Dress woes

Yes, i think that could work, be a lot cheaper to take that and have it customised than start from scratch.. go and try it on!

Could you not look for a better dressmaker first? I.e. one who 'gets' your taste and will maybe go fabric shopping with you? I think it's really important to meet with them face to face. I met 3 before finding 'the one' (dressmaker that is).

Even if you have to travel a little way, it will be worth it. Especially as (no offence to BHS brides) but their dresses are hardly top of the range, and considering your first dress was £10k, I don't think you will meet that level of quality with BHS. But you may well do so with a bespoke design from a talented dressmaker.

I think it would look lovely! You'll be pleased as you'll be getting exactly what you want and also can always live with the fact that no-one else in the WORLD would ever have the same dress as you! ?

If you find a seamstress, perhaps you could ask to go fabric shopping with them to their warehouse/supplier and pick out the exact fabric you want?

Good luck!!

x

Oh yes I should have added, I'm having my dress made and am going fabric shopping with her to choose exactly what I want (this saturday actually!)

The Debenhams dress looks lovely

Have you considered getting a lace bolero or top to wear over the dress? It would have the same effect, but be cheaper & possibly easier to arrange?

x

Lace bolero wouldn't work, as I have NEVER come across this kind of multi-coloured embroidered lace before. I'm going to try to get the proper fabric made. It might be that it gets made into a detachable overlay, but I'll figure that out with a dressmaker.

It's a good point to have a dressmaker I can go fabric shopping with. I'm not sure I mind the cheap quality of the BHS dress, though... I'd basically be treating their 100% polyester satin as the lining to go under the organza and lace, which I would make sure are top shelf. Also, I'd have the belt removed and do either satin or velvet sash in a complementary colour (maybe sage instead of the burgundy).

I'll keep looking for dressmakers- I just thought she was so nice and she did send me samples free of charge. You're right, though. I need to have someone who understands exactly what I want, and knows how brides can be about their choices!

Is it definitely lace? It look more like a sheer chiffon, with lace appliques hand stitched, then hand beaded? That may be far easier as you can get lace appliques in whatever colour thread you set the machine up with to embroider them. Then add beads by hand, and finally place and sew appliques onto the chiffon/tulle neck and sleeves.

My dress maker said it's really hard to buy beaded lace, and almost allof it is hand stitched on afterwards. [View:http://i.tfcdn.com/img2/ocorW0kAY7K8eJwluSgxrSS-uLSgICcztZgho6SkwEpfPzM33UAvtaS4srgksSQzWS85P1c_Myc-

I know these aren't right but it was just a quick google.

Have you spoken to the first dressmaker since she sent you the samples? If you tell her that you like everything, but the lace isn't quite what you had in mind, she may be able to send you other samples or even go shopping with you?

Don't worry about offending her - it's YOUR dress, and if she doesn't like your critisiscm then she isn't right for the job anyway ?

Some of those appliques are lovely, but I've seen the dress, and it's embroidery on silk tulle, then hand-beaded. I'd be fine without the beading, tbh. It didn't look like it was just appliqued put onto the tulle, I think it was just embroidered straight onto it. so, it's not a traditional lace, which is why I've been having so much trouble finding something similar.

Where did you find those appliques? They might be a good back up to have!

I would imagine on a dress the cost of your first inspiration the fabric was probably made to order for th designer.... so your approach of trying to get it made yourself is possibly the best way forward. I was looking for some embroidered tulle for a wrap (just went with plain tulle in the end) but while there is quite alot out there I think you are going to be (rightly) fussy over it beung just so - so having it made is probably easier!

Venart - I just googled 'sage lace applique' 'pink lace applique' and 'rose lace applique' and picked those pictures from google images.

Etsy and eBay are good for those type of things.

I'm having a lace jacket made to look something like this for over my dress, it will button up the back so the front is seamless. I'm having it in a more golden/ivory colour so probably similar to what you're looking for but it's hard to see from your photo. The shop where I bought my dress are ordering it in for me so I can't help with suppliers but I think they said it was corded lace if that's any help.

It was the lace top with my dress that I fell in love with so I can know how you feel wanting it to be perfect, I didn't wan to just buy a lace bolero off the shelf if the colour wasn't right. I'm sure you will be able to find something since you still have plenty of time, it will be worth the effort, good luck!

It is a little hard to see from that picture, how this?

It's not quite as delicate as the lace on your bolero, and it's perfectly fitted over the bodice. I'd want it to button up the back as well.

Wow the colours are beautiful! Very unusual but still quite a classic look.

Maybe getting something stitched up would be your best bet as you'd have 100% control of the colours and distribution of the lace.

I'm damn well going to try! I'm going to be gutted if it doesn't work out. Sometimes I wish I'd never seen the dress in the first place!

Wow that is a tough on to find! The closest I have found that can be customised to a specific colour is this one. That neckline is called a 'sabrina' neckline

Ooh it didn't show up for some reason. Heres the link

http://www.weddingdressesmart.com/wedding-dresses/5997-tulle-softly-curved-neckline-lace-appliqued-illusion-overlay-with-sabrina-neckline-and-sleeves-with-beaded-waistline-with-bow-back-and-draped-skirt-with-lace-applique-accents-chapel-train-2012-new-arrival-ball-gown-wedding-dress.html

Ooh it didn't show up for some reason. Heres the link

http://www.weddingdressesmart.com/wedding-dresses/5997-tulle-softly-curved-neckline-lace-appliqued-illusion-overlay-with-sabrina-neckline-and-sleeves-with-beaded-waistline-with-bow-back-and-draped-skirt-with-lace-applique-accents-chapel-train-2012-new-arrival-ball-gown-wedding-dress.html

It is a really tricky one and that dress does look amazing!I did find http://www.bridallace.com/display/displayitems8.asp?catid=534 if you look at X357 Or http://tinyurl.com/7uud3vw / http://tinyurl.com/7s3pnaz but they only look thin.

Just exchanged a couple more emails with my friend's mom, she has agreed to embroider any pattern I want onto silk tulle. All I have to do is have the seamstress Mock up a pattern for the overlay and plot out where on the pattern the embroidery should be, and I'll get to pick the colours for each little bit and she's only going to charge for materials and shipping.

Now I think I should be looking around locally to find a seamstress I like more who can make it for me. I'm a little disillusioned with the first one. She came back to me and told me that it was supposed to have sequins, and she hadn't realised that it had been the thread that was coloured!

Oi!

Kadence, that's very pretty! Unfortunately it really is the colour I'm after. MrsG2B same. I'm just going to get the material made to my exact specifications, and since the embroiderer is a friend I know exactly how awesome she is!

I'll totally update when I have something to to show!

I too am having my dress made (by me) and have gone to an aisain fabric shop for my lace, they have a great range and the most amazing trimings. Try your nearest sari shop too. Hope this helps. I think your dress will look lovely.