Alice had something very specific in mind, a collared cocktail dress that would stand out against the wash of full length gowns and in the emerald green, would make an impact.
Well, it worked and I was so happy when the photos came through. We chose our favourite emerald green silk and trimmed the dress with a beaded pearl trim cut from a vintage scarf I had been hoarding away.
This was a fabulous start to the year and such a gorgeous dress with Alice looking show stopping in her bespoke number.
Photography by wild about weddings and supertography.
Alice is a writer for wedding ideas magazine and is far better a putting the whole experience into words, she's certainly not just a pretty face!
"Wedding Ideas’ Alice designed and bought her dream bespoke dress, and so can you…
Before I get started: Bespoke; the simple definition = custom made. (Don’t worry if you didn’t already know that – neither did I before I started working for Wedding Ideas!)
Every bride-to-be wants to look truly unique on her big day and sometimes this may mean wearing an alternative to a shop bought gown. Alexandra King is an independent label, run by the lady herself from her adorable studio in Somerset. Alexandra, along with her partner Anna Vickery, creates heavenly bespoke dresses, inspired by the vintage era and they specialise in bridal and womenswear.
I first contacted Alexandra because I wanted something really personal and individual to wear to our Wedding Ideas awards ceremony. With a few ideas in mind I emailed Alexandra explaining my taste and style, along with photos of dress ideas that I really liked. She quickly replied and said she would love to work with me on my designs (cue lots of excitable squeaking from me!). I then went to visit her in her studio to discuss my dress, take a look at her drawings and pick out the fabrics I wanted. (I went for an emerald green taffeta, with a vintage beaded lace for the cuffs and collar). Alexandra also measured me at our first meeting. Dress design agreed on and deposit paid, all I had to do was wait for my lovely little dress to be made. It really was as simple as that!
A few weeks later an email drops into my inbox – a photo of my gorgeous green dress, just as I imagined. In fact, even more beautiful than I imagined! Alexandra invited me back to her studio for a fitting and to make sure I was 100% happy with the look and feel.
Me and Alexandra at her studio I put the dress on, I danced, I twirled, I jumped about – and having pulled a few shapes in front of the mirror, we all decided perhaps the sleeves were a bit tight. It wasn’t a problem at all. Alexandra wants all her brides to be 110% happy with their big-day gowns, and is willing to make all the changes needed until they are fully satisfied. My new sleeves were added the very next day and just a day later the dress arrived by special delivery to my front door.
Having designed and bought my dream, bespoke gown, I can hand-on-heart say it was a wonderful and rewarding experience. It was a simple, fuss-free purchase that allowed me to have exactly what I wanted, and I would certainly recommend it. For brides to be struggling to find ‘the one’, buying bespoke may just be the answer. Alexandra has an extensive bridal wear collection that can be tailored to suit individual needs, all of which are made up to your personal measurements. She can also make delightful designs for your bridesmaids, too. Alexandra is an extremely talented dress maker, (and lovely, kind and funny to boot) and she may just be the answer to your wedding dress dreams. Also, I’d like to add – bespoke does not automatically mean more expensive, Alexandra’s prices are incredibly affordable for brides, go check it out for yourself if you don’t believe me!
Whether or not you decide to ‘go bespoke’ – I would like to wish you the best of luck for finding ‘the one’ and please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below, I love hearing from you.
Love Alice x"