Q&A Our experts reveal all BEST-DRESSED BRIDES My dream is to have a made-to-order wedding dress and I especially love the pretty tea-length styles. What’s the process and cost? Meet the expert: Louise Allison is the owner of Louise Rose Couture based in Reading, offering made-to-order bridal and couture evening wear. Louise also offers sample gowns available to rent. Louise says: Having your wedding dress made for you is an exciting experience, it’s not often you have a professionally trained designer and seamstress at your fingertips! My first piece of advice before committing to a bespoke design is to make sure you have tried various silhouettes on to ensure you know what shape works best for you. Often, brides visit me with a very clear idea of what they want, but after trying on my sample dresses, ideas can evolve or even change completely. Once we have the overall style decided, we can look at the finer details such as fabric and finishes, for example, you might want to add longer sleeves or change the neckline. All designers work slightly differently, but after the initial consultation with me, you can expect to receive a sketch of your dress along with a quote and time frame. For a made-to-order gown, most designers will create a mock-up of your dress for fitting purposes before cutting into your bridal fabric. Expect to have four to five visits for the entire process. Costs can vary widely, but on average you could expect to pay between £1,250 and £2,500 depending on the fabric and level of detail. Louise Rose Couture | 07921 912 397 https://louiserosecouture.com www.facebook.com/LouiseRoseCouture www.instagram.com/louiserosecouture Images of Louise Rose Couture dresses courtesy of Alter Ego Photography Fashion & beauty EXPERT ADVICE 83
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA0NTE=