10 Tips for Sewing Your Own Wedding Dress

Choosing the Pattern and Design that Suits Your Body Type

Sewing Your Own Wedding Dress

Let’s be real. All bride-to-be’s see this beautiful dress with such a sophisticated design and we imagine we can wear it for the big day. But no! Wedding dresses are really pretty, but not everybody can wear all designs that we see. So if you are going to make your own wedding dress, consider your body type. A tight-hugging wedding dress might not look good on you, so you can opt for another design that flatters your shape and in which you can easily move around and not have trouble dancing during your wedding party.

For more tips to make your style match your figure, please check out the linked post.

Be Realistic: The Simpler, the Better

Sewing Your Own Wedding Dress

If you are going to make your own wedding dress, choose a simple yet elegant design. You must anticipate the activities that will come your way before the wedding day. So choose a design that you are you can finish at least 2 weeks before your big day.

Consider Your Wedding Location and Probable Weather On Your Wedding Day

Sewing Your Own Wedding Dress

Are you getting married on a beach? Or in a garden? Consider your wedding location and probable weather during the wedding day. Plan ahead, check the location to suit your dress’ length, design, and fabric. This keeps you from being stressed and uncomfortable in what you wear. Your wedding is a special day, so you better be all smiles the whole day.

Choose the Best Bridal Fabric

Sewing Your Own Wedding Dress

You will be the one wearing the dress you are going to sew, and your wedding day would be a long one. After the ceremonies, dining, and party after that, you got to be super comfortable in what you wear. And the fabric that you choose for your dress would be a big factor to its comfort. Bear in mind that you are going to sew the wedding dress so you have to make sure that the fabric is easy to handle, durable, and light enough to give your dress that elegant look.

Have Several Sketches of Your Wedding Dress

Sewing Your Own Wedding Dress

Don’t stick to just one dress sketch. Experiment in every angle of the dress and consider everything that would make your sewing easy and stress-free. Also, having several dress sketches allows you to draw different changes on different sketches so as not to confuse you when you decide to make it final.

Create a Muslin Mock-up

You don’t want to cut your precious wedding dress fabric the wrong way. To prevent this, you must create a muslin mock-up dress so you can “fit and test” the dress and do adjustments. It is always wise to not cut your fabric right away because remember, you have invested in buying that for your wedding dress. So a “trial dress” or popularly known as muslin mockup dress is always a good idea.

Consider Using Embellishments

A simple wedding dress doesn’t mean it has to be “plainly boring” Consider using some embellishments on some parts of the dress. See to it that the embellishments suit your dress design and it doesn’t ruin the fabric for your dress. Beware of embellishments that irritate your skin when you rub yourself into it. You wouldn’t like a red scratch on your arm or leg on your very special day.

Compare Material Costs

Sewing Your Own Wedding Dress

You decided to sew your own wedding dress because of many reasons.

Some of the reasons might be:

  1. You really want to do it yourself
  2. You are an expert in doing it
  3. You are on a tight budget

If you are sewing your own wedding dress because of the 3rd reason, might as well compare costs wisely. Do not just go inside a textile store or in a mall and immediately buy the first item you see. Try to look around and compare costs according to your chosen designs. It is very helpful to write down the different costs of the materials per store that you visit so that when it is time to decide, you have a reference for doing so.

Decide on Any Changes

sewing your own wedding dress

If you have finished the muslin mock-up dress, fit it and look at yourself carefully in the mirror from all angles. If you want to change something, whether it’s something in the design or the size, or the length of the dress, write all your ideas down and decide what you really want to see in your final wedding dress.

Timing

Sewing Your Own Wedding Dress

Even if you have given yourself a lot of time allowance to finish the dress, you must be ahead of it to avoid stress. Always stick to your timeline in sewing the dress and placing the embellishments, if any. It is always helpful to have a checklist along with the date that you plan to do it. Never, never trust the feeling that your wedding day is too far or the feeling that you only have to do finishing touches to your wedding dress. You will never know what might happen so better yet, be always on time, if not ahead of your sewing schedule.


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Audrey

I am in the beginning stages of planning and sewing my mother of the groom dress. Many of the tips in this article apply to the process I am using. My mother made by bridal suit and I still have it and treasure it.

Linda Garcia
Linda Garcia

I have made several wedding dresses over the years. My tip is to make sure that you have lined your dress. Perhaps ever under-lining and lining. Satin and other bridal fabrics are weak and need the support of the lining and under-lining to hold up for the job they were intended.

Suzanne
Suzanne

Many years ago, I made my own wedding dress. Mom started teaching me to sew when I was a little girl so it was no big deal to me. It was a simple design, it turned out beautifully and I loved it. Years later, my daughter asked me to make her wedding gown. As I had already made a couple of prom gowns for her, I agreed because I was familiar with her size and taste. But holy cow – she became a little bit of a bridezilla and was VERY specific about what she wanted. I ended up making a gown with Alencon lace sleeves, a satin bodice with a sweetheart neckline overlaid with Alencon lace. And it had to be beaded with a zillion pearls and crystals – sheesh! That was a job! At least the skirt was a simple ballgown style with a modest train and only a few embellishments. I was working a full-time career at the time and thought I’d be smart about it so I started 6 months prior to the wedding. Boy, am I glad I did because it took the entire 6 months and my mother and I ended up together, stitching the hem, the night before the wedding. (Oh yes, I made her veil too.) But it was lovely and she looked exquisite so I’m immensely glad I put in the effort, it was a labor of love.
Just as an aside, we spent about $500 on materials, which was much less than any of the gowns she tried on prior to asking me to make it.
Then about a year later one of my daughter’s best friends asked me to make her wedding gown. I had a soft spot in my heart for this kid (still do) so I said yes because she wanted nothing more than a simple brocade sheath with a peplum. It was an elegant gown and I’m glad I made that one too, but NEVER AGAIN! I’m too old for that kind of stress.
So if you’re planning to make a wedding gown for someone, make sure you know up front exactly what she wants and start sooner that you think you should!

Mayra Cecilia
Admin
Noble Member
Reply to  Suzanne

I hope many many women read this comment, these words are not only of wisdom but experience.

Isabella
Isabella

I got married less than 2 years ago. When I was looking for a dress, I apparently had an expensive taste….and no dress was available that combined my favorite features and matched my body shape (short, but with wide shoulders and narrow hips). Even though it was 25 years ago that I had learned sewing from my grandmother, I gave it a try. Many people discouraged me to make my dress myself, so I did not tell until the wedding.The result matched my personality perfectly and costed less than 150 euros, instead of 2000. And it was far more comfortable than the dresses I tried on in the store.
Concluding: if you have problems finding a flattering and comfortable dress due to your body shape, or you have special desires (like an unusual color), consider making your dress yourself. You can order lace, sew-on rhinestones and nice fabric online, so you have a huge choice. In fact, that might become a problem in itself ;). And don´t let yourself be discouraged, it can be great fun to work on! And the day itself goes so quickly, why not enjoy that dress a bit longer?
But whatever you wear, bought or made yourself, wear something you are happy to wear. Your happiness makes you your most beautiful you. I am aware that this might be a saying colored by my nationality, but: this is the very day that is all about you and your love, so you can shape it according to your taste! And that also goes for the dress ;).

Mayra Cecilia
Admin
Noble Member
Reply to  Isabella

I agree with every single word you said.

Kathy
Kathy

I also made my wedding dress, I had been making my own clothes for several years when I made mine so it wasn’t a big deal to me, I never considered buying a dress.
My granddaughter bought her wedding dress but it needed alterations. They were going to charge her $300 to make a couple of simple alterations. She brought it to me and I had it fixed in less than an hour. So even if you aren’t comfortable making your dress from scratch, consider doing your own alterations!

Mayra Cecilia
Admin
Noble Member
Reply to  Kathy

Indeed!

Linda
Linda

40+ years ago when I got engaged, I bought a sewing machine and made my own wedding gown… out of poly cotton which had a satiny strip in it and was semi sheer. Lined it with plain polycotton broadcloth. Paid about $30 – including the veiling which I bought twice since my first choice was not appropriate. I hemstitched three stripes in the long sleeves and finished the sleeve with a ruffle. Was very pretty and I got a lot of compliments. Bridesmaids wore a similar gown out of a polycotton print, sleeveless with a matching elbow length capelet. Lined them with pink polycotton. Looked just fine and their dresses were reworn at least twice. I figured the marriage was more important than the wedding and reception.

Diana Tozer
Diana Tozer
Reply to  Linda

Sounds a gorgeous dress. I’m planning to make a cotton wedding dress as I always loved the Laura Ashley look.

Julie Martin
Julie Martin

If you can do it – absolutely do <3 I am far from a professional but love to sew when we got engaged in 1995(after pricing wedding gowns) I said I am not paying that for a dress that I am only going to wear 3 hours – I can make my own! Went t the fabric store found a nice pattern bought all of my fabric and notions – spent right around $100. Had it all done in about a month. It looked great – I was so proud of it and it still fits 😉

Elizabeth Kirkeide
Elizabeth Kirkeide

Good advice, If you decide this is too much many bridesmaids dresses come in bride dress colors and make beautiful wedding gowns.