Real Bride Sharna: Her Custom Black & White Wedding Dress
For Sharna, a traditional white wedding dress was never part of the vision. She had always imagined something different: an ivory gown with striking black lace, romantic details and a silhouette that felt unmistakably her own.
When Sharna first visited Envious Bridal in Perth, she arrived full of enthusiasm and ideas. Accompanied by her partner, she was excited to explore how a design she had imagined for years could become a custom wedding dress created around her personal style.
Her gown would bring together delicate black lace, soft ivory fabric and carefully chosen design details to create something elegant, distinctive and deeply personal.
A Wedding Dress Vision Years in the Making
Sharna knew exactly how she wanted her wedding dress to feel. Black had always been her signature colour, and she wanted to incorporate it into her bridal look rather than follow a more traditional all-white design.
As she explained during her initial enquiry:
“My dream has always been to have a black lace/ivory wedding dress. My colour has always been black, and I would love to have a dress on my wedding day that represents me.”
Rather than spend months searching bridal boutiques for a design that might not exist in the combination she wanted, Sharna gathered inspiration photographs and approached us about having her wedding dress custom-made.
During her consultation, we discussed the gown's silhouette, neckline, sleeves, fabrics and lace placement. It was an opportunity to explore not only the look she loved, but also the individual details that would make the design her own.
From Inspiration to a Personalised Black & White Wedding Dress
Sharna's starting point was an ivory wedding gown featuring contrasting black lace. She loved its romantic appearance, but wanted to make several changes to better suit her preferences.
Her brief was wonderfully specific:
“I like gown-style dresses that flow nicely but are not too puffy. I am after a V-neckline, long-sleeved dress, with a lace top and flowy bottom. I would love for the dress to have the lace pattern following all the way down the dress. I am open to the lace being any pattern if it can be black.”
The black and white wedding dress inspiration that helped shape Sharna's custom design.
Together, we developed a gown that retained the romantic contrast she loved while introducing several personalised features.
The Details That Made Sharna's Gown Her Own
Long illusion sleeves with black lace appliqués
Sharna chose long, sheer illusion sleeves decorated with black lace. The appliqués created contrast against the skin while carrying the lace detailing beyond the bodice.
A plunging V-neckline: Instead of the sweetheart neckline shown in her inspiration gown, Sharna selected a plunging V-neckline for a more defined, contemporary look.
A seamless waistline: Removing the original waistband allowed the lace detailing and silhouette to flow more naturally from the bodice into the skirt.
A floor-length hem without a train: Sharna preferred a flowing gown without an extended train. This kept the design elegant while reflecting her preference for comfort and freedom of movement.
An adjustable corset back: A corset-style lace-up back replaced the original zip fastening, introducing another romantic detail while allowing the fit to be adjusted.
Each decision helped transform the inspiration into a design that reflected Sharna's own taste.
Selecting the Black Lace and Ivory Fabrics
One of the most distinctive elements of Sharna's gown was its black lace detailing.
During the design process, we presented different lace appliqués and trims for her consideration, discussing how their patterns, scale and placement would work against the ivory fabric.
Sharna was particularly drawn to a lace trim originally produced in white. To achieve the contrast she wanted, the trim was custom-dyed black.
The original white lace which was dyed black for the lace appliques of Sharna's gown.
This fabric decision was central to the finished design. Rather than settling for the lace colours already available, we explored an alternative that brought the details closer to her original vision.
Bringing Sharna's Custom Wedding Dress to Life
Once the design and fabric selections were confirmed, the gown moved into production.
The process involved reviewing the silhouette, construction and placement of the lace before the final details were completed.
An initial mock-up helped establish the overall proportions and structure of the gown. This stage allowed the design to be assessed before progressing further with the selected fabrics.
The initial mock up stage.
Reviewing the Lace Placement
Because the black lace was such a prominent feature, its placement needed particular attention.
We explored how the appliqués would appear against different underlying fabrics, including black and ivory tulle, to assess the contrast and overall effect.
Exploring how the black lace appliqués appeared against contrasting tulle colours.
As production progressed, our dressmakers arranged the appliqués across the bodice and other selected areas of the gown.
Before the lace was permanently attached, we shared progress photographs with Sharna so she could review the arrangement and approve the placement.
Lace placement and gown construction progress photographs.
Sharna's black lace appliqués being positioned during the production process.
For a design where colour contrast and lace placement play such an important role, these progress updates helped ensure that the details were developed in line with her preferences.
The Finished Black & White Wedding Dress
After the planning, fabric selection and production stages, Sharna's custom gown was complete.
The finished dress brought together the elements she had imagined from the beginning: an ivory base, intricate black lace detailing, sheer long sleeves and a plunging V-neckline.
The flowing skirt offered movement without excessive volume, while the floor-length hem and corset back completed the personalised design.
Sharna's completed custom black-and-white wedding dress.
Seeing the completed production photographs was an exciting milestone. Sharna was delighted with how the design had come together, particularly the contrast between the black lace and ivory fabric.
For us, her gown was a memorable example of how a clear personal vision can guide the creation of something very different from a conventional bridal design.
A Wedding Dress That Celebrated Individuality
What made Sharna's gown special was not simply its unusual colour combination.
It was the confidence with which she approached the design. She knew the colours she loved, the silhouette she wanted and the details that mattered to her.
From choosing black lace for an ivory gown to changing the neckline, removing the waistband, and selecting a corset back, she considered each element part of her personal vision.
Sharna's dress is a reminder that a wedding gown does not have to follow tradition to feel bridal. It can be romantic, elegant and expressive while remaining entirely individual.
Thinking About a Custom Black or Coloured Wedding Dress?
If you've found inspiration for a wedding dress but would love to change the colour, neckline, sleeves, lace or silhouette, a custom design may offer the flexibility you're looking for.
At Envious Bridal in Subiaco, Perth, we work with brides who want to explore designs beyond standard ready-made options, including black wedding dresses, two-tone gowns and personalised colour combinations.
Discover more about our custom wedding dress design service, or explore our coloured wedding dress collection for further inspiration.
Have a design in mind? Request a custom wedding dress quote and share your ideas with our team.