Creating your wedding day look with personal style.

A wedding is such a personal occasion that it should reflect your own style and tastes. What better time than your wedding day to treat yourself to something so special?

The difference between customised and bespoke….

Customised: Taking a design that is already in existence and personalising it to your own tastes.

Bespoke: Creating an entirely new style with the designer that is a one off, just for you.

Bespoke wedding dress design and customisation:

Brides looking to be truly unique on their wedding day often opt to have bespoke or customised accessories made for them, but have you thought about a bespoke or customised dress?
Danielle Meiners offers both a bespoke service and an alteration service and often re-styles dresses as well as making creations from her client’s imaginations.
Danielle who has a BA in Fashion design and has worked as a pattern cutter for several well known brands in London now works in the bridal industry helping to make wedding day dreams come true. From a simple hem alteration to a fully bespoke gown Danielle uses her training and technical experience to skilfully adapt styles to flatter brides to be. Recent work has included remodelling a dress with sleeves into a halter-neck for a more contemporary look and the creation of a made to measure chiffon and lace dress with fluted handkerchief hem.

Advantages of a bespoke wedding dress:

In Danielle’s experience there are several reasons people want bespoke: “Either because they simply cannot find exactly what they are looking for. (It’s hard to find a unique and different wedding dress sometimes). Or because a customer wants a dress that is truly theirs, a one off dress designed and chosen by them, and made to fit them perfectly.” Sometimes however it is down to the look of the dress. “There is a trend coming through for lighter weight dresses, with the corsetry hidden under smooth, flowing, almost Grecian dresses. This style is harder to produce for brands that are mass produced. A bespoke dress will stand out in this case.”

The process of having a bespoke wedding dress:

Danielle explains the step by step process of designing your own wedding gown:

“I ask my customers to collect as many examples of what they like from magazine cuttings/ photos or actual garments. At this initial meeting I will show them fabric samples too to see what they do and don't like.
A price is then agreed and I then take their measurements.
A toile (practice version) of the dress is then created to be fitted and changed to the customer’s requirements. I will also show the customer a choice of fabrics to choose from. The final garment is then made up and a final fitting arranged to make sure the dress is perfect.”

Danielle's down to earth personality and friendly nature takes that stress and often intimidating nature out of having a couture gown made for you.

“I aim to do everything I can to make the dress fit and feel great. And I offer a one to one service and get to know my customer well, so I can fulfil their criteria.”

Her best advice for brides to be is: “Don't let other peoples opinions on your dress choice influence you too much. A wedding dress is very unique to your style, what you know your partner will like and what flatters you the most. We don't all go around dressed the same day to day so just remember not everyone will like your dress, but if you feel like a princess in it and can't wait to see your man's face when he sees you, that's the one!”

Top tips for a bespoke Wedding Dress of your dreams:

Having worked with so many brides Danielle offers her top 5 tips for creating the wedding dress of your dreams:

1. Go and try on all sorts of different dress styles (even if you don't like them!) You'll be surprised what actually suits you.
2. Don't just look for inspiration in wedding magazines. Any detail can be adapted to look great on a wedding dress.
3. Think about the cloth, this can really make a dress stand out. Often people just stick to plain satins and silks.
4. Make sure your dress feels like it fits you. It is amazing how different a dress can make you feel when it fits you perfectly.
5. To have a one-off wedding dress made and designed especially for you is the essence of your wedding day. If you know you look good, you will feel confident in front of all those people!

"After working for years behind the scenes of the fashion industry it was a fresh experience for me to be able to work one to one with a customer and especially being involved in such a big day! It gives me a real sense of satisfaction to see the wedding photos and everyone looking so happy."

Danielle is based in Essex and can visit brides for alterations in the South East and London.

Prices for Bodice alterations start at just £30.

Brides to be who are interested in Danielle’s services should contact her on 07773138458 for a quotation.

Bespoke and customised wedding accessories

Why not continue customising you look with your accessories?

At Carrie Yeo we offer customisation on all our styles, whether it is a simple change of colour or the lengthening or shortening of one of our necklaces, the details of your big day are just as important to us as it is to you.

To learn about this process please visit our website

We have also worked on more elaborate pieces such as the dress jewellery below which cannot only turn a dress into the wedding gown of your dreams but can be reworked after the big day into a necklace or bracelet for you to treasure forever.


We have a huge variety of styles that we can adapt for you and can easily design something just for you with our bespoke design service.

Contact at info@carrieyeo.com with your enquiries.