Today we are sharing beautiful Ruth’s dress making process with you all! If you saw our amazing real wedding at the weekend you will know that Ruth is married to Andrea’s brother Neil. It’s safe to say this was an extremely special journey for the AH team to experience. Andrea talks all about the dress […]
Today we are sharing beautiful Ruth’s dress making process with you all! If you saw our amazing real wedding at the weekend you will know that Ruth is married to Andrea’s brother Neil. It’s safe to say this was an extremely special journey for the AH team to experience. Andrea talks all about the dress and working closely with her sister-in-law Ruth….
Photos by Michelle Wood Photography
How it Started…
The minute my brother asked Ruth to marry him, I was beyond excited for them both. Then when Ruth came to me and said, “I’d love you to make my wedding dress “ well it just went up a level of excitement!
There is always something so special about making a wedding dress for someone who is connected to you. However, it was an absolute honour to be able to make a dress for the person my brother was to marry.
Ruth came to us pre pandemic as they got engaged in December 2019. They planned to marry the following September. Plans changed and the date was moved to September 22. Ruth still loved the Clarice style dress but wanted to consider some bespoke changes.
“How special to have my future sister in law design my dress and then be there on the day to help me into it and see me walk down the aisle. I always had my eye on Clarice – even before Neil proposed! I loved being able to tweak every element to make it perfect for me.”
Ruths Dress Concept
Ruth loved the Clarice silk dress, so we made this in a heavy weight silk satin and incorporated the Ines ‘double spaghetti strap’ detail as she planned to wear it on its own so wanted it to feel more luxurious. We made this without a train. The Clarice overdress was made with a slightly raised front neckline and fuller a line skirt with a long dramatic train. The aisle at the venue was long and so I wanted to ensure the train reflected this.
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The Toile Fittings
To ensure all of these changes were perfectly created we worked on a made to measure basis with Ruth. This meant that Ruth’s dress would be made to her exact body measurements but also allowed us to check the adaptions with Ruth at a toile fitting prior to making in silk fabrics. This is a crucial step in the process for any bride who wants to make amendments to their dress such as raising a neckline or changing the back.
As you can see in this toile photo, we raised the neckline to sit at a comfortable spot for Ruth meaning she could be 100% confident with the decision before moving forwards.
It was also important to toile the top layer of Ruth’s dress so that we could align the neckline, look at shaping and the length of the train. Here you can see it all taking shape with our fitter and pattern cutter, Laurie.
Silk Fittings & Pearl Details
The custom beading on the dress was done over a few fittings, working out the perfect amount and placement of small glass beads and pearls. We achieved this once Ruth’s dress was made in silk and we could finalise exactly where the pearls should sit, making sure they felt organic and natural.
“Effortless – that’s how I would describe my journey with the AH team. Everyone I worked with to create the dress exuded care and expertise. Being based in the same beautiful shop and studio makes a big difference too, I just felt 100% confident that my vision would come to life without fail.”
On the Day
On the day, I was so happy to help Ruth get ready, this was a really special moment for me. The tissues were definitely out!
Walking down the aisle, Ruth looked incredibly elegant, utterly feminine and the dress just emphasised her natural beauty. I was so proud of what we had created for her.
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In the evening Ruth removed the overdress to reveal the slip dress with a beautiful Luna beaded belt which tied in perfectly with the whole look.
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My dress was a joy to wear and I hope I have some reason to get it out again during my lifetime. It’s timeless luxury so maybe it will become a Hawkes family heirloom.
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