Creating Wedding Gown Lace: A Step-By-Step Guide

Lace has long been considered a traditional material for wedding dresses, with its delicate and feminine qualities. Creating a wedding gown with lace involves a lot of labour and craftsmanship. The process includes consultations, design finalisation, production edits, and shipment. It is important to consider the style, budget, timeline, comfort, and designer's expertise when creating a custom lace wedding dress. Additionally, accessorising a lace wedding dress is about balancing the intricate details of the lace with complementary accessories that enhance the bridal look.

Choosing the right type of lace

Consider the Style and Silhouette of Your Dress

The style and silhouette of your wedding gown will play a significant role in choosing the right type of lace. If your dress is heavily detailed with lace, opt for a simpler lace pattern to avoid an overwhelming look. Conversely, if your dress has subtle lace accents, you have the freedom to choose a more intricate lace design.

Think About the Level of Detail You Want

Lace can add visual interest and dimension to your wedding gown. If you're looking for a gown with intricate details, consider lace with layered lace appliqués, bold corded laces, or delicate Chantilly laces. These lace types can enhance other fabrics like satin, crepe, or tulle and give your dress a regal and elevated look.

Match the Lace to Your Theme and Personality

Consider your wedding theme and personality when selecting the lace. For instance, if you're going for a modern and minimalist wedding, a sleek and simple lace pattern with clean lines will complement the contemporary aesthetic. On the other hand, if you're leaning towards a romantic and classical theme, a more ornate lace with delicate patterns or intricate beading might be ideal.

Pay Attention to the Colour and Texture of the Lace

The colour and texture of the lace can significantly impact the overall look of your wedding gown. Off-white or ivory-coloured laces with more texture often create a vintage or classic feel. In contrast, a crisp white lace with clear-cut details can give your dress a modern and sophisticated appeal.

Factor in Your Veil and Jewellery

Your wedding veil and jewellery will also contain lace elements, so it's essential to consider how they will complement the lace in your gown. Try to match the lace patterns in your veil and accessories to create a cohesive and well-put-together bridal look.

Emphasise Quality Over Quantity

Remember, a small amount of handmade or unique lace can go a long way. Even just a few intricate lace details on your wedding dress can make it look luxurious and elegant. So, when choosing your lace, prioritise quality and the distinct characteristics of the lace over quantity.

• Alençon Lace: A fine needlepoint lace from France, often featuring floral designs and a fine cording outline.
• Chantilly Lace: Delicate French lace with fine, detailed designs on a lightweight hexagonal mesh.
• Guipure Lace/Venise Lace: A bold, raised lace with an open design and thick borders, perfect for regal brides.
• Schiffli Lace: Machine-made lace created using a dissolvable backing, often used for edging and trimming.
• Point D'Esprit: Lightweight lace with woven dots, ideal for an airy, bohemian, or minimalist look.
• Embroidered Lace: Vivid and distinctive, often stitched onto an illusion base, allowing for unique and creative designs.
• Honiton Lace: Handmade bobbin lace from England, a classic choice known for its beauty and intricate repeating motifs.

Creating a pattern and cutting the lace

To create the pattern for the lace sleeves, start by drawing a straight line on Kraft paper that is 36" in length. Divide the line into a 15" front and 21" back to obtain the centre shoulder line. From the centre shoulder point, measure up 18" to get the sleeve length. Now, draw a curved line that gradually curves up from the back straight line to the 18" mark and then curves down to the front. This will be the basic pattern for the sleeve.

Cutting the lace sleeve requires precision. Carefully cut the sleeve out of the lace fabric, ensuring that you keep the lace edging intact as much as possible along the outside curve. It is important to maintain the integrity of the lace pattern and avoid any unnecessary cuts or snips.

Once the basic sleeve shape is cut out, it's time to add some extra lace motifs. Cut out approximately 25 additional lace motifs in various sizes, trimming the outside netting. These motifs will be used to blend and enhance the sleeve edges. Arrange them along the sleeve edges, overlapping them if needed to create a seamless look.

With the pattern created and the lace cut and prepared, you are now ready to move on to the next step of sewing the lace sleeve onto the wedding gown.

Remember to take your time and work carefully when creating the pattern and cutting the lace. It is important to ensure that your measurements are accurate and that you cut the lace neatly to maintain the beauty and elegance of your wedding gown lace sleeves.

Stitching the lace to the gown

Once you have the lace ready for your wedding gown, it's time to stitch it onto the dress. Here is a detailed guide on how to do this:

Before placing the lace sleeves onto the gown, ensure the gown itself is complete. This will make it easier to work with and help you achieve a neater finish.

First, prepare the lace sleeves. Draw a straight 36" line on Kraft paper. Divide this line into a 15" front and 21" back to obtain the center shoulder line. From this point, measure up 18" to get the length of the sleeve. Draw a curved line that gradually goes up from the back straight line to the 18" mark, then curve it down to the front. Cut out this shape, keeping the lace edging intact as much as possible along the outside curve.

Next, cut out about 25 extra lace motifs, both large and small, trimming the outside netting. Arrange these motifs to blend into the lace on the sleeve edges, allowing them to overlap if necessary.

Now, it's time to start stitching. Thread your sewing machine with clear thread, and set the tensions as loose as possible to maintain a nice stitch. Set your stitch width to a small zigzag and the stitch length to normal. Stitch along the edges of the lace to connect the motifs to the sleeve lace. By adding motifs to the raw edges of the lace, they will blend in, and the stitching will become invisible.

To attach the lace sleeve to the gown, place it at the center mark on the center shoulder line. Turn under the seam allowance and pin it in place. For the back sleeve, measure 5" from the center back waist and use this as a direction point. Start at the shoulder line, turning under the seam allowance, and pin it to the bodice as you work your way down towards the waist. There should be approximately 7" left to hang free over the waist.

For the front sleeve, use the armhole as a guide. Pin it, turning under the 3/8" seam. Start at the center shoulder and pin to the deepest curve of the armhole, then pin straight down to the empire waist. Approximately 2" of lace should be left to hang free.

Finally, use the clear thread to topstitch the lace sleeve to the dress. When sewing with clear thread, use a small zigzag stitch to make the seams almost invisible over the lace motifs. To prevent the clear thread from breaking while sewing, loosen the top and bobbin tension slightly.

Adding accessories

When it comes to adding accessories to your wedding gown lace, there are several ways to go about it. Here are some tips to help you achieve a cohesive and beautiful bridal look:

Mimic Lace Patterns

The lace fabric in your gown likely has intricate details, including repeated curves or lines that form distinctive patterns. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by these details, look for any clear patterns or shapes that stand out to you, such as scalloped details, eyelash edging, or floral or leaf motifs. Then, choose accessories that mimic or accentuate these details. For example, if your dress has floral patterns, select a hairpiece with similar-shaped flowers. The same can be done with leaf patterns or geometric shapes.

Contrast with Pearls

A timeless and classic way to accessorise a lace wedding gown is to pair it with pearls. While a pearl necklace is a traditional choice, you can also incorporate pearls in other ways, such as a modern pearl wedding veil, a pearl bridal headpiece, or pearl drop earrings. Pearls scattered across a veil will add a touch of whimsy and contemporary appeal to your look.

Add Floral Details

Floral details can add a chic touch to your lace wedding gown. The natural beauty of florals instantly adds dimension to flat lace patterns, creating a seamless extension of the fabric. You can incorporate florals through statement earrings, hand-beaded flower details on a veil, or fresh flowers pinned into your hair.

Pair Lace with Lace

When it comes to matching lace with lace, it's not necessary to find an exact match, but it's important to ensure that the colours are complementary and the aesthetics align. If your dress has heavy lace, contrast it with a similar pattern in a smaller or lighter format. If your lace pattern is heavily floral or leaf-based, bring these motifs into your veil with embellished motifs.

Choose a Raw Edge Veil

A raw edge veil with its simplicity and clean lines will allow your lace wedding gown to be the focal point. If your veil is devoid of details or embellishments, its silhouette becomes crucial. Depending on the cut, it can either elongate your silhouette or draw attention to specific features, such as the natural waistline or the flare of the train.

Add Sparkle with Crystal Details

Crystals, similar to pearls, pair beautifully with lace. Adding crystal details to your wedding veil, headpiece, or drop earrings will infuse your bridal look with infinite elegance and shimmer. Whether you opt for a crystal-embellished veil, headpiece, or jewellery, it will undoubtedly add a luxurious finish to your ensemble.

Final alterations

The final fitting should take place one to two weeks before the wedding, as your body is unlikely to change much after this point. The first fitting will typically last one hour, as the tailor begins to assess the dress and the alterations needed. Subsequent fittings should be shorter, as the dress gets closer to the perfect fit.

During the final fitting, the seamstress will fine-tune the dress to ensure it is perfect. This may include last-minute modifications to the bust, waist, hips, straps, sleeves, train, and buttons. They may also add lace, beading, or other custom details. It is important to bring your wedding shoes and undergarments to this fitting, to ensure the perfect fit.

The cost of alterations will depend on what needs to be done, but expect to spend anywhere from $50 to $1,000. Some salons charge per service, while others charge a flat fee. Design changes can also cost anywhere from $50 to a few hundred dollars.

After the final fitting, your dress will be ready to wear on your wedding day!

Frequently asked questions