Model Dorotka wears a custom Brooks LTD bias cut silk charmeuse wedding dress. Imagery by photographers Kai Davis, Joel Serrano and John Oh, with Dorotka handling concept, styling and HMU.

We’re lucky to live in a state that many couples travel long distances to for their destination weddings.  Every year Colorado plays host to thousands of mountain weddings, from Vail to Aspen, to Telluride to Estes Park.  As a Colorado-based couture fashion designer, it’s quite often that I find myself designing custom wedding dresses to fit just such a setting.  A truly custom design, however, requires taking both the setting, as well as the individual style, personality and body type of the bride herself into consideration in the design of the gown.  With the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop, I tend to find that dresses which reflect a similar natural elegance and ease are most apropos.

Dorotka plays the perfect Rocky Mountain bride at the Dove Inn in Golden, Colorado.  Photos by Kai Davis, Joel Serrano and John Oh.

Recently I had the opportunity to photograph one of my custom bridal creations with not one, but three talented photographers –  Kai Davis, Joel Serrano, and John Oh – and model Dorotka T., who did her own concepting, styling and hair and makeup, all at the Dove Inn in Golden, Colorado.  This charming B & B – with its cozy interior and easy access to the foothills – was the perfect place to showcase the grace of my bias cut silk charmeuse gown.

High atop the mountain in custom Brooks LTD.  Photos by Kai Davis, Joel Serrano and John Oh.

Showing off the train of her silk Brooks LTD wedding dress, as captured by Kai Davis, Joel Serrano and John Oh.

A custom dress by Brooks LTD fits like a glove.  Photos by Kai Davis, Joel Serrano and John Oh.

Dorotka was every part the radiant mountain bride, with the bias cut of the dress gracefully draping around her curves into the train.  The open, cowl back revealed just the right amount of skin, while the hand-appliqued silk at the bust added a tasteful bit of volume as well as coverage.  It’s a pared-down dress, yet does not compromise on its exquisite details, luxury and craftsmanship.  The perfect thing for the Colorado bride!

A cowl back and elegant train sweep the staircase at the Dove Inn.  Photos by Kai Davis, Joel Serrano and John Oh.

Custom Wedding Dresses by Brooks LTD

Wedding season is on the horizon, which means it’s time to start thinking about the dress!  I specialize in custom designing 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 A Custom Wedding Dress Fit For a Mountain Wedding appeared first on Brooks Ltd.

Here are some helpful questions to ask during your initial consultation with a custom dress designer:

What might our timeline look like?

Be sure to communicate with your dress designer about when your event is before ordering a dress. This will help you both to better prepare for how much time you have, when fittings should take place, and approximately when you’ll be able to pick up the dress before the big event.  We usually allow 6-8 weeks for a custom gown and less time for smaller projects.

My clients are always happy when I can incorporate pockets.

What are my price options?

Custom designed dresses can vary in price in a few key ways. If you already have a specific budget range in mind, talk about your ideal and maximum budgets for this product. This helps in determining the design elements and the fabric choices.

We require a deposit of half down at the time of the order, one quarter before we cut into the fashion fabric and the balance upon delivery.

Which fabrics might work best with our vision?

Designing a custom dress should be a collaborative experience. After you explore ideas that may work for your wedding or special event, ask your designer’s opinion on which fabrics might be best for bringing your ideas to life.  Certain fabrics will respond to specific design lines.  Let your designer be the guide for what is best for your ensemble as a designer has the expertise you are looking for.

How many fittings will I need and are fittings included in the cost?

Typically, you may only need a couple of fittings, but for more extravagant ideas there may be more required.  At Brooks LTD we pride ourselves in having samples for a client to try on before the fitting process begins. Below is an example of a muslin prototype that has the fit and design lines that the final garment will have.

Talk with your designer about the numbers of fittings. At Brooks LTD, additional fittings are included in the overall investment of the dress design, once a price is quoted we do not change our price unless the client adds something to the original request.

What types of undergarments should I wear?

Every dress design will be unique, so ask your designer for thoughts on appropriate undergarments to wear in a way that will be flattering and won’t negatively impact the way the dress looks on you.  It is very important that you as the client bring or wear the exact underpinnings to each fitting as that determines the fit, so it’s a waste of time to have a fitting without appropriate undergarments. And don’t forget: shoes are also part of the fitting!

Delivery of the final product.

At the final fitting you will try on the finished product which will be pressed and ready to go.  We prefer to take a few photos for our records, we ask each client to pose on delivery day. Each gown is packaged so that it will travel well, whether it is locally or headed for a drive to your venue.

Contact a Custom Dress Designer in Denver, CO

Whether you’re looking for a truly unique wedding dress, an elegant mother of the bride dress, a creative gala or party dress, or other artful ensemble creations, reach out to Brooks LTD for a design that suits you and fits perfectly! Contact me online or call 303-573-3801.  

Thank you to Frances Photography for these great photos!

The post Questions to Ask When Ordering a Custom Designed Dress appeared first on Brooks Ltd.