Why A Custom Designed Wedding Gown Is the Ultimate Fashion Moment

We are huge fans of the bespoke experience when it comes to your wedding attire. Having something designed and created especially for you is an incredibly extra moment you will always treasure. And one of the best part of the experiences is you play an active role in shaping your dream wedding dress.

Toronto designer Catherine Langlois, who specializes in bespoke wedding creations, says having your wedding dress custom-made is about the dress finding you, not you finding the dress. “The custom experience is not about champagne, tears and a quote from a reality television show,” Langlois says. “It’s about finding out what makes you feel lovely and beautiful and not necessarily what’s on trend.”

Langlois explains with custom design, all fit issues can be resolved whether you are super tiny and need not just a small size but a scaled down design. Or if a bride is plus sized–which is not just a larger size–but a myriad of shapes and silhouettes. “My design studio has access to unique and beautiful quality fabrics that are generally only seen in couture wedding dresses. Every bride has a selection of gorgeous high end fabrics and be able to choose accordingly to personal taste, not a pre-selected vision of what is trendy."

If your personal style doesn't necessarily fit the bridal norm you will also find the bespoke experience is a perfect fit. "You may not see yourself in the style of  wedding dress currently in fashion," Langlois shares. "Sometimes you want or need a dress that is more modest or classic in design. Or perhaps you’ve always loved a dress from a movie (think of all the Audrey Hepburn inspiration gowns!), or have seen something on Instagram from a couture fashion show. You want something that speaks to you as an individual.”

If considering a custom gown, timing is key as Langlois says it ideally takes six to eight months to create the dress but can be done in as little as three months which is especially true in wedding shoulder seasons (November through May). The process starts with a cotton mock up of the gown to perfect the fit and start the design process. The fabric design will be fitted on the second visit and then you will likely require another one or two fittings from there to perfect the dress.