I make a bride feel beautiful: Shropshire wedding dress maker and her dreamy designs

For designer Hannah Wilkins-Webb her wedding dresses are like works of art. “I like creating something really beautiful and making someone feel really special and happy,” she tells Weekend.

Many brides have long imagined how they will look on their wedding day but for others trying to find their dream gown can be more than a little daunting.

But 28-year-old Hannah aims to take the stress out of the experience and make it as memorable as possible for the women who seek out her help.

From her studio in Much Wenlock, she designs and creates bespoke bridal gowns, evening and occasion wear using an array of materials from pure silks to fine laces.

“When you go to a wedding dress shop, you’re faced with lots of beautiful dresses but the next woman to come into the shop could pick exactly the same dress as you.

“Your choice is limited to the dresses they have in the shop and the designs they have chosen to stock. You might pick something but a lot of the time it doesn’t fit perfectly and you might wish something was different about it. It’s just not quite right because it’s not been made to fit your exact body shape.

“But the wonderful thing about bespoke is it’s made to everyone’s individual tastes and measurements. I make sure the design suits them and flatters them and they are involved in the whole process,” Hannah says. The former Shrewsbury High School pupil graduated with a first class degree in fashion design from Birmingham City University and started her business six months later.

During her studies she completed work placements at Birmingham Royal Ballet and Shakespeare’s Globe theatre in London, giving her hands-on experience.

But she realised there would be little scope to make costumes from scratch in the performance industry because companies keep costs down by reusing garments as much as they can.

“There is a lot of mending and altering because they are expensive to make in the first place so a lot of tweaking goes on. There are not many opportunities to design something from the start.

“I’ve always loved making and I’m very interested in art and couture so wedding dresses seemed a natural progression because it’s an opportunity to make something custom-fitted and unique, “ explains Hannah.

Customers can see their dress come to life in her studio from the initial consultation where Hannah gets a feel for their wedding day vision through to the customer seeing themselves for the first time in their completed gown.

“Some people have never tried on a dress in a shop before and then you get lots of people who have tried on lots of dresses. They will bring photos of dresses and styles they like. I find Pinterest really useful because it allows me to see what they are thinking as it’s sometimes hard for people to say what they are thinking of.

“A lot of people know what they want, they just don’t realise it. But I can look at the pictures and see that they’ve picked out all fishtail dresses for example so I know that’s the look they like even if they haven’t told me.

“I also ask about the wedding venue as that plays a part in the design because you don’t want the dress to look out of place with the surroundings,” she tells us.

After taking a customer’s measurements, she begins by making a cotton toilé, which she uses to tweak and perfect the finished design.

This will then be fitted and pinned, making sure it’s always tailored to their body shape, and details can be drawn on to the material to give the bride an idea of how it will eventually look. Then it’s time to cut and sew the silk before the embellishments are hand-sewn on to the dress.

“I love adding the details, this is what brings the design together and makes it beautiful. It’s not just a dress, it’s like a work of art. I love hand-sewing and adding the embellishments. It can involve hours of work, you can spend all day working sometimes and not really see what you’ve done, but when it’s finished and you can see the whole design, it’s very satisfying,” Hannah says. She’s not afraid to be honest if she feels she needs to be. “If I don’t think a style suits someone, I’m not going to tell them it does because then they aren’t going to be happy.

“Sometimes women will go looking at dresses with their friends who may not be entirely honest because they don’t want to hurt their feelings.

“But I think it’s important to be honest, this is my business so I want to make sure my customers are happy, but I also want them to feel good in what they are wearing,” she says.

In the six years she has been running her business, Hannah says she has never replicated a design.

“Two women may chose the same lace but the design and style of the dress will be very different. People choose bespoke because they want something unique that no one else has.

“I’ve made lots of different styles of dress. I’ve made a three-piece dress and a black wedding dress, which was unusual but it worked for her because she had striking red hair. I’ve also made mother of the bride outfits and dresses for bridesmaids and flower girls,” Hannah explains.

The nature of her work means she has to stay organised because she is often working on more than one commission and needs to stay on top of what needs to be done in time for the big day.

“Ideally, I like at least three months’ notice because I’ll be working on more than one dress at a time and it’s only fair to my other customers. Sometimes brides will book an appointment one or two years in advance because they want to know it’s sorted early,” Hannah says.

She also stays on top of current wedding trends and believes there are a number of options that Meghan Markle might pick for her wedding to Prince Harry today.

“Last year, there were a lot of pastel colours, nude pinks and ice blues. The vintage look was very popular. Now it’s ivories and a lot of sea pearl colours which let you see more of the detail of the dress. After Kate Middleton’s wedding, sleeves came back in fashion and they are still popular now.

“Simple elegant designs are very prominent at the moment, with a less-is-more approach, simple A-lines with a touch of lace to none at all, draped or fitted at the top without the structure of a boned bodice.

“Two pieces are very in – combining tops and skirts or wide legged trousers for a more low-key yet sophisticated style.

“On the other hand you still have the more is more approach, more structured fuller wedding gowns adorned with lace and embellishments.

“Designs that have a combination of colour tones are also really prominent, using ivory/white lace with a nude coloured silk, pale blush tones or other soft pastel colours.

“As to what Meghan might wear, I think we will all be guessing until the big day. She might play it safe with a more traditional wedding gown, princess line with a full overlay of lace and long train.

“If she went with this style I don’t think she will go for full length lace sleeves like Kate as it would be seen as too similar. Although as we have seen in the past her style suggests she prefers trousers and shirts to more feminine dresses. I would not be surprised to see her in no or little lace, a stunning light ivory wedding dress with full attention to the shape and sharpness of style, with train but not excessively long. Fitted at the top and either a more fitted A-line or a soft graduating fishtail,” the designer says.

Above everything else Hannah believes her job is done when a bride looks in the mirror wearing her dream wedding gown and smiles. “It’s all about making them feel confident and special on their big day.”

See www.hannahwilkinswebb.com