Friday, August 26

Gregg & Lise

My husband & I have been friends with Gregg for many years and we had [obviously] also become friends with Lise so I was very excited when asked to make Lise's wedding dress.  Add to that, Lise & her mom had already been shopping for fabric and had purchased beautiful Dupion Silk and Beaded Lace ... excitement!  While the dress silhouette was uncluttered, the lace at the neckline and skirt insert, along with the draping across the bodice, added interest.  The train and long veil added some drama. Love.

 

Love the black and white photos!

Love,
Sam *

Brad & Jacolet

What a pretty bride!  Jacolet knew exactly what she wanted her wedding dress to look like.  She had drawn her inspiration from a few different picture references and she envisaged her perfect combination.  The lace, pleating and splash of colour made a truly unique dress for this beautiful bride.  Jacolet's mom made a matching crystal neckpiece and the gold lace on her bodice was emphasized with the gold brocade of the bridesmaids' dresses.



 I also made a custom designed shirt for Brad with ...wait for it ... a batman emblem hand embroidered on the back!  At first I was a bit horrified as this didn't seem to fit the princess-like dress being made for his bride but Jacolet didn't seem to mind ... Brad was wearing a jacket for the ceremony and this was surely something unique for a groom.

Love,
Sam *

Andrew & Laurianne

Laurianne came to me with a picture of her dream wedding dress and the stipulation that it needed to be made from the silk that looked like whipped cream!  It turned out that she was talking about  silk Duchess Satin.  After long deliberation over the shades of D.S. at the fabric store we eventually chose an ivory D.S. for the skirt of her wedding dress, paired with Raw Silk for the bodice.  I don't know about Laurianne, but I was in heaven.  Initially Laurianne wanted black trim on her dress (we considered beading & black buttons at the back) but eventually settled on black lint trim on her veil and her bridesmaids wore black.  A very striking & glamorous combination indeed.

 


Don't you love the red carpet?

Love,
Sam *

Tuesday, August 23

Craig & Jillian

Jillian had fitted a dress at a local boutique that stocked imported dresses but wanted something similar made to her specific requirements.  We made the dress from chiffon with a contrasting sash and some beading on the bodice.


Love,
Sam *

Monday, August 22

Julie

Julie's was another wedding dress made from my favourite fabric, Raw Silk.  I also loved the pleating on the side front of the skirt, draping across the bodice and subtle beading at the neckline.  In addition, and to my delight, Julie had 2 bridesmaids and a flowergirl and their dresses were made from gold raw silk.  If I remember correctly, her mother or sister managed to source the fabric from Mauritius ... how exotic!

 

Doesn't this last photo, taken on Noordhoek beach, look surreal?

Love,
Sam x






Lauren

Lauren is part of a big, vibrant Portuguese family.  She had 6 bridesmaids and a flowergirl and I also made her mom's dress ... quite a big ask for someone working on their own (and newly pregnant!).  

Lauren's dress was made from chiffon and had handmade flowers embellishing the side bodice and asymmetrical strap.  Love!  The bridesmaids wore apple green and they looked vibrant, amazing.

Anyway, it was lots of fun, there was always a bit of drama but I think that all turned out beautifully and Lauren looked radiant & stunning on her big day.

 
 

What beautiful photos!

Love,
Sam x


Solomon & Winnie

Winnie was going to be traveling from Cape Town to get married in Malawi.  She needed a dress made of fabrics that traveled well and she also needed to respect local customs.  Essentially a simple ball gown made from satin and tulle (veiling) with detailing at the neckline and waist.  Don't you think she looks regal?


Love,
Sam x

Friday, August 19

Craig & Vanessa

Working on Vanessa's dress was a turning point in my bridal career as she was my first official, paying client.  I loved her dress style and this free spirited & funky person carried off the simple, vintage style dress beautifully.  We also were invited to attend their beautiful wedding under the trees, what a treat!
 



Love,
Sam x

Thursday, August 18

A 60th Wedding Anniversary

Today my grandparents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary ... a diamond anniversary indeed!  During their life together they have moved to a new continent (to South Africa from England), had 3 children (10 grandchildren & 2 great grandchildren), traveled extensively through southern Africa upon retirement and have finally settled down in a beautiful wooden cabin overlooking indigenous vynbos in Kommetjie, Cape Town.

What an awesome example to us all.

Happy Anniversary, Pa and Gran!  We love you huge!



Isn't this wedding picture simply beautiful?

Love,
Sam x

Jono & Sarah

Although I had made wedding dresses before, I had always been limited to the use of commercial sewing patterns.  After my studies in pattern drafting, Sarah's was the first dress I made from scratch.  And, what fun!  The style of dress she had chosen was my kind of dress ... and she chose my favourite fabric, Raw Silk.  In addition, Sarah is my husband's sister and I pretty much grew up with Jono.  So this wedding was extra special.

Sarah didn't make it easy for me as there was only a couple of months to make the dress and she lost a lot of weight due to the stress of planning her own wedding (she was a little titch to start with!).

Anyway, I loved the whole process and feel extremely privileged to have been entrusted with such an important dress.  Years down the line, Sarah says that she still loves her dress ... and I do too.


 Photographer: Jan Hendrik

Don't you think the penguin in the 3rd picture is cute?!

Love,
Sam x