it’s not a realistic ambition for your wedding.
I understand, completely; so, let me talk you through how it works, and why – together – we can deliver a beautiful, made-to-measure gown to complete your magical day.
I started this business with a motivation to provide every bride-to-be with a dress designed with them, for them, at no greater expense than an off-the-rack alternative from a boutique or retailer. That is as true now, several years into running my award-winning business, as it was when I started.
Of course, budgets vary, we live in uncertain economic times, and weddings are expensive. To avoid any anxiety about your first fitting, I’ll be as transparent as I can about the factors that influence the overall cost of producing a hand-made, bespoke, Ailsa Munro dress.
Fabric
It varies for each dress, but the first thing to point out is that around half of the total cost of your dress comes from the materials. For a truly special gown, there is no substitute for the finest quality fabrics.
I have great relationships with trusted suppliers, and my materials are ethically sourced. Dresses generally require anywhere between four and 12 metres of fabric, as well as the same volume again in lining, before considering any further enhancements or design quirks.
I always price in the fabric at cost, and only charge my brides for the time it takes to design and hand-craft their dresses.
Production time
The entire production process of one of my bespoke designs takes anywhere between 40 and 60 hours. It may sound like a lot, so let’s talk about the method.
At the start of your dressmaking journey, we will have a first consultation – we’ll discuss your inspirations, your style, practical considerations for your wedding day, and any other preferences or thoughts you would like to share.
From there, I will take your guidance and draw up some initial designs. We’ll likely have follow-up conversations, make subtle tweaks based on your feedback, and get that final look and feel committed to paper before a cut is made or a stitch is sewn.
Along the journey, you will have several fittings and consultations to ensure that the dress is developing as you hoped. On average, around 10 hours of design and face-to-face fitting time is required to make sure that we deliver the perfect dress.
The remaining 30-50 hours are spent lovingly hand-crafting your dress, which I oversee from start to finish. My decade of experience in dressmaking means I’m as efficient at dress production as they come – but I cannot substitute standards for time-saving, and choosing a gown from someone who says they can is a recipe for disaster.
Of course, there are ways in which we can keep the costs within a moderate budget – so let’s talk about them.
The design
This is, in my experience, what will make or break your budget.
Generally, one of my bespoke, made-to-measure dresses costs anywhere between £1500 and £2500, with the more expensive fabrics and extravagant designs featuring at the higher end of that range. Any of the dresses you can see from the real brides section of my website have been delivered within this price range.
What does this mean in practice? Well, if your budget is closer to the lower end of the scale, we can discuss the fabric selection and design style to deliver a gown within your proposed budget. That will mean, of course, that we’ll have to work together to steer away from details and complex patterns that increase production time and take the overall cost beyond what you are prepared to pay.
In my experience, the best results are always in having an open and transparent conversation at the beginning of the design process to ensure that we have a shared understanding. It protects you, the bride, from the anxiety of unexpected price rises, and ensures that I am delivering the best possible dress for your special day – taking into account inspiration, desires, and budgetary constraints.
Ready to discuss your thoughts, ideas, or book a free, no-obligation consultation?
Click here to get in touch – I can’t wait to hear from you.
Ailsa