A one-of-a-kind bride along with her mother and twin sister in custom ensembles by Brooks LTD.  Photo by Erin Lassahn.  Flower arrangement by Bouquets.  

A couple weeks ago I blogged about a special bride and her family whom I had the pleasure of working with last year.  Specifically, I wrote about the family heirloom that I transformed into a headpiece for the bride.  These ladies were such fun!  Not only did I get to create the bride’s unique headpiece for her wedding day, but I also custom designed her rehearsal dinner dress, along with her mother and sister’s wedding day ensembles.  Now, these were not your average rehearsal dinner, mother of the bride, or maid of honor dresses.  This crew was far too creative for that.  And, after all, every custom design I make is a reflection of the wearer and their personality.  What we ended up creating together were three bold outfits that paid homage to the colorful personalities of the women, along with the location they were being worn in.  Plus, as an additional challenge, each look was intentionally created using multiple layers that could be worn all together, or mixed and matched for a whole new look at future occasions.  What appeared to be a gown was actually separates, including pants!  How’s that for long term, sustainable use?

The bride wore purple. Custom rehearsal dinner look by Brooks LTD.  Photo by Erin Lassahn.

A multi-layered, convertible look is a great option for a non-traditional bride seeking versatility and mileage.  Photo by Erin Lassahn.  Flowers by Bouquets.

With her rehearsal dinner taking place at a Colorado Rockies baseball game, the bride and I knew that purple (the team’s color, for those unfamiliar) was the obvious color choice.  As an avid Rockies fan, the bride wanted to make sure that her outfit showcased her team pride.  We chose a sheer purple fabric with tonal purple embroidered accents to use for a jacket and pants, and a purple silk charmeuse cami and shorts as the under layers.  Sheer pants layered over shorts is a trend that has been making waves lately, and I thought this was a fun occasion for just such a look.  Particularly for a nontraditional bride with a sporty vibe.  It was quite the showstopper, and the bride’s radiant smile in her custom ensemble made me a happy designer.

A happy mother of the bride in her ruby lace ensemble.  Photo by Erin Lassahn.

Mother of the bride posing in custom Brooks LTD.  Photo by Erin Lassahn.

For the wedding day, the bride’s mother and sister chose bold jewel tones – one ruby, the other turquoise, respectively.  The mother of the bride’s dress featured a full length lace layer, again over a satiny silk charmeuse slip.  A wide silk belt inspired by a Japanese obi belt accented her waist and broke up the length of the ruby lace overlay.

The bride’s twin sister wears a convertible turquoise lace look.  Photo by Erin Lassahn.

Two happy twins wearing their unique, custom designed outfits.  Photo by Erin Lassahn.

The bride’s twin sister sported a bright turquoise ensemble, which included lace pants underneath a smooth silk charmeuse skirt.  The lace pants peeked out from a split in the skirt, subtly showing off this unique detail when she moved.  We paired these with a lined lace cap sleeve top.  The beauty of this ensemble was that the bride’s sister could wear her matching lace-pant-and-top look without the skirt at a later date, making the outfit multifunctional.  I do love a good convertible style!

One fabulous looking wedding party, all wearing custom Brooks LTD.  Photo by Erin Lassahn.  Flowers by Bouquets.

As evidenced from the photos, everyone loved their custom designs, which helped make the happy occasion even more special.  They fit each woman like a glove – both literally, and figuratively.  The looks were playful, colorful and unique, just like the wearers themselves.  And in the end that’s what couture design is all about.

Custom Occasion Dresses by Brooks LTD

Wedding season is coming up, which means that it’s time to start thinking about bridal, mother of the bride, and bridesmaids’ gowns!  I specialize in custom designing unique, one-of-a-kind ensembles that are tailor made to fit you and your personality.  If you’re getting married and are looking for something bespoke, please visit the Contact page of my website to schedule a consultation.

The post Unique Wedding Ensembles For Creative Women appeared first on Brooks Ltd.

Image via Style Me Pretty

Engagement season is upon us (hello, holiday proposal!), and that means brides are beginning to think about the wedding dress and bridal accessories.  Custom, alternative wedding dresses – i.e. styles that are not your run-of-the-mill, off-the-rack look that reflect more of your individual personality – have been a mainstay of my atelier for longer than I can count.  (Check out the Brides page of my website to read more about my Brooks LTD custom gowns and see examples from some real brides.)  Some say ‘the beauty is in the details,’ and I’d have to agree – especially when it comes to a bride’s big day.  Adding personal touches to your wedding look can make you feel even more connected to the garments you’re wearing, making them exponentially more meaningful for such an important rite of passage.  One way to add a personal touch (and be sustainable while you’re at it!) is to repurpose a family heirloom, such as a part of a family member’s wedding dress, either by incorporating it into your dress, or even reimagining it as an accessory.  One of my favorite recent examples of this has to be the time I worked with bride Megan and her family to create dresses for both her rehearsal dinner and wedding day.

Consultation with mom and daughters for their custom designs, including a mother of the bride dress, maid of honor dress, and dresses for the rehearsal dinner.  Mom Jina and bride Megan deliberate on fabrics at the Brooks LTD atelier.

Reimagining twin sister Erin’s wedding dress strap for Megan’s bridal headpiece. Sustainable and meaningful!

Megan and her twin sister Erin are, needless to say, very close.  Megan wanted a way to incorporate something of Erin’s into her bridal look, as her “something borrowed.”  So we took the strap from Erin’s own wedding dress, and I transformed it into Megan’s headpiece for her special day.  Their mother Jina was thrilled, as well as the twins.  It was clear to me how proud (and tearful!) this added detail made them feel, after looking at their wedding photos.  What a fun project to be a part of!

Megan and her mother Jina on her wedding day.  Jina wears a custom Brooks LTD dress. Note Megan’s headpiece, which I created using the strap from her twin sister’s wedding gown.

Tears of joy: Twin sister and Maid of Honor Erin gets emotional looking at bride Megan during the wedding. Erin wears custom Brooks LTD.

Megan shows off her special, repurposed headpiece by Brooks LTD.

Custom Wedding Dresses by Brooks LTD

Not all brides are created the same!  I specialize in unique, one-of-a-kind wedding gowns that are tailor made to fit you and your personality.  If you’re getting married and are looking for something bespoke, please visit the Contact page of my website to schedule a consultation.

The post Turning an Heirloom Into a Creative Accessory for Your Wedding Look appeared first on Brooks Ltd.