Join us for Barbara Kavchok Trunk Show on January 6-14, 2024.
Book now!

What You Need to Know About Custom Wedding Gowns

Price Range: $2,500 To $15,000

To the bride who is looking for a specific gown but cannot find it anywhere- a custom gown may be just for you. If that is you, please read about the designing and creation process below. We recommend you start the custom gown process at least twelve to nine months in advance to your wedding.

Contact Us

What You Need to Know About Custom Wedding Gowns

Price Range: $2,500 To $15,000

To the bride who is looking for a specific gown but cannot find it anywhere- a custom gown may be just for you. If that is you, please read about the designing and creation process below. We recommend you start the custom gown process at least twelve to nine months in advance to your wedding.

Schedule Now

Custom Wedding Dresses

Looking for a wedding dress that’s as unique as you are?

Custom wedding gowns might just be the perfect fit for you. Whether you want to incorporate a special piece of clothing (such as your grandmother’s vintage lace handkerchief), or you have an unusual body type and can’t find the right style anywhere, making your own wedding dress is an excellent option.

Nowadays, more women are choosing to make their own personalized wedding dresses.

There are many different reasons why this may be a good idea. Perhaps you have a very specific style in mind and cannot find anything that comes close to it in any off-the-rack wedding gowns. Or perhaps it is simply because there is no pre-made gown that fits your exact measurements, so you will need to hire a sewist to get one made specifically for you.

Whatever your reason may be, read on to learn everything you need to know about custom wedding gowns.

How is a custom wedding gown made?

Most wedding gowns are made from silk, taffeta, or satin fabrics. But a lot of brides also like to incorporate their own fabrics into their dresses, especially if they have a sentimental attachment to them. You can also choose to make your wedding gown out of eco-friendly fabrics, such as hemp and bamboo.

When it comes to finding the suitable fabric and patterns, you can either purchase them online or visit a fabric store near you. Alternatively, you can also use an older piece of clothing that holds a special meaning to you and combine them with your chosen wedding dress.

Once you have found the fabric that best fits your style, you will need to have your measurements taken and make a mock-up dress to make sure it fits you the way you want it to. This part can be done by either creating a custom mock-up from scratch (by hand or sewing machine) or by purchasing and using a dressmaking software. Once everything is finalized, and you have found the perfect design that fits your style, you can proceed to have your dress professionally made by a tailor.

Why Are Custom Gowns So Expensive?

Custom wedding gowns are fabulous for many reasons. First, they are much more affordable than designer gowns, costing thousands of dollars. This is because if you get a custom wedding gown, you will only need to buy fabric and have it stitched; there’s no need to factor in the cost of designing and branding a dress, which can be expensive.

Custom gowns work great for women with unusual body types, such as those who are very tall or short or have larger busts or larger hips. This is because it’s almost impossible to find a ready-made dress that fits your measurements exactly, so you will have to either spend a lot of money on alterations or hire a sewist to tailor a ready-made dress to fit you properly.

Custom gowns are also suitable if you want to incorporate a sentimental piece of clothing into your dress. Perhaps you own a special piece of jewelry passed down from generation to generation or a laced handkerchief belonging to someone dear to you. Alternatively, you can also choose to use fabric that is special to you, such as a fabric that matches your partner’s tie or tie pin.

What to Consider When Finding a Tailor

When looking for a tailor, it’s crucial to find one who has experience making wedding gowns. Ideally, it would be best to look for a tailor who has made wedding dresses for other brides, so they know what adjustments you will need to make.

When choosing a tailor, make sure to consider their location and price. While it’s true that you get what you pay for, many skilled sewer charge very reasonable rates. You can find a list of recommended tailors in your area by searching for wedding dress sewing services on Google or Yelp. You can also ask your friends and family if they know of any good seamstresses in your area.

Customization Options for Wedding Gowns

There are many different types of wedding gowns that you can customize to your exact measurements. The most popular types of wedding gowns are:

Ball Gowns: Ball gowns are full-skirted gowns that are perfect for brides with an hourglass figure. These types of gowns may be the easiest to customize, as they often have a high waistline.

Sheath or Shift Dress: Sheath or shift dresses are perfect for brides with a long, lean figure. These types of gowns are very simple, often with a fitted bodice and a flared skirt.

Column or Mermaid Dress: These types of gowns are very similar to ball gowns, but they are fitted at the waist with a full skirt. They are perfect for brides with an hourglass figure.

A-line Dress: A-line gowns are perfect for brides with an apple or pear figure. They typically have a full skirt and a nipped in waistline.

Pros of Making Your Own Dress

If you decide to make your own wedding dress, there are many advantages that you can enjoy. First, you can choose to create the exact style and look you want without being restricted by any trends. You can incorporate sentimental pieces of clothing into your wedding gown or even make your wedding dress out of eco-friendly fabrics. You can also make as many alterations to your wedding gown as you need to create a perfect fit.

By making and styling your own wedding dress, you will also be able to wear it repeatedly, which is not something you can do with a made-to-measure or designer dress. You can wear your wedding dress to weddings, anniversaries, and other fancy events. You can also wear it on special occasions, like at your graduation or when you go to a special place.

Cons of Making Your Own Dress

Custom wedding gowns definitely have their advantages, but they also have their disadvantages. First, as with any handmade craft, there is a high chance that you will run into some issues. You may not have enough time to create a wedding dress from scratch or encounter unforeseen problems. If you use an old piece of clothing as your wedding dress, you may find it not durable enough to withstand many wearings and washes.

Custom wedding gowns may also be a bad idea if you don’t have the necessary skills or resources to create one. Suppose you don’t have enough time to make your dress or don’t know how to sew or knit, then you may be better off purchasing a ready-made wedding dress or hiring a tailor to customize an existing dress.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use any fabric?

Yes, you can use just about any fabric you want, including handmade fabrics. However, it is important to make sure that you have enough of that fabric to make your entire wedding gown.

How should I measure?

It is important that you take your time when measuring yourself for your custom wedding gown. To get the most accurate measurements, you will need someone to help you.

When Should I Start Looking for a Designer?

Ideally, you should start searching for a designer about a year before your wedding date. This will give you enough time to work with the designer to come up with a custom design and will also leave you plenty of time to make any necessary changes.

Final Words

Making your wedding dress is a truly special way to incorporate your personal style into your big day and create a one-of-a-kind gown that no one else will ever have. Custom wedding gowns are also fabulous if you have an unusual body type and cannot find a ready-made dress that fits you properly.

If you’re thinking about making your own wedding dress, you should start researching fabrics, measurements, and sewing techniques as soon as possible. Ideally, you should start preparations about a year before your wedding date, so you have plenty of time to complete your dress and make any changes when needed.

Let’s find your Perfect Wedding Gown!

Schedule your Appointment NOW.

We want to make sure we have time to be fully devoted to you, so before you come into the shop, give us a call to make an appointment.

Contact us to set up a private, one-on-one session and benefit from the entire Versailles Atelier experience.

Book Appointment
Hours
Tue to Fri 11 AM - 6 PM, Sat 10 AM - 5 PM

ALL ARE WELCOME, CELEBRATED + ACCEPTED.

chevron-down