Real Bride: Jade’s Custom Made Black Wedding Dress
Who says a wedding dress has to be white? For the modern bride who dares to be different, a black wedding gown can be bold, sophisticated, and unapologetically her own.
Step Outside Tradition: The Black Wedding Dress
Most brides would likely envision some version of a beautiful white bridal gown as their dream wedding dress.
For some other brides, their dream gown is anything but a white gown. Whilst this may seem like a very bold move (which in essence it is), it is also not entirely uncommon in this modern time for brides to embrace their individuality and incorporate non-traditional elements into their wedding dress.
There are several benefits to consider (and purchase) a custom-made wedding gown;
- getting a special gown that is made just for you – to your specific requests and requirements
- not a common design that is released to all bridal stores
- being environmentally responsible
- right down to the fact that you just can’t get it at a traditional bridal boutique.
Everything about your dress can be customised to meet your own style and body type - from the design to the fabrics.
Let’s take a black wedding gown.
It’s not everyone’s cup of tea. BUT the brides that opt for such unconventional choices are not ones to want to conform to traditional looks.
Black wedding dresses are no longer a shocking choice – but rather, a choice that is uniquely stylish for the modern bride.
How It Started
We first met bride-to-be Jade in October 2021 at the Perth Wedding Expo, where she stopped by our stand and immediately took an interest in one of the wedding gowns we had on display—the “Lilura” gown.
Jade loved the style and asked whether it could be custom-made in black. Even at this early stage, she already had a clear vision of the unconventional wedding dress she wanted.
With her wedding not scheduled until March 2023, there was still plenty of time to plan, and we didn’t hear from Jade again until several months later. In late March 2022, she contacted us to enquire about having a black wedding dress custom-made, this time based on a style she had come across online.
The Inspiration
The original design was one that Jade discovered online while searching for her perfect black wedding dress. She immediately fell in love with the style and knew it was very close to what she had been envisioning.
Jade wanted her custom gown to closely follow the original design.
Photo credit: Internet photos provided by customer
The Design Details
Jade’s custom-made black wedding gown featured;
- Sleeveless style
- Illusion scoop neckline
- Sweetheart neckline
- 3D floral lace applique bodice flowing down to the skirt
- Voluminous A-line silhouette
- Low illusion V back
- Corset back closure
- Sweeping train
The Fabric
We presented Jade with several black lace options that would complement the design of her custom wedding dress.
After considering the different possibilities, she narrowed her choices down to either 3D lace appliqués or beaded lace. Ultimately, Jade fell in love with the dimensional beauty of the 3D floral lace appliqués. These were carefully incorporated throughout the bodice and delicately scattered across the A-line skirt, which was crafted from layers of soft black tulle to create a romantic yet dramatic effect.
Fabric selection: black lace appliqués
In Production Photos
Having created hundreds of custom-made wedding dresses, the transformation from an initial design concept to a finished gown is still incredibly exciting for us every time. There is something special about watching a bride’s ideas move from design notes and sketches to carefully selected fabrics, detailed construction and, ultimately, a beautifully finished wedding dress.
Before cutting into the final fabrics, we begin with a mock-up stage. This involves creating a preliminary version of the gown using the dress pattern to assess the overall silhouette, proportions and fit.
It allows us to make any necessary adjustments and, most importantly, allows the bride to see and experience the shape of her gown before we move on to constructing the final dress.
Once the mock-up was approved, we moved on to preparing the lace appliqués for the final gown. Each piece was carefully selected, arranged and prepared for placement across the designated areas of the dress, including the front bodice, back and cascading floral details flowing down the skirt. The placement was carefully considered to create a balanced and seamless look across the entire gown.
The Finished Production Photos
Straight from the dressmaking studio, Jade’s completed wedding gown made its way to our photography room, where we captured the finished creation and all the intricate details that had come together throughout the process.
Throughout production, we kept Jade involved by sending progress photos so she could follow the transformation of her design. Once the gown was completed, we sent her the final production photos for her approval. Jade was thrilled with the finished result and couldn’t wait to see her dream black wedding dress in person for the very first time at her fitting.
After months of planning and anticipation, her vision was finally a reality.
The Bride's First Fitting
At Jade’s first fitting, her wedding dress already fitted her relatively well, requiring only a few minor adjustments to achieve the precise fit she was looking for. These included:
- Shortening the shoulder straps
- Taking in all the sides of the bodice to create a more fitted, sculpted silhouette
- Shortening the hemline to the desired length
These are all common final alterations that many brides may require to ensure their wedding gown sits beautifully and comfortably on the body.
Our in-house tailors then worked their magic, using their expertise and skilled craftsmanship to refine these details and perfect the fit.
By Jade’s second fitting, the adjustments had transformed the gown into a beautifully fitted dress that complemented her figure exactly as she had envisioned.
The Bride's Big Day
The feeling of wearing a dress made...just for you. 
The bride getting ready to make a statement on her special day.
Smiles all around with the bride and her bridesmaids.
Stunning bride in all black.
The look of love...
What a gorgeous colour scheme!
The Bride's Feedback
If you're looking for a custom made wedding dress, Envious Bridal and Formal won't disappoint! I specifically wanted a black dress for my wedding; and the team at Envious Bridal and Formal made this possible. It was very difficult (if no impossible) to find a store in Australia at the time, that had black wedding gowns on the rack to try on. I searched other alternatives, and considered trying on a white dress I liked and getting this made in black; but I knew the turnaround for a custom dress was quite long and it was hard for me to visualize some of the white dresses in black without a reference photo. So instead, I found a black dress I liked online and Envious Bridal and Formal brought it to life for me. The processing time was lengthy; and ended up taking around 10 months to complete. So if you're considering a custom order, please allow enough time. The Envious Bridal team kept me updated throughout and answered any questions I had; they made the process as easy as possible for me and checked in with me at each stage of completion to make sure I was happy.
The only negative thing I will say (and this is probably my fault for not asking the right questions), but I did have my specific measurements taken for the dress so I did think at the time that getting a custom design made, also meant getting it custom sized to my body. But because I am between 2 sizes, they made it to the larger size so I did have to have alterations still which I didn't really budget for being it was custom made for me. But just something for others to consider when having a custom gown made - please ask if it will also be made to your size at the time; or if alterations will be extra even though it is a custom gown.
Otherwise a reasonably simple experience and I was very happy with the finished result! I got many comments from the wedding guests, everyone loved it!
Get In Touch
If you have a wedding dress in mind that you simply can’t find in a traditional bridal boutique, you don’t have to compromise. Whether your dream dress is black, coloured, unconventional, designer-inspired or completely your own creation, a custom-made gown gives you the freedom to create something that reflects who you are.
Get in touch with us to tell us about your dream wedding dress and discover how we can help bring your vision to life.