When planning our wedding 7 years ago i found a lovely little chain of shops called simones bridal wear.
After visiting a few other shops i decided on simones not because they were cheap by any means but because they offered me just what i needed and with a wedding budget of £20,000 i could afford to be picky after all this was going to be the biggest day of my life.
Simones offered a serice no one else had, they make the wedding dress to your measurements as opposed to other shops where you buy it off the peg then have it altered to fit, this was just what i needed with me being such a odd shape i mean i have a 22 inch chest, a dd cup bust, 24 inch hips and am 5 foot 8 inches tall.
simones took my measurements, i chose the design i wanted, the material i wanted it made out of and the veil and tierra i wanted with it.
After going to the shop for fittings twice a week my dress was finally ready 5 weeks later, i had an off the sholder design with fitted body and the traditional flared bottom to my dress which was a mass of silk ruffels at the back. with another 7 weeks left untill the wedding there was plenty of time to add anything else i wanted to the dress so as i was having a red roses and white pearl theme to my wedding i enquired if i could have the bodice of the dress coverd with pearls, white roses aroung the sholders and waiste and the ruffles extending on the back of the dress to make a chain that was 5 foot long, no problems 4 weeks later it was ready looking just as i wanted mind you it did cost me £2400 without the veil and tierrar or shoes.
On the other end of the scale my major budgeting point in my wedding plans was my bridesmaid dresses, with 11 bridesmaids i couldnt afford to have these made at simones so went to debenhams where they do a lovely range of brides and bridesmaid dresses starting from £60. we chose red silk for the bridesmaids in a strappy dress for the adults and a puffed sholder design for the kids. I payed £85 each for the adults and £40 each for the childrens as they gave me a discount on the childrens due to the amount we were buying.
I brought some red silk roses and was going to attach them to the waiste of the bridesmaid dresses myself but joyce at simones offered to do them for me free of charge which i thought was very nice.
http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/fashion/wedding-dresses/1068712/
