At Edith Élan, we understand that your wedding day is a special moment and nothing is more personal than what you wear on it. Which is also why we believe a custom bridal gown or jumpsuit is the ultimate expression of your élan. If you are considering a custom bridal design, this blog will help you understand our custom design process.
Custom Bridal Commissions: The Design Process Overview
We are honored that you are interested in a custom Edith Élan bridal design, as the custom design process requires an inherent sense of trust. To help you better understand how it works, we highlight the major steps in this blog. Of course, when, where, and how they happen will depend on your particular circumstances.
- Submitting Your Request for a Custom Design
- The Initial Design Consultation
- The Design Deck
- Approving Your Custom Bridal Design
- The Muslin Fitting
- The Final Fittings
Starting the Custom Bridal Design Journey
Our custom bridal commissions are timeless, chic, one-of-a-kind designs. They are meticulously made to be a perfect expression of your personal style and tailored to reflect your individuality. The custom bridal design journey has four major steps before the first stitch happens.
Step One: Submitting Your Request
Whether you want a custom rehearsal, ceremony, and/or reception outfit, the design process starts when you fill out the “Custom Bridal Request Form” at the bottom of our “Custom” page. Your filled-out form gets sent directly to our designer, Lourdes. It tells her important information such as the wedding date, your preferred pronouns, the budget, and the vision for your look.
All of this information is important because it helps Lourdes start to understand what you are looking for and also determine if the vision will work within your budget and lead time.
Lead Times and Costs
Lead Times:
We recommend starting the custom design process as soon as possible, with at least 6 months before your wedding date to accommodate any fittings, shipping time, and/or alterations.
We may be able to accommodate a rush, but additional fees apply.
Custom Bridal Design Costs:
A custom-designed wedding dress starts at $2,000 USD. Minis and bridal jumpsuits start at $1,500 USD. The final cost of the garment will depend on the silhouette, fabrics, design details, and shipping fees. If a rush order is needed, that will also affect the price.
At the end of the day, our goal is to stay within the budget.
Please see our FAQs for additional information regarding lead times and costs.
Step Two: The Initial Design Consultation
After confirming your vision works within your budget and lead time, Lourdes will reach out to schedule a FREE 30-minute design consultation with you. If you—like our Charleston bride Allie—are local, the consultation can take place at a coffee shop to discuss things in person. If you are not local, like Vanessa in NYC, the design consultation will be virtual.
During this initial meeting, Lourdes will ask more in-depth questions about your ideal design. What details you like or dislike, what fabrics you are interested in, whether you want any color, and more. She’ll also discuss the general design timeline she envisions.
The initial design consultation is also important because it helps determine if Edith Élan is the right brand to partner with on this journey. If it’s not a match, then this is where we part ways. However, if it is a match, the next big step in the custom bridal design process is the design deck.
Step Three: The Design Deck
After the initial design consultation, Lourdes takes her notes and starts sketching design ideas. She is simultaneously sourcing fabric, calculating the cost of each design iteration, selecting designs to present, and building the design deck itself. On average, your design deck will be ready in about two to four weeks.
The design deck is a multi-page document that outlines the details, design inspiration, fabrics, and design ideas in one place. Lourdes will select the design options that most align with the vision to present to you. Regardless, there will be at least two different designs for your review.
To access your design deck and to schedule the follow-on design deck review meeting, a non-refundable $350 fee applies. The fee covers all the work completed since the initial design consultation and ensures you are 100% committed to a custom bridal design. Additionally, the $350 fee is credited towards the final cost of your design. It is not an additional fee on top of the final cost. The fee does not transfer ownership of the intellectual property contained within the deck to anyone—Edith Élan retains ownership and copyright.
Once you receive access to your design deck, you will have a few days to look it over. Then you and Lourdes meet again to review it. During the design deck review meeting, you and Lourdes will go over the deck and discuss the design options in length. This meeting lasts from an hour to an hour and a half. The end goal of the meeting is to finalize the details of your custom bridal design.
Step Four: Approving the Design and Locking It In
This is an exciting step in the custom bridal design process! With the details finalized, Lourdes will compile the final sketch of your custom look. You will receive the final sketch about one to two weeks after the design deck review. When you receive it, you will need to sign off on the sketch. Your signature is your approval of the design. It should be noted that small design details can still change during the ensuing design process.
After your signature, you also sign the contract and pay the 50% non-refundable deposit based on the final cost of your design. Once all of that is done, Lourdes will either meet to take your measurements if you are local, or she will email the list of measurements she needs to start creating your custom bridal design.
The Custom Bridal Design Journey Gets Real
After Lourdes has your measurements, things start to get real! Literally! She will use your measurements to create a custom paper pattern of your design. This pattern will be used to cut and sew a muslin (or mockup) in inexpensive, basic fabrics for the muslin fitting.
Step Five: The Muslin Fitting
The muslin fitting occurs a few months after the design is finalized and approved. For some nearlyweds, this is their first time meeting Lourdes in person.
The fitting itself is a one-day event that lasts about an hour and a half on average. This is the first time you will see what your custom design looks like. But more importantly, it is the first time you get to put it on!
While the muslin will not be fully trimmed out or finished, it will give you the general idea of what the final garment will look like. During the muslin fitting, the muslin will be fitted to you to minimize alterations at the end. Additionally, the muslin fitting is intended as a point in the process for you and Lourdes to discuss design changes (i.e., neckline shape, trim placement, sleeve shape, etc.) before the design is made in the final fabrics.
After the fitting, Lourdes will transfer any pin marks and design changes to the paper pattern. Once the changes are made, the design is cut and sewn in the final fabrics.
Step Six: The Final Fittings
The final fittings are when you get to see your custom design in its final form. The trims and embellishments will be on, and it will be made in your chosen fabrics.
Final fittings at Edith Élan start no more than two months before your wedding day. The fittings span a few days to a few weeks, with each fitting lasting no more than an hour. During these final fittings, any last-minute adjustments are made, the hem is checked, and the bustle is decided. Please make sure to have your exact wedding shoes and any undergarments by the first fitting.
There is usually some sewing that needs to be completed after the fittings. But once the sewing from the last fitting is done, that’s it! Your custom bridal look is ready! All that’s left is for the wedding day to arrive!
Additional Important Notes
Balances Due
The remaining balance for your custom design is due by your first final fitting. Or, if you are having your completed look shipped to you to have alterations done by an independent seamstress near you, the balance is due before your custom bridal design ships out.
After the remaining balance is paid, there may still be an additional balance due to Edith Élan for the bustle or any accessories added. Bustles vary from dress to dress, and with the preferences of each nearlywed, which is why the cost of a bustle cannot be predetermined before the final fittings.
Independent Seamstress for Alterations
If you have chosen a seamstress/tailor/alterations specialist near you to do the final fittings, then your completed look will be shipped to you after the remaining balance is paid.
Anyone with a business who specializes in bridal alterations is a separate business from Edith Élan. Edith Élan is not responsible for the work or cost of seamstresses/tailors/alteration specialists. It is recommended that you do your own research before booking your alterations appointment. Appointments are required for any alterations.
Alteration costs will vary and will be determined by each seamstress/tailor/alterations specialist and by the work needed. A typical range is $300–$1,400. This is an estimate, and your alteration costs might be higher or lower depending on your garment and the alterations needed.
Your first fitting should be approximately 3 months from your wear date. Remember to have your exact wedding shoes and any undergarments by the first fitting.
Ready to Start the Custom Bridal Design Process?
To find out how many commission spots are available, read additional FAQs, or submit the request form to start the process, head to our “Custom” page.
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