So a lot has happened since part one!  I’m so happy to say that my dress is currently being made and I’ve already had one fitting last week (which prompted this post).

At the end of my last post I was waiting on sketches from a designer and was unsure of how my dress would materialize.  What I discovered during my time dress shopping is that if you want something a bit different but still “bridal” you looking at spending a crazy amount of money or making your own.  I chose the latter!  Luckily the designer, Jill Wilde from Wilde by Design, seemed to get me and really understood what I was looking for, which was a huge relief!  The minute I saw her proposed designs I knew this was the right way to go.  It meant I could have a dress that combined all the elements I loved and have a say in the finished look (who wants to compromise on their wedding dress?)

Jill actually works in a collaboration with Fashion Hothouse in Dublin, where our Second-Skin tops are produced, but I came across her while flicking through an issue of Confetti magazine.  When I saw that her designs are made in Fashion Hothouse I thought it was meant to be.  I don’t want to sound corny about it but I just had a good feeling and I’m the kind of person who strongly believes in going with your gut! Obviously having worked with them already and knowing the high standard of their work set me at ease.

After selecting my favorite design and talking it through with Jill, the next stage was selecting fabric, the fun bit!  Jill did all the hard work sourcing gorgeous fabrics that would work with the design and suit my taste.  Then I had to go up for a toile fitting.  I know many of you many not know what this is so just to explain briefly, a “toile” is basically a mock up of the dress using cheaper fabric, usually calico in order to test out the pattern and make adjustments to style, shape and fit.  Doing this in the actual fabric would be quite costly!  At this stage I could already see the silhouette of the dress and get an idea of how it was going to look and  feel.  We decided on things like train length, neckline and adjusted the fit to suit my shape.

Then last week I had my first proper fitting in the dress, which of course is still a work in progress at this stage.  It was so exciting to see it for the first time, to see all the elements coming together.  The most exciting part for me is being able to be part of the creative process as dress is being made.  Knowing that I work as a stylist, Jill is keen to have me involved in design decisions which is one of the great things about working with her.  So many people have asked me if I was going to make my own dress (I also design and make costumes for theatre) but I can’t tell you what a relief it is not to have that pressure on myself!  In fact it’s such a treat to have something unique made just for me!

Of course I can’t share any pictures until after the wedding, but I look forward to updating you on my progress and if you missed my first “Dress Hunt” post you can read it here.

Until next time…

Jessica