In the middle of 2015 my sister called me to announce her engagement to the love of her life and screamed "and you have to make my dress!!!"

From that fall right up until the weekend before her wedding in March 2016 I worked on one of my most exciting and challenging projects to date.

The photos below show the custom made wedding dress, veil, and hairpiece I designed and made for my sisters special day.

The gown is a romantic A-line silhouette that features a floral embellished mesh fabric that I meticulously deconstructed and appliquéd onto a corseted bodice.  The appliqué extends beyond the sweetheart neckline and cascades down into an abundance of silk organza that makes up the skirt. Each ruffle in the skirt was bias cut, layered, pleated, and appliquéd on to a drapey circular base before the edges were hand trimmed to achieve a feathery texture. This allowed the dress to really flow in the wind while my sister danced the night away.

The veil and hairpiece were constructed using the luxurious technique of tambour beading. This is an intricate craft in and of itself which I had the pleasure of completing 40 hours of training in under the instruction of the very talented Robert Haven. Using a combination of the embellished mesh from the bodice, subtle organza cuttings, and some custom beaded shapes I created a statement hairpiece. The veil also uses embellished fabric from the bodice combined with delicate beads and pearls to create a contemporary shape that laid over my sisters shoulders giving the neckline a contemporary twist.