"A Dress With a Story"
Perhaps you have your mum’s wedding dress, your grandmother’s, or a vintage gown you’ve fallen in love with.
You’d love to wear her, but perhaps not quite as she is.
An heirloom wedding dress redesign can mean making a few thoughtful changes, completely reworking the original silhouette, or using treasured details to create something new.
Together, we can explore what’s possible and how to make her your own.
Perhaps you have your mum’s wedding dress, your grandmother’s, or a vintage gown you’ve fallen in love with.
You’d love to wear her, but perhaps not quite as she is.
An heirloom wedding dress redesign can mean making a few thoughtful alterations, giving the dress a different shape, or using treasured details to create something new.
Together, we can explore what’s possible and how to make her your own.
Thinking about redesigning an heirloom or vintage wedding dress? The first step is to get in touch and tell me a little about your dress and what you have in mind.
We’ll then arrange a complimentary 45-minute consultation at my studio near Somerton, Somerset. Please bring your dress along, together with any original photographs or inspiration pictures you’d like to share.
We’ll look at your dress together, talk through what you’d love to keep or change and explore what’s possible with her.
If you’d prefer a quick chat first, I also offer a complimentary 10-minute video call. Just send me a few photographs of your dress beforehand so I can have an initial look.
Lets Talk About
Your Dress
step ONE
heirloom redesign - where
to begin
After your consultation, we’ll have a better idea of what’s possible with your dress, which original details you’d like to keep and what you’d like to change.
Some redesigns are quite straightforward, while others need a little more thought and planning.
If you’re considering a bigger transformation, I can also create personalised sketches to help you picture how your dress could look. We’ll discuss this together, including any additional cost, before going ahead.
Once we’ve agreed on your ideas, I’ll put together an individual quotation for your redesign.
Exploring Possibilities
step two
from ideas to redesign
Once we’ve agreed on what you’d like to do and the cost involved, we’ll arrange your fittings. For bigger redesigns, I usually start around six months before your wedding.
As I work on your dress, you’ll be able to try her on at your fittings, see how she’s taking shape and make decisions together with me along the way.
Sometimes an idea looks a little different once we see the dress on you, and that’s all part of creating something that feels right.
If you decide you’d like to make bigger changes to what we’ve agreed, we’ll talk through any additional costs before going ahead.
Bringing your Dress To Life
step three
from design to reality
I’ve shared two real bridal stories on my journal, showing how original dresses can be reworked into something personal to the bride wearing them.
can I wear My Mum's Wedding Dress?
Can my heirloom or vintage wedding dress be redesigned?
Absolutely, and it doesn’t have to look anything like the original dress!
We might be able to change the neckline, sleeves or skirt, or take things much further and create something completely different.
It depends on the dress, her construction and the condition of the fabric. That’s why I like to see her in person before we decide what’s possible.
When should I book an heirloom wedding dress redesign?
It's worth getting in touch early in your wedding planning.
An heirloom redesign takes time to develop, from exploring what we can keep from the original dress to working through the new design together.
If you’d like to have a quick chat before booking your studio consultation, I also offer a complimentary 10-minute video call. Just send me a few photographs of your dress beforehand so I can have an initial look.
What if my vintage wedding dress is damaged or the fabric is fragile?
Older wedding dresses sometimes have staining, damage or fabric that’s become fragile over time.
That doesn’t necessarily mean we can’t work with her. We might be able to preserve the original lace, embroidery or other details and incorporate them into a new design, even if the original dress can’t be worn as she is.
I’ll need to examine the dress carefully before advising what’s possible. Sometimes specialist cleaning may also be needed.
Can I keep the original details from my family wedding dress?
Yes, and often those are the very details that make the dress so special.
It might be the original lace, embroidery, buttons or a particular part of the gown that you’d love to keep.
We can look at ways to incorporate these into your new design, even if we’re changing the shape of the dress completely.
It will depend on the condition of the original materials, but we’ll explore what’s possible together.
How much does an heirloom wedding dress redesign cost?
Every heirloom wedding dress is different, so all alterations and redesigns are individually priced.
Prices begin from £400 with the final cost depending on the work involved, the original construction and the changes you'd like to make.
Your initial studio consultation is complimentary. We’ll look at your dress together and discuss your ideas before I put together an individual quotation for the work involved.
Do I need to know exactly how I want my dress redesigned?
Not at all! You might have a clear idea of what you’d like, or you might simply know that you’d love to wear the dress but aren’t quite sure how.
We’ll look at her together, talk through the details you’d like to keep and explore different possibilities.
For more involved redesigns, we can also arrange personalised design sketches to help you visualise your ideas. These are optional and quoted separately.
What happens when my redesigned dress is finished?
Once all the work is complete, I’ll carefully press and steam your dress so she’s ready for collection.
At your collection appointment, you’ll try her on one last time before taking her home, so we can make sure everything fits and feels just right.
Can I bring someone with me to my consultation or fittings?
Of course! You’re very welcome to bring one guest with you.
My studio is a small, private space, so I keep appointments to just you and one guest, giving us plenty of room to look at your dress and work comfortably.
Do I have to keep the original silhouette of my wedding dress?
Not at all. You might love the original shape and simply want to change a few details, or you might have something completely different in mind.
Depending on the dress, we may be able to reshape the skirt, change the bodice or create an entirely new silhouette.
Sometimes that means creating a new foundation and incorporating lace or other details from the original dress. We’ll look at what’s possible once I’ve had a chance to examine her.
Can I have my heirloom wedding dress redesigned for another occasion?
Absolutely! You might want to wear a family wedding dress for your evening reception, a pre-wedding celebration or another special occasion.
Depending on the original dress, we could look at shortening her, changing the silhouette or creating a new design using some of her original details.
I’ll need to see the dress first so we can discuss what’s possible and whether the original fabrics are suitable for what you have in mind.
Have a question that is not answered here?
You’re always welcome to get in touch. Tell me a little about your dress, her history if you know it, and what you have in mind.
I’ll be happy to answer your questions and help you work out the next step.
