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Eleanor’s French Lace and Silk Wedding Gown

Posted by on Mar 31, 2022 in Uncategorized | No Comments
Eleanor’s French Lace and Silk Wedding Gown

I was wondering why it had been so long since I blogged. Then I realised I’ve been busy being ‘Mum’ and we’ve had COVID to contend with which has, unfortunately, turned wedding plans for so many on their head. Eleaner was one of my COVID brides, not that would you know, she held her head high and carried on with her wedding plans. A postponement and then their wedding went ahead the following October.

Eleanor had a very good idea of what her wedding gown would look like and had been following my work for some time when she booked a design consultation. I sketched a design for Eleanor, the design consisted of two parts. A grand ball gown design for her ceremony and a fun tea-length wedding gown for her reception. It took a lot of time to consider all the elements and put them together to make both of outfits seamless.

The Ball Gown

Eleanor’s ceremony design featured elegant 3/4 lace sleeves and a french lace bodice appliquéd by hand. The bodice was attached to a silk tea-length skirt that was hidden! We placed a petticoat and a large silk overskirt over the tea-length skirt to create the grand ball-gown design. The design was finished with handmade buttons down the back and beautiful, silk bow.

Tea-length Party Dress

For the reception, Eleanor removed the long petticoat and the silk overskirt to reveal – a tea-length design! For the tea-length design to shine, she also popped on a petticoat. The skirt design featured a fine lace of french lace, for the design to be fully appreciated, the petticoat helped to provide the skirt shape. I think the photos of Eleanor dancing speak a thousand words…

In my opinion, the tea-length wedding dress is the ULTIMATE party dress!

Testimonial

“I spotted Elvi Designs on a bridal blog in around 2012. The dress was a magnificent lace tea length gown of my dreams and when it was finally my turn to go dress shopping 7 years later, I tracked them down and didn’t look back. I had an image in my mind for all of those years and knew no one else would deliver it better. But as my first appointment approached, I decided I needed a full length gown as well. Sandra sketched the dress to a tee and worked out a removable overskirt so I could have my dress both ways. An elegant A line princess dress for the ceremony and a fun lace 1950’s dress for the reception! 
Each fitting was fun and exciting and I loved seeing my dress be built around me. I was able to pick the silk colour and the lace patterns and every touch was guided perfectly by Sandra and Brigitta. They also created an ethereal silk and lace veil and blush belt to finish the tea gown as well as two sets of petticoats. Nothing was overlooked. At my last appointment, Sandra asked me what I was going to do with my dress after the wedding. Frame it! When I get a house big enough, I want to frame the dress and hang it on my wall in the walk in robe. I also hope that my veil will be used as a family heirloom, passed down to my daughters and their daughters.
I can’t thank you enough Sandra and Brigitta.”

~ Eleanor Flett

Photos by Photo Gerson

Chandre’s Bias Cut Silk Wedding Dress

Posted by on Sep 3, 2020 in Real Weddings | No Comments
Chandre’s Bias Cut Silk Wedding Dress

Chandre spotted one of our designs at a bridal fair quite some time before her wedding, she knew she had to come and see us for her wedding dress. She wanted something different and had even contemplated a dark wedding dress before coming across our ‘Lorilee’ bias cut silk wedding dress. We changed the colour of the design to create something truly unique, Chandre opted for a mushroom coloured heavy silk satin, the end result was breathtaking!

You may be wondering what ‘bias cut’ means, well, it refers to the cut and drape of the fabric, silk is the best kind of fabric for this style. Bias cut dresses were first created in the 1920s. They were not ‘fitted’ garments as such but they still allowed the design to hug your figure in a flattering manner. When we cut a ‘bias cut’ silk wedding dress, we cut the pattern pieces on a 45 degree angle as opposed to straight or in-line with the selvedge. A ‘bias cut’ silk wedding dress often looks ‘simple’ but in actual fact, it’s an art form and much more difficult than you’d think!

We also created a small headpiece to suit Chandre’s short hair do and compliment the dramatic beading on her gown.

Chandre and Cuan travelled to South Africa for an intimate wedding with their nearest and dearest. Cuan was blown away by his stunning bride as she walked down the aisle. The photos of the couple are just gorgeous, I especially like the photos of Chandre and her Dads! They are beaming with pride.

Images by Kobus Tollig

Hannah’s Coloured Wedding Dress

Posted by on Jun 11, 2020 in Real Weddings | No Comments
Hannah’s Coloured Wedding Dress

Oh I love a country wedding and I love it even more when a bride opts for a coloured wedding dress!! Hannah and Jona wed at her parents property in Mt Barker. It ended up being a rainy day, not uncommon down south in October but these two lovebirds didn’t let the rain stop them from having a magical wedding day!

We worked with Hannah to create a coloured wedding dress with a fitted strapless bodice and an a-line skirt made from mushroom silk dupion. The soft colour was the perfect match for the ivory lace sleeves and full silk chiffon skirt overlay, and ultimately, the colour combination suited the natural environment of Hannah’s outdoor wedding.

We also remodelled Hannah’s mother’s veil to be a long single tier veil. The embroidery on the edge was just gorgeous. It was the perfect accessory to her coloured wedding dress!

Images by Ben & Ebony

Ellen’s Handmade Wedding Dress with Sleeves

Posted by on May 7, 2020 in Real Weddings | No Comments
Ellen’s Handmade Wedding Dress with Sleeves

Ellen visited a few traditional bridal stores before going down the handmade wedding dress path. She was looking for an elegant, very soft lace wedding dress with a full skirt and long lace sleeves. The gowns she looked at ‘off-the-rack’ had lots of extras that to be removed or adjusted to get the look she was after. After a chat in our studio, we sketched up a design that was ideal for Ellen’s Perth Hills wedding.

We provided Ellen with a couple of lace options that suited the design she was after, she opted for a very fine, soft chantilly lace. The lace provided the sweetest detail around the cuff of her sleeves and the hem of the skirt.

Ellen and Aleks wed at their church in Parkerville before photos in the national park and their reception at Core Cider House.

Testimonial //

My gosh my handmade wedding dress!! Was a total dream to wear on the day and I could not be happier 🙂

Thank you both for being amazing and being so caring, having an eye for detail and not being like any other pushy bridal store! Best decision I ever made and worth every cent!! ~ Ellen.

Photos by Amelia Claire Photography

Katrina’s Wedding Dress with Sleeves

Posted by on Dec 5, 2019 in Uncategorized | No Comments

Katrina is a very talented lady and had sketched up what she had in mind for her wedding dress. She actually brought these sketches with her to our first meeting and I was so impressed. We went through all the elements she was after and she was open to my design input, together we designed a wedding dress with sleeves that was modern with a hint of vintage.

Katrina opted for a full skirt with box pleats in silk dupion with a minimal silk bodice and just sleeves in lace. The lace created a keyhole feature at the back with buttons running all the way from her neck to her waist. We finished off her gown with a silk belt with a flat bow.

Katrina hadn’t imagined herself wearing a veil. She initially thought she might like a birdcage veil but after investigating options, she discovered they weren’t suitable. So we tried on a few veils in the studio. Katrina fell in love with a simple, single tier veil. It was accentuated by a pearl headband and was the perfect fit for her church ceremony.

Katrina & Michael wed at St Michael The Archangel in Leederville and had photos in Hyde Park before celebrating their nuptials at Mount Lawley Bowling Club.

My favourite moments have to be the bride and groom grabbing a coffee, eating donuts in the park and the duckies!! Oh and those fabulous red boots.

Photos by Fields & Skies Photography

You can find more wedding dress with sleeves here –

Sally’s Lace Wedding Dress with Sleeves

Katrina’s Lace Wedding Dress with Sleeves

Zara’s Bali Wedding Dress

Posted by on Nov 7, 2019 in Real Weddings, Testimonial | No Comments
Zara’s Bali Wedding Dress

It’s such an honour when a dear friend asks me to make their wedding dress and Zara was no exception. We had a lot of fun at each fitting, with her Mum always in tow, it was a really special time. Zara knew she want a fitted design that would suit the Bali climate. We came up with a fitted v-neck bodice with an illusion lace back and a fitted silk skirt with a soft lace overlay. To allow for the humidity and inevitably ‘sticky’ weather, Zara’s Bali wedding dress was made from pure silk and also lined in silk, I bet it felt like wearing a nighty – so light and dreamy!

Zara and Matt exchanged vows at the Uluwatu Surf Villas surrounded by their nearest and dearest. The views are simply spectacular!! Their lucky guests enjoyed the location for a few days, what a way to get married.

Testimonial //

“I have been following Elvi Design since their inception so as soon as i got engaged i knew exactly where i was going! Having now gone through the process with Elvi i can fully appreciate what a fine art they have mastered. Sandra and Birgitta are incredibly talented and they have such an eye for detail. They listened to me and made me feel special every step of the way. Sandra and Birgitta made me more than just a dress, they gave me the priceless gift of feeling like the best version of myself on my wedding day.

Thank you Sandra & Birgitta for making all of my wedding dress dreams come true!”

Photos by Apel Photography

Steph’s Tulle Tea Length Wedding Dress

Posted by on Oct 3, 2019 in Real Weddings, Testimonial | No Comments
Steph’s Tulle Tea Length Wedding Dress

Steph had lusted after tulle from a very young age so there was no surprise that she wanted a tulle wedding dress and not just a little bit of tulle, A LOT of tulle!! Of course, this was fine by me! A tea length wedding dress with a tulle skirt is the epitome of FUN.

Steph & Dan opted for a small, intimate wedding at Guildford Town Hall followed by dinner at Padbury’s.

Testimonial //

“I just wanted to say a huge thank you to you both for my amazing wedding dress. Dan said he was “gob-smacked” when he saw me walking down the aisle (obviously the reaction you want!). I was able to move and to be energetic the whole day comfortably. Everyone loved the short veil. I left it on the whole night- who wouldn’t when it was that cute?


It was the perfect dress for our “throwback to the tradition of getting married at the town hall” kind of themed small wedding. I am so glad I didn’t choose a fitted, full length, full lace style of dress that I had tried off-the-rack, and which seems to be everywhere at the moment. My heart was set on a whole lot of tulle from the beginning!! Guilford Town Hall where we got married was also where I first learnt ballet as a 5 year old, so the full tulle skirt was meant to be, I think.”

Photos by Aimee Dehaan

Perth Hills Creatives Styled Shoot

Posted by on Sep 8, 2019 in Collaboration | No Comments
Perth Hills Creatives Styled Shoot

I think for the most part, we’ve forgotten what a styled shoot is about as wedding vendors quickly became obsessed with being featured on the next best wedding blog. When I started my wedding business 8 years ago, Hello May didn’t even exist. Wedding blogs were a relatively new thing and Pinterest was on the verge of discovery. There are in fact so many other benefits to a styled shoot – it’s the time we take to be creative and play with ideas, meet other creatives, create friendships with said creatives and of course, make magic!

The aim behind this styled shoot was to showcase the natural beauty of the Perth Hills using the creative talents of local Perth Hills wedding vendors. We kept the styling to a minimum, opting for simplicity and elegance to compliment the natural environment. We selected a combination of natural white florals, green foliage, natural white fabric, Belgian linen and iron candleholders to set the mood. We found a gorgeous newly engaged couple – Manon & Kobus, who are also local to the Perth Hills, to spend the afternoon with us.

Whilst we had a few ideas of what we wanted to capture, we took an organic approach to the shoot and just let the magic happen between our real life couple and the photographer.

We wanted to encourage Perth couples that you don’t need to look far from the venue to source wedding suppliers. The beauty of working with creatives local to the venue is that they know the area the best. All of the wedding vendors in this shoot have grown up in the Perth Hills, live in the Perth Hills and are active members of the Perth Hills community.

Perth Hills Creatives

Photographer – Coby Rachel Hobbs of Lana & co

Styling & Wedding Dresses – Elvi Design

Flowers & Styling – Lisa Jane Lush

H&MU – The Beauty Bar by Britanie

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Steph’s Lace and Silk Wedding Dress with Detachable Train

Posted by on Aug 15, 2019 in Real Weddings, Testimonial | No Comments
Steph’s Lace and Silk Wedding Dress with Detachable Train

Steph, like most brides I meet with, had a rough idea of what she was after and was unable to find her dream lace and silk wedding dress in a traditional bridal shop so had started the unknown process of meeting with a bridal designer. I always ask brides where they are getting married to get a feel for their wedding. Steph and Ben were planning a wedding with a large guest list, their ceremony was set to be held at the Quarry with a reception at a hotel in the city. Both venues were BIG! Steph is petite and was hoping for an understated bridal gown which reflected her relaxed, easy going nature. After discussing her ideas, we came up with the idea of one dress and a couple of accessories to compliment the venues and provide a bit of ‘wow’!

We designed a lace and silk wedding dress with a detachable train. The fitted bodice had a boat neckline at the front and a low scoop at the back, finished with some delicate lace cap sleeves. The a-line skirt (made from silk) had an overlay of silk georgette. This skirt was floor length, so to create a bigger presence for the ceremony, we created a gathered silk overlay with a dramatic train. This could easily be removed for the reception so Steph could move around freely and change to flat shoes. When Steph removed the overlay at the reception, we made a sparkly beaded belt to pop on and add a little bit of sparkle to her reception outfit. The end result was very Steph – relaxed, romantic and a little bit of fun!

Images Izo Photography

Testimonial

After visiting three bridal stores, I had fairly set ideas on certain things that I wanted for my wedding dress. A couple of my friends had their dresses made by Elvi Design and I really liked the designs available on their website, so made an appointment to see them. Sandra was so enthusiastic and helpful, sketching out a design from my vague descriptions. I was fairly nervous about having a dress made since I have no knowledge about dress making or fabrics but the process with them was easy, relaxed and lots of fun. These two ladies are amazing and guided me through the whole process; no knowledge is required, put your dress in their hands!
It was exciting to see the progress made on my dress each visit and my best woman/maid of honour and I had the opportunity to explore new brunch options up in the hills. I particularly loved my detachable train and I would recommend it to any bride! The ground was wet and muddy from the rain on our wedding day, so it was great to be able to whip off that dirty train before our reception. Plus no one had to worry about remembering how to bustle up the train (or trim it…). What was extra special was my custom veil which was edged with the same lace as my dress.
I couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out. Thank you both so much!

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Tanika’s Classic Crepe Wedding Dress Perth

Posted by on Jul 15, 2019 in Testimonial | No Comments
Tanika’s Classic Crepe Wedding Dress Perth

I’ve been dying to share Tanika & Mike’s wedding, it was a stunning Autumn wedding set on a rural property just outside of Perth. Tanika’s bridal party wore black and boy, oh boy, did they look good! It worked perfectly in contrast with her classic crepe wedding dress. Tanika keep the accessories minimal, with statement earrings for herself and bold sunflowers for the bouquets. Whilst her styling was classic and minimal, those little pops of colour were fun and something a little bit different!

When we met with Tanika, she had a very good idea of what she wanted, we guided her to create a classic crepe wedding dress that suited her petite frame perfectly. I’ll let Tanika’s testimonial give you an insight into the journey of her dress. I love her honesty about the process, for so many brides, having a dress made in unchartered territory and can be anxiety inducing. We were there every step of the way and I think these beautiful photos show a job well done.

Testimonial

Choosing a wedding dress was probably the least exciting part of the wedding for me. Even though I knew exactly what I wanted, the thought of getting a dress still caused me a lot of stress. I chose to get a wedding dress made because I just couldn’t find what I wanted out there everything was lace and beads and dresses with a lot of detail and I just knew that wasn’t what I was after. After only going to two places and meeting the beautiful Sandra and Birgitta, I knew they were the ladies for the job.

Even with these two ladies, the dress up until the final fitting was extremely nerve racking for me. In saying this, I could not have asked for more in the ladies at Elvi Design. They scheduled extra appointments for me, answered all of my emails – and I emailed A LOT, and went over and beyond to help guide me towards my dream dress. They were always supportive, open, and explained in detail what would and wouldn’t work. Even though I was nervous (and sweating profusely) at each visit, the ladies kept me calm and made me feel so comfortable knowing that they were in charge of designing what I wanted. I can’t thank them enough for what they produced, and how they made me feel when I wore it.

Any advice to anyone getting a dress made by Elvi Design is 100% trust the process (and S&B) and realise that these two ladies have your best interests at heart. What they created for me was more beautiful than I could have ever pictured, and I would choose them over and over again. I have never felt more beautiful than I did in my wedding dress and it’s only a shame I will only get to wear it once! – Tanika, April 2018

Images by LoveHer Photography Styling by Amber Jasper Styling

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