Custom Design: LEMONDROP

I had a fabulous time designing & creating this whole Custom Ensemble for a very special Bride, Lemondrop T.  She is a modern sophisticated Bride with a cute playful nature.  

Lemon was drawn to ball-gown dresses but didn't want to get lost in the fullness of it.  The secret to fitting a petite Bride is to make sure the dress & the details are proportional to her size.  Lemon's custom dress was designed to convey her unique sense of style and proportion played an important role in the design. 

The Details

Her gown is made of a sheer Dotted Chiffon fabric layered over luxurious Silk Satin.  The navy sash is made of Silk Shantung in one of her theme colors.  The neckline is a subtle sweetheart to draw attention to her adorable face & cute smile.  I added pockets to hide her tissues & touchup lipstick.  

Here are some other custom accessories designed uniquely for Lemondrop.  

Sunflower Fascinator & Birdcage veil accented with a 

beautiful floral rhinestone brooch & a soft yellow feather.  

This will be worn for the reception.  

For the ceremony, I made a single layer elbow length veil.

 Custom Wedding Garment Bag.  

I wanted something feminine & playful so I added the ruffles. 

It was also made in one of her theme colors & her name was embroidered onto the bag.  

Custom Fascinator/Birdcage Veil Box.

I used the same polka dot fabric as her gown to cover the box and 

accented it with her themed Sunflowers.  

The Garment bag or the Veil box would make a beautiful Bridal Shower gift.  If you are interested in putting in a custom order, feel free to email me at ann@youtiquebridal.com.

Thank you for visiting!

Pocket Wedding Dress: A Special Sweet Drama

{A sneak peak from the YOUtique Bridal Studio : A Custom gown with pockets for a modern sophisticated summer Bride, LMT.  I can't wait until this gown is complete & see it all come together.}


I adore pockets.  They are a hip & chic way to make a wedding gown functional.  It can store tissues for those tearful moments or even hide your lipgloss for that quick touch-up.  On most Wedding gowns that have them, they are discreet when your hands are not in them so no worries about taking away the elegance from the dress.  


And if you are shy, it gives you something to do with your hands when you are not carrying your bouquet.  What a special sweet drama!  

Here are some great inspirational Wedding gowns with pockets:

1. Alvena Valenta Style 9008
2. Paloma Blanca style 4004
3. Rosa Clara
4. Priscilla of Boston Style 4509

What is a Muslin Fitting in the Custom Design Process?

A Custom or Couture Design Gown usually starts with a personal design consultation.   The beauty of custom is that fit adjustments and design changes can be made along the way.  After deciding on the the details & silhouette of the wedding dress, the First fitting will entail the Muslin fitting shell (the cotton woven fabric).  The Muslin fitting gives the bride an initial glance of the entire design.  With the Muslin, the designer will check seams, fit and ease.  The designer will also balance the design and judge the garment from all angles when the bride is standing, sitting and walking.


When perfected, the Muslin is used as the pattern for the choice of luxurious fabric.  Once sampled in the final fabric, minor fit adjustments are the norm as muslin does not have the same characteristics as the final fabric.   During this time, our guest can view placement of desired embellishments (lace, appliqué, beading or other trim) and make judgment positioning. 

On average, there are 3 to 4 fittings.  Additional fittings may be needed to perfect the final gown depending on the complexity of the style. 

Things to consider

*Timing: 6months to 1 year for custom &/or couture

*Ample time to review & select fabrics

*Availability of fabrics & embellishments

*Components of the dress may need to be sent out (such as bodice for hand beading or custom embroidery)

*Some gowns require special treatments (such as machine pleating, which is usually done off-site)

When your wedding day arrives and you walk down the aisle in a dress that reflects your YOUnique personality, that flatters your features, is comfortable and fits you to a tee, the value of the custom made dress will be apparent. 

Custom Design: 80th Birthday Formal Gown

It was a lot of fun to custom design a formal Birthday gown for a lady turning 80 years young. I was not only working with Mrs. Kalu but had the opportunity to work with her family as well. They really knew how to have fun, laugh, & were just full of zeal. At one point, they were dancing in my studio to test out the dress! I hope to have her spirit & energy at 80.