Pretty and Delicate Wedding Dress Details

Bride, Ella, let me capture pretty and delicate embroidery details on a white structured silk wedding dress.

Ella wanted subtle volume to the bridal skirt that was sleek and modern and the skirts were made is silk crepe, and had a small petticoat underneath to lift them out slightly. The petticoat was also easily removed for completely uninhibited dancing.

The bodice was to have a couture corset feel to it with a cup-style bust, but not to look like underwear.
The Bodice was created in Silk Shantung, which has a beautiful light-reflective quality to it, though a similar texture as the silk crepe of the skirts.

The neckline is my favourite part of the dress, the edge of the cups are softened with a delicately frilled Chantilly lace with an eyelash scalloped edge, which over-lapped the edge of the bust. This was over-laid with a matte metallic silver thread motifs and embroidered with vintage crystals and Swarovski pearls. As Ella’s maiden name sounds very similar to ‘Bee’s’, I searched for a cute honey bee brooch, but instead I came across some sweet little pale gold bee earrings which I fashioned into beads and attached one amongst the embroidery at the bust, nestling on a flower.

The silver embroidery was mirrored with similar embroidery at the waist and set upon a grosgrain ribbon.
Another of my favourite details, was the hi-lo lace peplum, which is really pretty and delicate, but gives a modern twist to the dress.
Ella was slightly undecided so I made it a removable feature for Ella to decide on the morning of the wedding, and ultimately decided to wear it.

I made a silk chiffon veil and hair accessories for Ella too, and used some silver lace motifs to decorate the comb. I made twists of pearls to be placed in Ella’s hair in a wreath design, and I used the second bee earring/bead to decorate one of the pearl clusters. I really liked the idea that the pearls were like little honey drops for the bees. I love to find reasons and meanings for the design choices that we make.

Photographs are by Wedding photographer Tom Arber