Say YES to the dress!
Being in the business of occasion wear we’ve seen all sorts of weddings. Traditional weddings, alternative weddings, vintage, natural, nautical, musical; be it bespoke or boho, you name it – we’ve seen it. So when Heidi’s own sister announced her engagement, as you can imagine, there was great excitement! We join Heidi as she recounts the process of designing the wedding dress, the bridesmaids’ dresses, her own mother’s dress, and even the flower girl’s dresses for her sister’s big day!
The Proposal
When my sister, Misty asked me to design her wedding dress it was hard to imagine working without colour as it's always a starting point when I'm designing new collections! However we had great fun working out the final design together and it gave me a new approach to my design process!
The Client
Misty was, predictably, as cool as they come throughout the entire process. Even when I was sticking pins in her! That tranquillity and quiet confidence really went on to define the style of her dress. I knew going in that she wanted something contemporary; something with personality and impact - much like the bride herself. The asymmetrical hem spirals from thigh to ankle, while the confident cut says 'sophisticated' but still fun.
The Process
Style sessions in my own boutique are one of my favourite parts of the job so having my family suddenly migrate into that space was equal parts familiar and totally new.
The whole ambitious endeavour would have been impossible without my team. Some very clever hands worked very, very hard and I’m grateful knowing what incredible talent I have working alongside me! I’m reminded on a daily basis what superb seamstresses I work with and the care and craftsmanship they lovingly poured into every stitch for me and my family will be something I'll treasure forever.
The Final Pieces
When the big day came all eyes were, rightfully, on Misty. I can’t overstate how proud of her I am and how grateful I am I could do this for her. If I had any advice for families going through the wedding process it's to savour the run up to the big day as much as possible - the shopping trips, the hen parties, the girls' days - the day itself will go by so fast!
The bridesmaid dresses are a navy variant of our own ‘Erin’ dress while my mother chose to wear the powder blue ‘Lux’ dress for the big day. I often get asked about bridesmaid dresses as it can be hard to suit so many shapes and sizes with a single style but the 'Erin' dress was a perfect choice. Featuring great coverage in the sleeves and a lovely layered skirt for maximum movement and complete comfort; Deirdre and I really enjoyed wearing this style!
As you can see a few other Heidi Higgins dresses appeared on the day as well! The boutique became a flurry of activity in the run up to the wedding with family and friends seeking dresses of their own for the big day. You can see my fab cousin Sasha and her mother Pat wearing their ‘Erin’ and ‘Lorna’ dresses from the new collection!
On a final note; It’s always heartening to see two people so deserving of happiness find it in each other.
Congratulations you two.
Heidi xx
P.S. An extra special thanks to everyone who made this big day sparkle including Inache Portlaoise, Zenn Beauty, Bankz Hair and Beauty, Patrick Ryan Photography, Castle Durrow, Floral Essence, Charlotte Mills, and MoMuse!