Stuart and I got married in Tasmania at Glen Albyn Estate on the 12th of February 2016 and I was lucky enough to be wearing one of the first bespoke gowns created by Style My Day. It was such a fabulous experience and this is how it came to be.
Three years ago I was sitting in a bar on Sydney road with my friend Annie (of Style My Day, before she had even started the label) and after a couple of glasses of champagne we started talking about my dream wedding dress. It was beginning to sound more perfect than I could ever have hoped for so I asked her if she would design this imaginary dress one day and she said of course. I can still remember calling my Mum from the tram moments after to tell her all about the conversation, buzzing from champagne and this exciting dream.
I was so happy when the day came that I could make Annie come good on her word. The only thing that had changed was the style I wanted. After Stuart and I got engaged, my sister surprised me by revealing that she had been saving my great Aunt’s wedding veil for me. I was so overwhelmed by the veil and knew immediately that my dress would need to be designed around this beautiful family heirloom.
We started designing straight away. Annie came up with five different looks for me from based on our chats and a mood board on Pinterest that we both made together. Of course I liked something from each dress but without hesitation Annie went back to the drawing board and created my dream dress that had ‘the something special’ from each look that I loved. In order for me to have so many elements included Annie made some of them detachable (such as the train and bolero which enabled my look to change from ceremony to reception). Annie then started searching for fabric and found a lace that honestly looked like it was designed for my veil.
From there I met with Annie’s pattern maker for a toile fitting who in turn then provided measurements (and the pattern) to the seamstress . At the toile fitting I remember the Style My Day girls saying to me over and over, “don’t freak out about how this looks, this isn’t your dress it just gives us an idea of how much fabric we will need and where things sit”, but I had quite the opposite reaction. This was my dress in its rawest form and in this step I got to see these amazing women who have been in this business for years creating magic right in front of my eyes – making little adjustments here and there so the dress would fit/sit on my body perfectly. You really get an overwhelming sense of this dress is being designed just for you and it doesn’t exist anywhere else – it’s all mine!
The next exciting step didn’t come until closer to the big day – the dress fitting. We met at the seamstress’ house and of course I bought my Mum and bridesmaids. The dress wasn’t finished yet and the seams were on the outside still but it was the first time that you could see all the elements really take shape. Once again it was an opportunity for modifications and adjustments to be made in order to achieve the perfect polished look and fit. When I put the dress on for the first time Mum cried, it was a really lovely moment. I could feel all the love, time and energy that all the beautiful Style My Day ladies had put into my dress.
Two weeks later I picked up my dress, it was all done and I couldn’t of been more in love. Style My Day were such a delight to work with. I felt like the communication was always easy, open and honest and that the girls were just as excited about making my dress as I was about its very existence. By the end of the process I felt like they were family and that they always bought positive vibes to our consultations.
Images by I Got You Babe Weddings
Ms Chinoiserie Says: Such a beautiful story Bridget about your ‘perfect’ wedding dress – dreams really do come true!
Your wedding dress is just gorgeous, so beautiful and classic and the lace bolero is perfect.