By Lainee Hermsen

Designing your bridal gown needn't be a daunting process. I offer a free consultation on your first visit to sit down with you and discuss your dress ideas as well as possible colours and fabrics.

Once you book your first free consultation, bring along your wedding dress scrapbook with drawings or photos and any other ideas you may have. Feel free to bring along your mum or best friend with you while we discuss your wedding dress.

During this we can discuss the theme of your wedding, your individual style, find the best colours to suit you and choose fabrics you like. We then come up with some general concepts for your bridal gown. After the first consultation, I can work towards refining your design down to one or two designs for a quote to be provided. I then order fabrics and book future fittings with you, then dressmaking begins!

Most wedding dresses take a process of 4 to 8 fittings and is done in stages from fitted bodice (built in boned bodice) to final outer layers of draping, beading, lace and buttons etc. This process helps ensures you are happy with the shape as the dress is made. A final fitting is usually done closer to the wedding (roughly 2 weeks prior) for zip placement - to again help ensure a perfect fit. Normally a basic dress is all ready to go a few months prior, apart from the fitting of the zip.

To give an indication of time, it is ideal that we start 6 months prior to your wedding day, with 3 months the preferred minimum. Exceptions are made for any urgent work and I am happy to discuss any of your requirements.