Designer: d’Italia // Photographer: @laurencampbell // Bride: Ashlee
Vintage wedding dresses are all about timeless elegance whilst keeping a sophisticated and modern feel. Think layers of stylish lace, a perfectly fitted bodice, pretty sweetheart necklines and truly romantic silhouettes. Put it all together and it’s a look that never dates.
Many brides nowadays are turning to their mothers and grandmothers for inspiration when it comes to designing a truly unique and classic bridal gown look. It’s becoming increasingly popular to wear a special gown that embodies the strength, wisdom and compassion from those women in your own family. It’s a beautiful thing to walk down the aisle in a dress that holds so much meaning and love. But where do you even start, if you’re thinking about adding a vintage and/or traditional twist to your unique bridal gown?
Designer: d’Italia
1. RESEARCH AND DESIGN
The key is to conduct research and focus your ideas on what you truly love. Start by exploring the different bridal gown designs through the decades. Look at the different shapes and silhouettes, the bridal fabrics and laces used and even the colour. Build a Pinterest board with all your inspirations and ideas of what you want YOUR wedding dress to look like. Consider the basic specifications first- e.g. whether you want a gown that is long or short, with a veil or without a veil, fitted or more flowy, off-the-shoulder or strapless or with long sleeves etc. When creating a bridal Pinterest board, just remember that the broader the ideas you look at, the more confused you will be when trying to narrow them down for your gown. Stay focus on what you truly love and what reflects your wedding and your personality. It’s also a good idea to consider whether the aesthetic of a vintage wedding dress will fit your venue and bridal theme. Having a look into florals, décor and colours can also be a great way to assist in designing the perfect bridal dress for your special day.
Designer: d’Italia // Photographer: @danbrannanphoto // Bride: @fieldingjessica
Instagram is a goldmine, both for making mood boards and finding vintage wedding dresses that fly a little under-the-radar. Screenshot your favourite looks and compile them into a document to later show your designer. Another great way to seek some vintage inspiration is to look at some real wedding blogs. Opting for a modern gown with a vintage twist is becoming increasingly popular so jump onto Polkadotbride, easyweddings, bride.com (just to name a few) to see how other couples add a classic and antique twist to their special day. If you can also get your hands on some older bridal magazines or blogs, you’ll be overflowing with incredibly gorgeous ideas. When designing a vintage gown, remember that a lace is often associated with that elegant and chic look. Consider a more traditional bridal lace such as a French Chantilly, Corded lace or French Guipure. Whether you’re after something soft and delicate or a heavy and bold statement feature, we have the perfect range of vintage laces for you to select from. Whilst most brides often put a lot of effort into the design of the front of their wedding gown, it’s important to also never neglect your back. Afterall, your guests will spend most of the Ceremony facing your back.
Designer: d’Italia // Photographer: @aleksandarjasonweddings // Bride: @terryhain
2.DECIDE YOUR BUDGET
Buying a wedding dress is unlike purchasing any pre-made garment off-the-rack. Whilst you may only wear this dress once in your lifetime, it will be on one of the most important and memorable days of your life. Because of its uniqueness and all the time that goes into designing and constructing a gown, it is quite likely that you will be spending quite a bit of money on your wedding gown. There are a few factors that will impact your wedding dress cost. Most notably, an extremely detailed wedding dress with lots of beading and layers of high-quality fabric (for example silk) will cost more than a simple and plain wedding dress. The more intricate and detailed the gown is, the more labour, time and material is required. So, a ball-gown with beading and detailed embroidery will cost far more than a simple sheath gown.
Designer: d’Italia // Photographer: @jeromecole // Bride: @mrssammyd
But don’t fear fellow brides, there are so many various bridal fabrics and laces on the market and in most cases, you can select an alternate and more affordable material to bring the cost of your custom wedding dress down. Along with this, a vintage gown doesn’t just mean big and puffy like a ball-gown. Consider something slightly subtler like an A-line dress to achieve that princess feeling without the heaviness and price-tag of a ball-gown. There are also so many ways to turn a fit and flare, column and sheath style gown into a stunning vintage and dated look. Your bridal designer will guide you with the endless options to bring your visions to life no matter what your budget is.
Designer: d’Italia
Be sure to also factor in your accessories, bridal undergarments, shoes, headpieces and more. These accessories will greatly affect how your gown looks and fits, so don’t forget to include them in your wedding dress costing. Accessories can also help determine what style neckline, dress shape and/or embellishments you should have for your gown. Before approaching a design professional, it’s always a great idea to have a set budget in mind. This will enable your designer or dressmaker to source and find the most suitable fabric options and design a custom gown that is realistic and affordable for you. A budget is also a good way to eliminate certain material options and narrow the range down to a small, yet more tailored selection for you. If you don’t want to exceed a certain price-point, discuss this with your designer when you first meet with them. And remember, to always stay true to your bridal vision and budget goals.
Designer: d’Italia
3.LET OUR DESIGNERS GET TO KNOW YOU!
At d’Italia, our Wedding Dress Designers would love to learn more about you, your likes, dislikes, things you are drawn to so that they can get a better idea of what you might like.
In fact, sharing those details about your wedding venue, theme, décor, florals, potential bridesmaid dress colours etc. can be very useful to our team. It can give us a great insight into who you are and will ultimately help us design the most perfect and beautiful custom gown just for you. This may mean, sending us pictures of other dresses you like or different parts of dresses that you like (e.g. the neckline, train length or type of beading).
Designer: d’Italia // Photographer: @laurencampbell // Bride: Ashlee
It can also be helpful to share the link or give your bridal designer access to your Pinterest board. And remember it doesn’t just have to be bridal dresses. It can be the location of your wedding, the architecture of your venue or any other beautiful images that you really feel drawn to. From this, our designers will use all of your inspirations to transform them into several gorgeous ideas that would be perfect for you to wear on your special day. D’Italia provides brides with the extra confidence that they are investing in a timeless and unique piece, that will stand the test of time. Our bespoke pieces appear as marvellous on the interior as they are on the exterior, using luxurious silks and other delicate and intricate textiles. Each of our wedding gowns are custom-made just for YOU! This means that no one else will have a gown like it.
Designer: d’Italia // Photographer: @_notnegative // Bride: @madz.bialecki
Whether you dream of regal lace or renaissance puff sleeves – we’ve got the dress for you.
ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT TAKING THAT LEAP AND WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE YOUR VERY OWN CUSTOM WEDDING DRESS? Contact us today, for your free in-store design consultation and over the phone styling advice service from our lovely team of designers who have been creating dream wedding dresses in Melbourne for the past 19 years!
