We design and make bridesmaid and flower girl dresses in our Dulwich Hill atelier, usually alongside the bride’s own gown, so colour, fabric and detail tie together. Each dress is cut to the girl wearing it. If your bridal party is large, scattered across the country or on a tight budget, a ready-made bridesmaid label may suit better, and we explain why below.
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Why design the bridal party with the gown?
When one designer holds the whole picture, the bridesmaids look like part of the bride’s story rather than an afterthought. Catherine can carry a lace, a fabric or a detail from the bride’s gown into the bridesmaids’ dresses, and choose a different shape for each girl so everyone feels good in what she wears.
- Fit for every body. Each dress is made to the girl’s own measurements, which matters when your bridesmaids are very different shapes and sizes.
- One look, different dresses. The same fabric in different necklines, or the same shape in different shades.
- Detail that echoes the gown. A lace, a bow, a peplum or a colour picked up from the bride’s gown.
What have real bridal parties looked like?
These are all weddings where Catherine designed the bridal party as well as the bride’s gown.
| Wedding | Bridal party | How it tied together |
|---|---|---|
| Jamie | Three bridesmaids, flower girl, mother of the bride | Fitted bodices and pencil skirts covered in nude 3D floral lace cascading over an organza peplum, beside Jamie’s Italian lace gown |
| Lia | Three bridesmaids, both mothers | Duchess silk satin in a different pastel for each girl, with hand-made Venetian masks with feathers carried instead of flowers |
| Alexandra | Five bridesmaids, one flower girl, mother of the bride | The entire bridal party made in the atelier |
| Taharna | Five bridesmaids, five flower girls, both mothers | The whole party designed in one long appointment over coffee and croissants |
| Lauren | Bridesmaids, mother of the bride | Described on her story as a cohesive bridal party |
In Jamie’s words: “Catherine not only created my dream wedding dress but made the whole experience so magical.”
What about flower girls?
Flower girl dresses are often a small version of the bride’s look: the same lace on the bodice, a tulle skirt, or a sash in the bridesmaids’ colour. For Samantha’s wedding we made the flower girl dresses and her mother’s gown alongside her A-line tulle gown.
A few practical points for little ones:
- Comfort first. Soft linings and no scratchy seams against the skin. A child who is comfortable will make it down the aisle.
- Length. Ankle length is safer than floor length for walking and running.
- Timing. Children grow quickly, so it makes sense to keep the final fitting close to the wedding.
- Easy fastenings. Parents will thank you on the day.
How does it work for a group?
- The bride’s consultation. We start with the bride’s gown and the look of the wedding, then sketch ideas for the bridal party.
- Fabric and colour. Chosen together, so everything works as one.
- Measurements and fittings. Each bridesmaid comes to the atelier for her fittings.
- Finishing. Everyone’s dresses are finished together before the wedding.
Each dress is quoted individually. Talk to us early about who is paying, the bride or each bridesmaid, so everyone knows before the design is settled.
When is ready-made the better choice?
Made bridesmaid dresses are a lovely gift, but they are not always the right call. A ready-made bridesmaid label is likely to suit you better if:
- your bridesmaids live interstate or overseas and cannot come to Sydney for fittings;
- each bridesmaid is paying for her own dress and the budget is tight;
- you have a very large party and want them all in the same style;
- the wedding is only weeks away.
In those cases, we are still happy to design your own gown so it sits well beside whatever the bridesmaids wear. For more on the bride’s gown, see custom made wedding dresses in Sydney, and for the mothers, mother of the bride dresses. When you are ready, book a consultation.
