If you’re tired of scrolling endlessly through Instagram, or are suddenly feeling all pinned-out from Pinterest, sometimes there’s no better way to get inspired for your big day but with a real life bride…
Real life Kate Edmondson bride, Anneka Holden had an exotic beach wedding planned in Zanzibar and, having met Kate and discussed designs, she knew Kate Edmondson was the bridal powerhouse to design her gown.
I caught up with Anneka to talk everything from the bespoke dress journey to how she discovered this incredible designer…
#1 When you started the wedding dress hunt, did you have a specific style in mind or were you open minded?
“There were several styles that I was initially drawn to, but after discussions with Kate it soon became clear that I kept coming back to the same silhouette.”
#2 What mediums did you use for inspiration? Magazines? Pinterest?
“Mostly Pinterest.”
#3 How did you come across the beautiful designs of Kate Edmondson?
“I found out about Kate Edmondson through searching for local designers online and looking through her designs on her webpage.”
#4 Did you always know you wanted a bespoke wedding dress? Or is this something you realised as you progressed through the wedding dress journey?
“I realised pretty quickly that I wanted a bespoke wedding dress. My mum and I had gone to a local wedding dress shop together and although the dresses were lovely they just weren’t for me and just wouldn’t work for a beach wedding in Zanzibar.”
#5 Talk to us about the bespoke Kate Edmondson Bridal Couture service. What did this entail? How did you share your ideas when it came to your wedding dress design?
“I first met with Kate over a year before our wedding day, with a few ideas gathered on a Pinterest board. During this first meeting we spent the time talking through my partner and I’s overall ideas for the wedding day – including the location, our preferences etc. – as well as the kind of wedding dresses I was drawn to. I was struck by how Kate so thoughtfully and attentively listened, and I came away from that first meeting knowing that she would design me the dress that I wanted.”
“Because we had plenty of time, we had the opportunity to visit some designer bridal stores together so that I could try on different styles of dresses to help further refine what would work best for me and in what fabric. Kate then came up with three beautiful dress designs. All three were stunning! After deciding on the design I liked the best, Kate then invited me to visit her fabric supplier with her to decide on fabrics. This was such a fun experience and, with her guidance, really helped me to make up my mind on the final fabric and to feel confident in this decision.”
“It was then time for the calico toile fittings. I absolutely loved this process, as I gradually got to see the dress that I had envisaged in my mind come to life. This process also allowed all of those final little tweaks to be made before the final dress was made in silk. In fact, I loved the process so much that it was at this stage that I decided to commission a second dress with Kate for my registry office ceremony!”
#6 How many fittings and appointments did you have?
“Overall, I think I had about 10 or so appointments over the course of the year.”
#7 Was it the bridal dress experience you always wanted?
“Kate not only made the perfect wedding dresses for me, but she also made the whole process from dress design to final fitting incredibly special. I felt totally involved at every stage and it was such a pleasure getting to know and spend time with Kate; it was like spending time with an old friend. It really was more than I could have ever wished for.”
#8 How did you feel in your final wedding dress fitting?
“I felt quite overwhelmed actually; after months of seeing the dress gradually come to life, from ideas to sketches, from toile to silk, to then be stood at the end of that process, wearing the completed dress felt truly incredible.”
#9 What was it like to wear a Kate Edmondson Bridal Couture gown on your wedding day?
“I don’t think I have the words to be able to fully express just how wonderful I felt on my wedding day to be wearing such a beautiful gown.”
#10 Would you recommend the Kate Edmondson Bridal Couture to other brides?
“Without hesitation, I would recommend any bride-to-be who is interested in having a bespoke wedding dress to go to Kate Edmondson Bridal Couture.”
A huge thank you to Anneka for kindly sharing her wedding dress experience and beautiful images with us.
Photography by A’isha Gothey | @ASH.GOTHEY
Discover more about Kate Edmondson Bridal Couture and her bespoke bridal service here.
Get even more real life bride dress inspiration on Bridal Editor here.
