BESPOKE GOWNS - How it works
. Your journey to bespoke bridal beauty starts here!
Step into the world of Greta Bridal and discover how our bespoke service works.
Get in touch for a no-obligation consultation
You’ve said YES to the person of your dreams and that’s incredible! Now, making the wedding dress of your dreams a reality is the next step, and our Great Bridal team are here to do just that.
Start by browsing our bridal gown collection on our website or social pages. Once you have an idea of the styles, fabrics and trims you like, simply contact us via email or social media to let us know.
You’ll be consulted by Aleksandra herself who will advise you on how she can transform your ideas into a dazzling dress for your big day.
We understand big decisions take time, so if you need more time to think, we’ll welcome you back for another consultation and quote.
It all starts with a sketch…
You dress starts its life as a beautiful, hand-drawn illustration*. Once a sketch fee has been processed, you’ll receive your detailed, hand-drawn dress design with a full description of recommended fabric types.
To give you a super-realistic vision, we even draw YOU as the model. We believe it’s the best way to get as close to the final result as possible, even during early stages of dress design.
*The non-refundable sketch fee is £110 and this charge is deducted from the final cost of the order.
Service fully-tailored to your schedule
While we recommend around six months for your dress to be designed, fitted and made, we understand that everyone’s schedules differ. So both you and us have peace of mind the dress will be ready on time, we take into account your pre-wedding travel dates if your wedding is abroad.
Once your agreement is signed, we will process half the deposit. Now the exciting part happens! We can start ordering your fabrics, custom-creating the pattern and hand-putting together your very first wedding dress toile (mock-up).
The magic starts with YOU
Visit us for a short appointment where we’ll immerse you in a world of sumptuous fabrics and gorgeous embellishments. You’ll browse a selection of lace and fabric swatches carefully curated by the design team and get up close and personal with all manner of beads and sparkles!
We can also recommend certain lining colours to ensure your dress matches your skin tone.
We’ll also take your detailed body measurements at this appointment. Please remember to wear the type of bra you’d normally wear on your ‘feel good day’. We’ll fit the push-up cups if needed during the fitting process. Taking the right measurements is key to getting your pattern right.
What happens during your three dress fittings
You will have three fittings before your final fitting and collection day.
First fitting
Here’s when you’ll see your dream manifesting! You will try on your dress toile handcrafted from another fabric nearest to your original. This is to confirm the fabric flows the way you imagined, the shape of the dress is the one you wanted, and to get the shades of the fabric swatches right on your body.
Second fitting
Here you will try on your dress made in the final fabric you selected during your first two visits. From the straps to the neckline or the hem, we’ll even pin some lace on while you’re wearing it - it has to be right!
Third fitting
Your dress is ready to be tried on with all the details finalised and maybe even a matching, handcrafted veil. Long or short, single-tier or a full vintage look - we can craft it all.
Your final fitting and collection
Congratulations! You are ready to collect your very own wedding dress - some brides even opt for two; a ceremony dress and the afterparty one. Now is the time to try it on for the last time, ensuring every detail is finalised. Each dress is sent out in waterproof packaging and your remaining balance will be cleared.
Hold up! Got any questions?
My dress is ready way before the wedding, what do I do?
It’s good to be organised and have your wedding dress ready well in advance. In fact, it the best way to plan for a wedding. Summer and autumn are the busiest seasons of the year, so having your dress ready before everyone else does is pure bliss.
We recommend you collect the dress in advance, then come back to see us a couple of weeks before the wedding. We’ll conduct your final fitting at no extra cost. That’s what we call a service!
I can’t store the dress at home, where can I leave it?
We can recommend somewhere you can safely your dress if at home is not an option.
How close to the wedding date is the last fitting?
We recommend you should arrange your last fitting two weeks ahead of the wedding. Then we can check if any minor last-minute alterations like waist nipping are needed.
I have planned or unplanned weight fluctuations, is that a problem?
Minor weight fluctuations are normal, we account for that. Because nobody knows your body better than you do, please tell us if you have embarked on a significant weight loss or gain journey and we’ll take these changes into consideration.
This page contains useful information about how significant and unplanned weight change can affect your wedding dress journey.