Wedding Gazette

The Custom Gown

By Amy-Jo Tatum

The bride is intimately involved in the design process of her own gown when she hires a private designer, and usually has an idea of at least one component she wants to incorporate that makes it unique and only hers. A neckline on something she found in a magazine; a sleeve on the dress she tried on in the salon combined with that sweep train spotted last week in a Film Noir - this is a custom gown.

Private designers are experts at helping you translate what you see in your imagination into reality. Some offer small sample collections as well as bolts of fabric in their studios to inspire you with your decisions.

Bridal salons and specialty stores sometimes employ custom designers and dressmakers. Bridal consultants or planners are an excellent source of referrals and usually know who's truly expert in the area by years of working with them. (Some planners are willing to work on a limited hourly basis or for a small referral fee with you on this.) Fashion or wedding department editors in regionals can be helpful if you reach them directly, or run across their editorials on bridal wear.

The paper or magazines sometimes cover one of these designers in depth, or they're listed in with others locally. Ask for back issues - most newspapers feature a spread on weddings twice a year. The Internet can work, too, if you link into your particular region. Here, some custom designers and a few dressmakers even have their collections on line. Finally, most are found by word of mouth and recommendations through friends. Often the same name will keep popping up in discussions. Follow it.

A private designer or skilled seamstress puts many hours and a high level of craftsmanship into the creation of a custom gown. Working with fragile, white fabric and lace is indeed an art form. Working one on one with you is also a specialty and a very important relationship. Figure any custom gown crafted by a designer usually takes four to six months to complete from a listing of your measurements. Since the design process involved with a custom gown is a more direct collaboration between you and the designer, you'll have more input with decisions regarding fabric, silhouette and style.

Although a custom made gown is usually more labor intensive because of the special requests requiring pattern making skills and workmanship, this doesn't mean custom gowns are a more expensive way to go. Some gowns simple in design and handling of materials could cost less than those ordered through the finer salons.

Steps in the design process might look something like this: During the initial consultation, specific questions are asked about the wedding and ceremony style as well as timeline. If you've brought in any photos or sketches these are discussed, sometimes with the designer running a few of her own ideas back to you. Choices and costs of materials, fabrics and a few other details are usually explored.

When a final sketch or idea is approved and fabrics and cost are determined, (usually in the form of a written estimate) measurements are taken. From your measurements, most designers work out a muslin - an actual cotton mock up and "living pattern" of the gown fitted exactly to your body. After the fitting, this is unstitched and laid out on the actual fabric and the gown is made up. Since most of the fitting is worked out on the muslin, second and third fittings usually follow up with finishing touches on the gown such as, hemline, closures, remaining design details, etc.

First thing you want to look for when visiting a designer or dressmaker would be looking over how well their samples are made? Don't worry about whether or not you know couture techniques here - just pull up a hem or look on the inside of a garment, and you'll know if a garment is cleanly made - as beautiful on the inside as out. If there are strings hanging and crooked seams, thank them for their time. If all looks good, carry on and ask if there's a portfolio or pictures of their work over the past year you can look at. See how other clients came across in their gowns on their wedding day. Finally, the rapport between you and your designer/dressmaker is important. This, too, you'll know when you meet. Does it seem like the designer can interpret your ideas? Are you speaking the same language even though you can't sew a stitch? Are they willing to listen to you?

You want your gown delivered at least a month before your wedding date. Synchronize your calendar, and stress how important this is. Then, you will be able to relax, and deal with all those other last minute details involved in your wedding.