3 Tips for a 2-piece Wedding Dress

March 30, 2021 Sarah Foy

If you know me at all, you know I love a change up when it comes to a wedding dress. The day is long and has many different elements to it. You want a classic elegant look for the ceremony, you want to boogie the night away or go full Hollywood glam for the evening party.

The best way to get what you want is to work with separates for your wedding, mixing tops and skirts, clip on trains, jackets and cape styles. Put simply, you can mix and match your wedding outfit to create the dream dress for throughout your day

Here are my top three tips when you are working with separates for your wedding

My amazing bride Geraldine rocking her separates . Photo by In Love Photography

Tip 1

How do you want to feel? Bear with me here, I know it sounds a little crazy but how would you like to feel at your first reveal, how do you want to feel at the cocktail reception and what about that night? Do you want to be more relaxed, to be able to sit or dance comfortably and chat with your guests?

This may sound very simple, but it can really help you to decide what you would like built into your outfit. Maybe that looks like a clip-on train to give a regal effect during the ceremony. Then underneath is a simple more red-carpet style skirt for a more glamourous evening look.

Clip on train on our bride Kate. Photo by Christina Brosnan

Tip 2

I am big into balance when it comes to planning out your wedding dress. And it is no different for wedding separates- in fact it can be easier to play with proportions when you can mix and match your look. For example, you want a beautiful full skirt with a high low hem and side pockets then your top needs to be fitted to balance the proportions. You want big dramatic sleeves? Then pair this with a more fitted skirt.

Skirt, cami and jacket combination at Sarah Foy Couture. Photo By Butterfly Wedding Photography

Tip 3

Assess your look 365dgrees around – I know, another mad notion but on your day, people will be looking at you from every angle. Make sure everything works well together all the way around your outfit. The side silhouette often gets missed, a small armhole detail can really help here or a hint of lace at the side seam. Ask yourself, do all the elements of the pieces blend and sit well together? Like a jigsaw all the pieces need to fit together even when you move, sit and dance through your day.

geraldine and stephen Marlfield (675 of 739) 2.jpg

Separates is a fun exciting option for your wedding plus you have the added bonus of reworking some elements for your dress for day two or anniversary dinner. So have fun and dream up the perfect combination for your perfect day and of course have fun!

Looking for more two-piece ideas for your wedding? I have a board dedicated to it over on my Pinterest

A big thank you for our brides that so kindly shared their wedding day pictures with us today. The separates queen’s!

Our Bridal Muse Julieann

March 23, 2021 Sarah Foy

Their smile says it all. After months of uncertainty and crossing of fingers it is so lovely to see this wedding going ahead. I love how it’s the little added details that make this dress a show stopper – the bow detail on the strap, the petal detailed veil and of course you know I love a change up so Julieann’s request for an over skirt was music to my ears.

What is your best memory of your wedding day?

For us both it was ‘The First Reveal’. Seeing each other for the first time in our wedding attire, to chatting about our mornings (mine mostly around hair/makeup and champagne. My husbands about how he won the game of golf he played with his dad and brother) was just so special. It made for an incredible time, just so precious just he and I, to really soak up the day we had been planning together for so long.

All our photos are of us laughing, the happiness of the day just beaming through. If any brides are considering a First Reveal/First Look I would say go for it. It made us both so relaxed, after the first reveal Stephen went off to greet guests at the cocktail hour and I went back to the bridal suite to do any final touches and to remove my outer skirt for the ceremony that was happening in the orangery, we were both so relaxed and really excited for the day.

What is your advice to a bride to be?

Planning a wedding can be so stressful (especially in a pandemic). There are lots of details to finalise, lots of voices with good intentions. But I think my one piece of advice to brides planning their special day would be to trust your suppliers. Lots of research goes into researching/ shortlisting and choosing all your key suppliers. My mantra on it was, I have chosen these suppliers because I love their work and they are the experts in their field so I explained what I wanted/ vibes/ details (including mood boards in most cases) and then just had to trust that on the day they would deliver and they did. These suppliers live and breath weddings and know the best angles/ lights/ colours/ details. So sit back and relax and enjoy your day

What was your biggest worry about getting your dress made?

Before Sarah and I started working together on my bridal vision I had done lots of shopping around in many bridal boutiques around the country and there were lots of different elements that I loved but none that I couldn’t leave the shop without. So when Sarah and I starting working together I had lots of images/ vibes/ visions that to me looked like a big mess but within our first meeting Sarah had identified themes within my mood board that I hadn’t been able to decipher myself (again back to trusting the experts). So my original fear was that all my jumbled images and thoughts wouldn’t end up being what I imagined/ wanted but within my first meeting with Sarah I felt confident we would end up with a dress that was even beyond my wildest dreams

What part of the process of having your dress made was most fun for you?

I really enjoyed the whole experience of getting my dress made. But I think my favourite part was playing around with ideas and fabrics. Throughout the process Sarah and I discussed all the different elements from the main dress elements; fabrics/ colours/ belt sizes and material/ bow shapes, sizes and material. And then the extras so Sarah created for me the most beautiful petal over-skirt and petal veil. Together we discussed the petal shapes/ positioning/ how they worked together or apart/ how they worked with the main dress. It made the whole experience less daunting because we had choices on all elements and seeing how Sarah brought it all together was so much fun and I looked forward to every appointment to see the process made from the last appointment and to discuss next steps.

What a wedding to be able to share. If pandemic weddings look like these beautiful, joyful days then I can live with that. A big thank you to Julieann for sharing her day with us and for trusting me to create her dream dress.

If you have any questions about getting your dream dress created by me , drop me a line at info@sarahfoycouture.com

Julieannes Dream team

Weddings By Kara Photographers

BandG Wedding Videographers

MRS Make Up

Lou Merryweather Hair

Flowers- Frog Prince

Venue Tankardstown House

Shimmering Beauty

June 8, 2020 Sarah Foy

Yippeee! I am back seeing brides this week. I can’t wait to see, chat and fit dresses again. I am so lucky to design unique dresses for my brides. I love how every dress is different and that every bride gets to have a dress that is tailor made for their style, shape and personality. Todays bridal muse Ciara was meant to wear a fully beaded sea green dress and when I see these photos I couldn’t imagine her in anything else. Thank you Ciara for the fun chats and for sharing your day with us .

Whats your best memory of the big day?

We hired the band tropical storm for the drinks reception and start of the meal. They are a 3 piece Filipino band and go around to different people and take requests of songs. One table requested Sweet Caroline and the room exploded. Everyone up on their feet dancing, swinging napkins, holding hands, and this was all before dinner. I turned to Richie and said ‘all of these people are here for us’ and we just had a look around, laughed and got back to singing! It was such a brilliant moment and set the tone for the evening of partying!!

What advice would you give brides planning their wedding?

Where to start! As a make up artist who has been involved in hundreds of weddings, and I’ve also been a bridesmaid five times, I think I know weddings quite well!! Be organised so that you can just enjoy the last few days of lead up without having to run around and get things you could have done weeks ago! Then for the morning of the wedding make things as easy as possible so you can enjoy it. Have people around you that you really want there and have a bit of craic and no stress. Then once you get to the venue enjoy every minute. If something goes wrong laugh it off, there is nothing you can do about it. Enjoy the day, it only happens once and goes by so quickly!

What was the biggest worry about getting your dress made?

I suppose being a curvy girl I just wanted to have a dress that fit me and ‘would do’ I kind of never thought that I could actually feel really amazing in it. But I did. I felt amazing, it was special! It was also so ‘me’. I never once felt pressured to wear a white dress or a veil. I love them on other brides, but it’s not for me. Sarah was brilliant at giving me what I didn’t know I wanted!!

What part of wedding dress process was most fun?

Apart from seeing Sarah and having the craic? Hmm, maybe knowing that my dress was not going to be traditional and every time I saw it I loved it more. I kept thinking of peoples reactions to a green fully jewelled wedding dress and it would make me laugh! I never do anything traditional! I also loved what Sarah did with my mams dress, getting a dress my mam had previously loved and completely reinventing it to a new dress. My mam was so happy with her dress.

It was such a pleasure to design and make this dress for Ciara and what a spectacular day she had. Check out her amazing suppliers.

Ciara’s Dream Team

Photographer; Julie Cummins

Videographer: Keith Malone

Hairdresser: Megan Murphy Hair

Ciara’s rings and earrings: Chupi

Flowers and room decor: Frog Prince

Mother of bride and flower girl hair pieces: Rosemary Keating Design

A Hero's Wedding dream Photographer

May 31, 2020 Sarah Foy

It is the final day of A heroes Wedding Dream competition and who better to talk to today then the lady behind it all. Not only did she rally us all together, she worked incredible hard to get the website up and the competition under way. Today we chat to one lucky frontline works photographer Aoife O’Sullivan.

I’ve been a photographer in one guise or another since graduating from Art College back in 2009 (this is despite my final degree being in sculpture!) . Photography had been a hobby of mine for many years (can’t believe I’m old enough for it to have started out in the dark room!) and when I graduated I moved abroad to San Francisco for a year and landed my first job as a photographer. I haven’t looked back since!

I know it may sounds cheesy but I really do thank my lucky stars every day that I get to do photography as my job, and even more than that, the fact I get to capture weddings – often one of the most important days in people’s lives. I ADORE weddings, they are full of so much happiness and love and I walk way from every single one on a total high. I am there alongside the couple and their families for every single important moment of their day and it really is such an honour.

Covid 19 has hit the whole wedding industry so badly. We have seen many broken hearts and indeed had our own hearts broken many times too. What I can’t get over however is the selflessness, the compassion, and the hope that all my couples and my peers in the industry are showing during this time. I have been very overwhelmed by it all at times and along with the heart ache my heart has soared with pride and happiness. The number of wonderful vendors coming board our A Hero’s Wedding Dream Competition has been a real highlight for me. What started off as a small idea in my head has now grown in to the most amazing giveaway that has far exceeded my wildest dreams. I simply can not wait till we choose and tell our one lucky and deserving winner that they have won. It will be a thank you and recognition from us that they so so deserve . I feel like a huge portion of the country have ridden out Covid -19 in our homes protected by a bubble...but yet there have SO MANY selfless people going out to work and facing it every day. They have been battling to keep us safe, keep us alive & keep us in comfort and this competition really is about saying thank you from the bottom of our hearts to those incredible people who have been working on the frontline throughout.

Honestly my dreams for the future are simple...I just want to get back to doing what I love. I was already eternally grateful for the job I got to do and having to take this forced break from it has given my time to reflect and realise if anything that I appreciate it all the more. How many people can say they get to spend their work days at wedding capturing people’s memories? It’s a job I will never take for granted and really all I want is to go back doing it again and to embrace every love filled, tear filled and gratitude filled second.

Thank you Aoife for sharing with us. Check out and send some love to Aoife O’Sullivan Photography

www.aosphoto.com

instagram @aoifeosphoto

The front-line workers are the people keeping this country running and this is our way to give back. If you work in a grocery shop, if you spend your days on the road delivering all our packages. If you know a nurse, a doctor, anyone helping their community we want to hear their story. Check out www.aherosweddingdream.com.

Keep dreaming

Sarah

A hero's Wedding Dream Hair

May 31, 2020 Sarah Foy

I love designing dresses, but as I always say to my brides you need to think about the whole look. A dress can look beautiful but if you have everything right - the hair, the makeup it can be spectacular. Today I have Hair Maven here to tell a snippet of their story.

I have been in the industry 25 years and love every aspect of hair. I have a loyal salon based clientele as well as being a wedding and editorial hair stylist. I get great joy out of the different aspects of my work and I have been feature in Irish and international publications.

It was Aoife Callaghan who gentle nudged me into the wedding industry and I have not looked back since. It is an honour to be part of a couples wedding day, meeting their families and friends. Helping a bride feel completely amazing on her big day is what I love about being involved in the wedding industry.

My signature look is laid back texture but i’m also a fan of Hollywood and super sleek looks. I want my brides to feel like the best version of themselves for their wedding day. So it is all about the journey from trial to wedding day building a friendship and understanding my bride - it is my favourite part of my job.

Thank you, Michelle, for sharing. Check out and send some love to Hair Maven on social

www.hairmaven.ie

Instagram @hairmaven.ie

Keep dreaming

Sarah

Capturing A Hero's Wedding Dream on Film

May 28, 2020 Sarah Foy

The finally count down is here. A full wedding for a lucky frontline worker. Gifted to them by the best of the best of Irish wedding suppliers. Capturing the day, the memories, the feel of your day is a talent indeed. Vowart are just the guys to bring your day to life time and time again. They tell us their story, their dreams and how they are dealing with Covid -19.

We were always creative, in love with art, music, cinema. Tom on the top of being a music
photographer, played many years in a band, co-started photojournalism agency Uspecto.
Photographed, designed and co-wrote a book, Atlantic Tabor. Nadia studied the history of art, visited every gallery and museum in Europe, is deeply in love with ancient greek culture.
After many non-wedding related but also fun video projects, we decided to film our first
wedding. We loved it, and here we are!

We feel that a couple's love is one of the most extraordinary things in the whole world and that a wedding should reflect the uniqueness of that love.

Whether it's an elopement in the Wicklow Mountains, an intimate wedding on a Cliffs of Moher where no one has been married before, or a cozy backyard ceremony that ends with your favourite people dancing until sunrise, we are always drawn to the raw love stories of couples whose day is genuinely their own.

Like for anyone else from the wedding industry business-wise, it's hard right now, but we are staying positive. The most important thing is to make the whole process of rescheduling/postponing super easy for our couples. At the moment, we probably know our 2021 calendar by heart. But the feedback we are receiving is fantastic, and we can't wait to meet all of our couples next season.

Our big dream is to keep doing what we love, in the years to come be still full of passion and creativity!

Thank you, Tom and Nadia for sharing. Check out and send some love to Vowart on social

www.vowart.ie

Instagram @vowart_wedding_Films

Keep dreaming

Sarah

A Hero's Wedding Celebrant

May 25, 2020 Sarah Foy

We are heading into the final week of the Hero’s Wedding Dream competition. Last chance ladies and gents. We are a group of wedding suppliers gifting a wedding to one lucky frontline worker. Pop over to www.aherosweddingdream.com and tell us your story.

Today I am introducing you to your celebrant. Clara Malone runs Coastal Ceremonies with Orla Cronin. They are based in Co. Clare with the Wild Atlantic Way on their doorstep. They both trained with the Irish Institute of Celebrants and are members of the Irish Ethical Celebrant Society.

Wedding shot from Jessica Danilo Photography.jpg

I really believe that there are paths, some seen and some hidden, that lead us to where we are meant to be, and mine was always leading up to be a celebrant. I had just had my two kids, finished a fifteen year career in HR and moved to Co. Clare and thought, “what next”. I had attended a celebrant led wedding and my cousin turned to me and said “you would be great as a celebrant” so that sparked something in me. I was doing a bit of research in to it but nothing was jumping out until I saw an interview in the Irish Times by Louise Bruton who wrote about training to be a celebrant with the Irish Institute of Celebrants in Dublin. I hadn’t even finished the article before I rang them and left a message. They called back and before I could even think about it I had enrolled. The six month training course was an invaluable start to my career as I learned not only the ins and outs of being a celebrant, but also storytelling, ceremony traditions and cultures, ceremony enhancements and crucially the business side.

Wedding shot from Gavin Coughlan Photography (5).jpg

Wedding shot from Philippe Photography 1.jpg

So, just before I graduated I heard that a friend whom I hadn’t seen in years was also training as a celebrant and due to graduate a month after me. She too, had just moved to Ennis with 2 kids and was living around the corner from me (literally). So many coincidences so it was meant to me. Orla and I now work together and love what we do. I love telling stories, I love meeting people and I love family celebrations so therefore I really have my dream job. To be a part of someone’s special day and helping couple’s create lasting memories is an honour and to see couples saying “I do” at the end of the ceremony is literally the “icing on the cake”.

We are also incredibly lucky to live so close to the sea. We spend a lot of our time officiating ceremonies in the Cliffs of Moher, or Loop Head and in castles, ancient ruins and even lake side gardens. We also get to work in the most incredible venues like Hotel Doolin and Dromoland Castle, and alongside some of the best wedding suppliers. The relationship with each couple doesn’t start on the day of the wedding but many months before so I am so invested by the time the wedding day comes around that it is quite emotional watching the couple say “I do” to each other. I also love staying in touch with couples afterwards and hearing about all the milestones they celebrate, like welcoming a new baby or renewing their vows. As I said, it’s my “dream job”.

This is such an unprecedented time and my heart goes out to all of the couple’s who have had to cancel or re-schedule their weddings. I know from planning my own wedding how much time and effort goes in to planning your big day so it’s heart-breaking to see the stress couples are going through. We have been in regular touch with our couples since the start of the pandemic and luckily we have been available to accommodate any couples who re-scheduled their wedding to later in the year and next year. Unfortunately some have had to cancel their wedding but when they begin to make future plans we are hopeful we can work together again. I wrote a blog to hopefully give couples ideas about how to mark their original wedding date while in lockdown and also how to celebrate their weddings bearing in mind the new restrictions which will be in place regarding numbers and so on. It’s on our website here https://coastalceremonies.ie/ceremony-options-during-covid-19/

Wedding shot Jessica Danilo Photography.jpg

What is so lovely to see (and not surprising) is how amazing all of the wedding suppliers are being. Everyone has rallied around and are doing their best to accommodate every couple who have had to change their plans while also managing the unexpected business impact.

At the moment, my biggest dream is be to back on the Cliffs of Moher (or anywhere on the coast of Clare) witnessing another love story unfold. Dreams do come true .



Thank you, Clara for sharing. Check out and send some love to Coastal Ceremonies on social

www.coastalceremonies.ie

Instagram @coastalceremonies

Keep dreaming

Sarah

A Hero's Wedding Styled By Amber

May 22, 2020 Sarah Foy

As a creative business it is hard to find time to create - I know that sounds crazy , I am only realising in this lockdown how little time I have given myself to really create - to let my mind wander, to dream and see what develops. At about week three all of a sudden ideas , projects and collections have started to pop into my head. I may have stayed up for hours watching macrame videos on Pinterest - obsessed. I’m excited again about creating and a lesson learned to take more time out for this part of my brain.

This brings me to Styled by Amber - I have a little design crush on this lady and her work. Between now and the competition deadline on the 31st May I am going to introduce you to the team behind the scenes. A small snippet of their story, their big dreams and how they are dealing with the covid-19.

I’ve worked as an interior designer for over 12 years and have always been obsessed by the little details that give a space soul and personality. It’s those little touches that add magic and character. As a child I was always drawn to ‘fancy pages’ and unique little trinkets and have amassed an ever-growing collection of unique décor, props, vintage and antique finds that I use now for my events. I’ve always loved being the host, throwing parties and get-togethers for friends and family and I believe in going all-out for these happy occasions because, why not?! After styling my own wedding five years ago which I absolutely LOVED, I did the styling for some family members and friends and then previous interior design clients approached me about styling their wedding and it took off from there. I love the design process and capturing my clients’ vision for their big day, helping them refine their mood board to suit their venue, the time of year and how they want their day to feel – as this to me is most important. I want the love and romance of the occasion to be celebrated and enhanced by a beautifully styled setting that the couple and their loved ones can enjoy and remember for years to come.

Most of my couples have postponed until next year due to the COVID-19 crisis which has been a hard decision for some of them who live abroad as so much planning as gone into their big day already. It is upsetting and disappointing for any couple having to reschedule or put other things in life on hold but on the whole I think people are being positive and hopeful and realise that it is necessary for the safety of everyone attending including themselves. I have reassured all my couples that their new date will be even more magical with all of this behind us and everyone will be only dying for a right old knees up by the time the wedding comes around!

I’ve just rebranded my logo and am happy to be adding furniture and prop hire to my services in the coming months. Mostly I am so excited to get back to styling beautiful weddings and shoots and being creative!

Thank you, Amber for sharing. Check out and send some love to Styled by Amber on social

www.styledbyamber.com

Instagram @styledbyamber_com

Keep dreaming

Sarah

A Hero's Wedding Florist Dream

May 22, 2020 Sarah Foy

It is all Tinas fault , hahah!. It was the lovely Tina at The Wild Bunch that contacted me back in April about this exciting new project to bring a team of wedding suppler’s together to create a dream wedding for one lucky frontline work . It was an immediate yes for me , so a big thank you to The Wild Bunch for joining us here today.Between now and the competition deadline on the 31st May I am going to introduce you to the team behind the scenes. A small snippet of their story, their big dreams and how they are dealing with the covid-19.

We never set out to be florists! 14 years ago we’d just bought our home in Kilkenny; a little old stone farmhouse that everyone advised us to knock down and replace with “something decent” (we didn’t.) It came with an acre of land, and being slight hippies, we were determined to do something useful with it. We’d both been working in horticulture in various guises for some time and when I came across a magazine article about a small flower grower in England, it made perfect sense. That winter we ploughed up the whole garden and got planting.

We started by selling at farmers’ markets; mixed bunches and lots and lots of sweet peas. Then, through the market in that first year, we booked our first wedding.

That wedding was a baptism of fire but we were instantly hooked and have been ever since. I truly love weddings, all the emotion and the excitement. I love the creativity and spontaneity, the way every wedding is different and designed around so many factors; the couple, the season, the location. I love meeting couples, hearing their plans and their stories… and absolutely cherish seeing them again on the day. I love flowers but could never work with them without the “people” part.

In the first few years there were almost no other grower-florists in Ireland. There was none of the community or support that there is today for newcomers, and we really had to find our own way. On the other hand I suppose we were fairly unique at the time in what we offered; home grown natural, seasonal flowers; and we were surprised by how quickly things took off. We certainly had to learn on our feet in those early years but I think that has stood to us; we've learned to carve our own niche, which is so important in an industry that changes all the time.

Photography by Ivan Patarcic, Niall Scully, Alice Ahn and Louise Scott

Our hearts have gone out to all the couples that have had their plans affected by covid 19, some having been forced to change dates two or three times in the ever-unfolding crisis. We’re keeping in touch with all our couples and doing the very very best we can to accommodate new dates. Then we’re working with them to adapt their plans and their original style and aesthetic where necessary. For example, they might find themselves planning for a different season, or changing from an outdoor to an indoor ceremony, and we’re really enjoying finding ways to make things work.

Mind you we’ve found that some couples haven’t the time or the will to start over, and we get that completely. The Hero’s Wedding Dream Competition has been an eye-opener in this respect; from stories of cancelled weddings, to frontline workers on 12 hour shifts and partners struggling to work from home while caring for family. For lots of couples we’re just working quietly away in the background as much as we can, making sure that everything comes together when their big day finally comes.

I have to say though that creatively we’ve been really enjoying the shut down! We’ve a garden full of flowers and for the first time in years we’ve been free to just enjoy them, to really see them again. And to play around with them, without any restrictions or limitations. Much-needed food for the soul. I’m currently waiting for the first big flush of roses so I can turn our front porch into something fit for a Vegas wedding chapel. Our neighbours barely bat an eyelid these days.

This is a tricky one! This time last year I might have had a list. To work more with “big” wedding planners. To design big weddings. Possible world domination? But like many other people, shutdown has taught me a lot about what’s important; about family, about community and simply about our shared humanity. I've come to realise how very lucky we are with our little garden and our business.

I want to continue to be able to get to know the couples we work with. I want to be there on the day feeling like I’m part of the family (yep I’m sad.) I want to continue to do weddings where we stay true to our aesthetic of seasonal, natural design. I want a clear head to be able to walk around the garden and see all the creative possibilities. I don’t ever want to lose sight of those things that make this job so rewarding and so much fun. So strangely enough, the big dream was there all along, we just never spotted it before now.

Thank you, Tina, for sharing. Check out and send some love to The Wild Bunch on social

www.thewildbunch.ie

Instagram @wild_bunch_flowers

Keep dreaming

Sarah

Hero's Wedding Dream Team

May 20, 2020 Sarah Foy

Not long now ladies and gents, the final entries for the hero’s wedding dream must be in by 31st May. We are gifting a lucky frontline worker a wedding. The venue, the dress, hair ,makes up, singer, llamas –yes you heard right wedding llamas. Want to know more about the suppliers involved . Between now and the competition deadline. I am going to introduce you to the team behind the scenes. A small snippet of their story, their big dreams and how they are dealing with the covid-19. Today I have Catherine from Nails by Cathy

“My career started when I was in college doing special effects makeup for tv and film. Obviously like any student I needed a part time job so I decided to do a nail course to make extra money. It turned out I was pretty good and I loved the effect nails had on people’s self esteem, they would literally walk in one person and leave a fresher more confident version of themselves and that was the reason and I ended up choosing to stay in the beauty industry.”

“Its knowing you can make the impossible a reality. I have done clients who’s bodies have abused by illness and medications where they believed I had my work cut out for me but I love nothing more than proving them different. Which I have for so many women, throughout the years. I have had clients burst into tears of joy with the results so there really is no question where my passion is. Also if you ask any nail addict, there is really nothing like being told your nails are gorgeous!! It’s a complement that people can accept without any down play or excuse.”

“Through the the COVID 19 crisis there is not a lot I can do for my clients only good home care advice. I am however preparing to return to work with protection screens and new sanitation measures in place “

“In my future, as well as looking after my loyal clients, I would love to promote myself as a nail consultant, offer the full bridal experience and be the go to person for bridal nails in the country. Also, I would like to do more session work such as ad campaigns and editorial work.”

Thank you, Catherine, for sharing. Check out and send some love to Catherine on social

Instagram @nails_by_Cathy

Keep dreaming

Sarah

Hero's Wedding Stationary Dream

May 18, 2020 Sarah Foy

Into week ten we go. It is hard to believe that we are in May, summer has arrived and no weddings are happening. No rails packed with dresses for final pressing, no exciting final fittings with our brides. I miss my brides. However, my involvement with hero’s wedding dream has me very excited. One lucky couple from the front-line community will win a wedding. Gifted to them by the most amazing suppliers in the industry.

Between now and the competition deadline on the 31st May, I am going to introduce you to the team behind the scenes. A small snippet of their story, their big dreams and how they are dealing with the covid-19.

Today, I’m introducing you to another member of the dream team Deirdre from Last Colour Down

“Last Colour Down has been more of a gradual process over a number of years to be honest. I officially set up the company in January 2020, but I had been dabbling with wedding stationery for a number of years before this. I’ve always been interested in print design. Even when I was working as a graphic designer in the digital space, I free-lanced on the side doing print work for small businesses, brands and of course, wedding stationery. Not to be clichéd, but it finally feels like I’ve found my calling! In an increasingly digital world, I find the physicality of working with paper to be therapeutic, it really makes you slow down and appreciate the process. I love working with traditional methods and incorporating contemporary designs. If you like minimalist modern design and are looking for something non-traditional, I’m your gal.”

As my job with couples is such a collaborative process, open communication is so important at the best of times, but is especially during this pandemic. Maintaining this line of communication has been my goal since this all began. I have started a blog, which has been on my to-do list forever! I’ll be sharing helpful tips for couples in relation to COVID-19 and their wedding stationery, guides on printing, help with wording your invitations and just general inspiration. On a more practical level, I am working on a range of ‘Change the Date’ cards, both digital and printed, that will be available soon!

The big dream for Last Colour Down would be to have a dedicated workspace, with a studio/showroom upstairs and a gorgeous retail store below, which would sell the most amazing stationery imaginable. While I love working from home, my tiny desk can’t cope with much! I would also love to explore more specialty printing and how these methods can be used in more contemporary ways. I want to push the boundaries of what makes a traditional wedding invitation. If any couples out there are looking to try something new and different, please get in touch!

Thank you Deirdre, for sharing. Check out and send some love to Last Colour Down on social

www.lastcolourdown.com

Instagram @lastcolourdown

Keep dreaming

Sarah

A Hero's Wedding Dream

May 16, 2020 Sarah Foy

A hero’s wedding dream, how good does that sound? An opportunity for the Irish wedding industry to give back and say thank you to a front-line worker. I am lucky to be involved in this competition and I even had the opportunity to chat on 2fm this week telling Tracy Clifford about this amazing collaboration. Yes, I did have to hide in my car from my kids to do so -the most peaceful 10mins of my week.

Between now and the competition deadline on the 31st May I am going to introduce you to the team behind the scenes. A small snippet of their story, their big dreams and how they are dealing with the covid-19. First up, Clara Hutchinson your wedding singer. Telling us her story.

“As far back as I can remember I always loved to sing. I sang at school shows, ceremonies and local competitions. As soon as I finished school, singing was all I wanted to do. I studied music and then went on to travel all over the world singing and playing piano with Piano Club International-a dream job."

“I started performing at weddings of friends and family and from there my business grew as people enjoyed my performances. I adore my job and feel so lucky to do what I love every day! Singing is my passion and I feel so grateful to bring this passion to the couples that trust me with their wedding music. Music is such an emotive part of the wedding ceremony and I take such pride in bringing their story to life through music.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been so difficult for couples getting married. I have been in contact with all couples to assist in re-scheduling and helping in any way I can.”

“My big dream is to continue doing what I love and continuing building my business. Singing with an orchestra again would be cool too”

Thank you, Clara, for sharing. Check out and send some love to Clara on social

https://www.clarahutchinson.com

https://www.instagram.com/singer_clara_hutchinson/?hl=en

Keep dreaming

Sarah

Stronger Together

March 16, 2020 Sarah Foy

Hello from sunny Wexford. What a strange few days for us all.

I spent the last couple of days reaching out to my current brides and checking in with them with a plan for finishing their designs and what the plans are if this continues into April. I will be keeping in touch with everyone every week with updates and plans.

For all the brides and couples that had to cancel their wedding. I am so sorry this is happening to you. I know how big this is for you all and I have no doubt that when your wedding does happen it will be a celebration like no other. I know self- isolation is so important to get us through this but I see you guys and know how hard it is to cancel.

Thinking over the weekend of how I can help brides, I’m going to get out of my comfort zone this week and get on Instagram (@sfoycouture) to answer questions from both brides who have had to cancel and for clients that are in the planning stage. Message me any questions you have about anything wedding dress related and I will do my best to answer them.

I am also setting up Facetime consultations for brides that would like to talk about their wedding dress. That maybe a bride that is just starting to look for their dress for the end of the year or 2021. There will be limited slots for this everyday as both my husband and I are working from home with two crazies to entertain.

You will need to email me at info@sarahfoycouture.com to book a slot. What you will need for this is to send me a couple of images of what you have in mind for your dress, a little description of the type of wedding you are planning. You can also send me your Pinterest board to look over. I will help you narrow down the style you are looking for and get clear on what you want for your wedding dress.

So, if you have questions email me I am working between nap times, beach walks and dance parties with my babies.

Chat soon and stay safe

Sarah

Our Bridal Muse - Claire

December 10, 2018 Sarah Foy

This dress has it all - stunning lace , high low hem, separates and a matching lace floral crown. I love that my job is to make a brides vision come through and Claire trusted me with that task. Isn’t she stunning.

What is your best memory of your wedding day?

We got married in No. 5 South Leinster Street at the National Gallery. It was a small wedding with just family and close friends, 28 guests in total. So my best memory is walking into that room with my dad, towards Dermot, surrounded by all the people I love most in the world. The emotion of it all just hit me like a tonne of bricks! It was lovely and I’ll never forget it.

What is your advice to a bride to be?

My advice is to make the day as personal to you and your partner as you can. Don’t feel pressure to do things because you are “supposed to” or someone tells you that you “have to”. The only things you really “have to” do are the legal bits! We had a humanist ceremony and our celebrant, Eithne Dempsey, was amazing. Instead of readings during the ceremony, we had each of our dads sing a song which was really special. We included our mammy’s in a sand ceremony. We were lucky to have extremely talented friends to take part, one performing beautiful acoustic guitar and one to take amazing photos. It all felt truly personal to us.

Also, don’t sweat the small stuff! It’s a happy day and everybody is there to celebrate with you. It doesn’t matter if things don’t go exactly to plan, just go with the flow! We had a small reception at the Gallery with some nibbles and drinks before a dinner reservation in Eden Bar and Grill. However the nibbles ran out about an hour before the reservation so we just headed across the road to Lincoln’s Inn and had a drink in there. It was really relaxed and great fun with strangers coming up to congratulate us and offer best wishes.

What was your biggest worry about getting your dress made?

My biggest worry was that people would think my dress was odd! I had a few definite ideas about what I wanted – separates, one high-low skirt and two tops, one for the ceremony day and one for the party on the following day. Whether or not they would work together I had no idea. But I could not have been in safer hands with Sarah. Sarah took my disjointed ideas and made them whole, she created a look better than I could have imagined and I couldn’t have been happier with the end result.

What part of the process was most fun for you?

Having your dress made means you are there for every part of it. Getting the sketches at the very beginning, picking the fabrics and lace, and seeing it all come together through each fitting. It was all fun and exciting. And because you are there for each step, you can see earlier on if something works or not. I bought a flower crown to wear on the day and brought it with me to a fitting. As soon as I had it on with the dress, we knew it wasn’t right. Luckily for me, Sarah was able to create a beautiful flower crown that worked perfectly.

How relaxed and comfortable does Claire look? One big tip for finding the dress, be sure to be comfortable - you need to wear the dress not the dress wear you.

Creatives We Love - The Wild Bunch

December 3, 2018 Sarah Foy

It all started with a panicked search to find a florist for a photoshoot last January. Tina came to the rescue, unfazed by the random ideas I had, she set about creating and transforming - bringing the outdoors in. The Wild Bunch is her company and today we ask her all about her inspiration.

Who is your bride?

Our bride is someone with a strong sense of style and a fairly good idea of the feel they want for their wedding. They aren’t necessarily flower lovers or “inspired by nature” but they are increasingly influenced by trends, especially from Australia and the US, for organic, natural designs, and more dramatic focal points for their wedding; whether a ceremony backdrop, an elaborate entrance, or a large hanging installation over the reception tables. They are open to ideas and are less concerned about formulas or set ways of doing things. They want something different from the norm, designed for that venue, that season, their wedding.

And they are the loveliest! I’ve heard all the stories, but we’ve never had anything even close to a “bridezilla”! (am I allowed say that?!)

When do feel most creative?

The first spark or idea always comes from nature, from the landscape. The shapes, the colours, the “mood” of each season, each month. How dependant that is on the location, the weather. My first aim is always to capture that mood, because it’s that connection to the natural world that stirs something in all of us.

After that, from a lot of places. Any form of art really; paintings, photography, sculpture, interiors, metalwork, textiles. Anything that looks good. Kilkenny’s craft scene is brilliant, and I could spend hours just looking at other people’s work. I like to get a feel for a piece, and then try to figure what makes it feel that way; is it the colour, the lines, the form, the weight or texture? I try to imagine the process; how the piece started in the designer’s head, the dreaming, then the practicalities, the trials and tweaking (in so far as my knowledge of that craft allows!) I find the whole process fascinating. Then I have to quench my sudden desire to become a silversmith, or a furniture maker, or a photographer!

Workshops are an essential way of developing your own style and are my weakness; I’ve been known to blow the budget on workshops! There are so many amazing and inspiring florists in Ireland and in the UK and the opportunity to learn from them is invaluable.

Finally I get involved in any photoshoots I can. It’s a fantastic way to get creative, and there is a real energy when different artists get together, working together and feeding off each other’s ideas.

How do you feel meeting a new bride to be?

Honestly, it’s the best part! I love meeting couples, talking to people, hearing their plans and their stories… and absolutely cherish seeing them again on the day. I delude myself that I’m part of the family (I know how sad that sounds.) It’s just such a fantastic time, so full of emotion and excitement. I love flowers but could never work with them without the “people” part.

Once we’re chatting I find that lots of brides will make a point of telling me that they “don’t know much about flowers” but they don’t need to. They just need to have an idea of the style they want for the day and then we can translate that together, in context of the season and the venue. I tell my brides to send me any photos they‘ve come across and liked; regardless of the flowers or the season or the actual arrangement; just to get an idea of their aesthetic, the style and colours they are drawn to.

Many of our couples live abroad and we don’t get to meet before the day. It’s surprisingly easy to arrange everything by email, exchanging photos and ideas to and fro.

What do you like to hear from a bride? The best question they could ask you?

I love when a bride understands the importance of the season; that when the flowers are part of that bigger picture outside the window, it makes them so much more than when they are in an isolated little wedding “bubble”. That doesn’t mean lists of available or unavailable flowers, it comes back to capturing the “mood” of the season, through colours, textures, form.

But the best thing to hear from a bride is “I trust you”. All of our loveliest work comes about when we have some freedom to design the flowers the way we think best, and freedom on the day to “go with it” and add creative touches. It’s not about me just doing my own thing, it’s entirely based on the bride’s own style, her colours, the season, the venue, but in the best way possible.

How did you find your calling?

The idea came about 12 years ago when we’d just bought our house in Kilkenny. The garden was huge and being slight hippies we were determined to do something productive with it. We’d both been working in horticulture in various guises for some time and when I came across a piece in a gardening magazine about a similar grower-florist in England, it made perfect sense. That winter we ploughed up the whole garden and got planting.

In the first few years there were almost no other grower-florists in Ireland. There was none of the community or support that there is today for newcomers, and we really had to find our own way. On the other hand I suppose we were fairly unique at the time in what we offered; home grown natural, seasonal flowers, and we were surprised by how quickly things took off. We certainly had to learn on our feet in the early years but I think that has stood to us; we've learned to carve our own niche which is so important in an industry that changes all the time.

Want to see more of Tina’s work?

Check out her Instagram account wild_bunch_flowers

Facebook WildBunchWeddingFlowers

Website www.thewildbunch.ie

Our Summer In Pictures

September 11, 2018 Sarah Foy

I am back at the computer finally this week after a hectic summer season of creating one of dresses for our one of a kind brides. Finishing August off in style with the arrival of my new baby son Conor. So in between new born cuddles I have some new exciting posts coming this way. First up, my favourite pictures of the summer in studio.

It was a summer of accessories. Along with our custom made gowns we designed some of the most fun capes, veils, cover ups and our show stopper gold wedding dress. Creating our own embellishments is what makes us unique - it is also my favourite part of the whole process.

To finish of the summer as a finalist at the Wedding Journal Reader Awards and getting the hubby into a tux was an added bonus.

So whats to come in the following months? Well our summer brides are sending in their stunning images so watch this space for more bridal muse interviews and chats with our favourite wedding suppliers.

Ask the designer - what questions have you about choosing your dress? What can you not get your head around? I have a couple of ask the designer pieces coming up on the blog so drop me an email with your dilemma - info@sarahfoycouture.com

Finally, I will share one last picture of my little treasures as you can imagine this was my highlight of the summer

Ethical Bridal Choices

June 13, 2018 Sarah Foy

Is it possible to shop ethically for your wedding dress? Is it even something you have thought about? As we start to see customers and designers taking a more thoughtful approach to purchasing and designing, can we shop ethically for our wedding attire? Today I’m giving you some ideas to approach your dress shopping with an ethical eye.

There are bridal designers out there that are paving the way in ethical sustainable bridal wear with out compromising on design . www.sanyuktashrestha.com is one such designer along with Minna http://www.minna.co.uk/ and company’s like reformation https://www.thereformation.com. Although the lovely Little White dress shop stocks sanyuktashrestha gowns you will have to do some research into designer and stockists or travel to the Uk to find your dress

Ask- when starting out on your dress hunt don’t be afraid to ask and research designers you like for information on there ethical practices. The ethical bridal industry is young and you may find it hard to find a 100% perfect company but any move towards a conscious purchase is good in my book.

Upstyling a wedding dress is a lovely thoughtful and sustainable way to find your dress. A heirloom gown or second hand dress can be reworked and made exclusively yours with the help of a good dress maker or designer. Taking a preloved dress either from a family member or wonderful sites like Once Wed can be the answer to both a budget and style conscious bride

Picking an Irish designer to produce an exclusive dress for you with ethically fabrics and sustainable practice in mind is another very good option for a conscious bridal. You would not only meet your ethical goals but have some input into the style and design you wish to have for your dream dress. Of course that would be a product I would happily undertake here at Sarah Foy Couture. But a quick google check will find you other great Irish designers that would happily help you create your dream dress

My own ethical journey has been sporadic at best on till this last 18 months. Between a house move and the onslaught of children’s toys into the house I turned firstly to a great podcast The Minimalists, which started me on a series journey to change my purchasing habits. Over the last year I have read and watched some great resources that really help me understand more clearly the effect fast fashion is having on the world. Still far from perfect, I have certainly had a big change in my attitude to everything I purchase. That mind set certainly doesn’t change when I think and purchase for my brides. As all of our dresses are designed and made in my home studio they are certainly ethically produced. However, the move to more sustainable fabrics may take a while longer I now have a select of organic silks options for brides to be and on the hunt for new and exciting alternatives for our fabrics.

As other aspects of our business evolve, I hope to continue to think and purchase as ethically as possible from our packaging to stationary. I also firmly believe that supporting other Irish businesses is essential to staying sustainable and ethical within Sarah Foy Couture.

Ask The Designer - Cover Ups

May 23, 2018 Sarah Foy

You have the most stunning backless creation, had it fitted to perfection. Your hair, make up and accessories that you thought hard about are exactly as you imagined. As you get set to head to your ceremony you realise it’s 2 degrees out side and you are likely to spend the next couple of hours trying to keep the shivering at bay! It is well worth taking a little time to thing about a coverup that will compliment your over all look for the day

Our bride Melissa in a dramatic wool crepe cape

There was a time when your only option was a fur shawl or cashmere wrap, thrown over the shoulder - all perfectly fine but today the options are endless and fun. Brides are making a statement with their cover up, adding their drama to this rather then their dress. So today I give you tips to consider when looking for your cover up

Your need for a cover up will help you decided on what to go for. If it’s warmth you need for those snowy winter weddings then picking a heavier fabric like velvet or wool will keep you cosy. You may need a lighter coverage in the warmer months for church weddings or unpredictable Irish weather - silk chiffon’s and organza are beautifully sheer, light and flow beautifully.

Think about the elements of your dress that you wish to highlight or hide for the early part of the day. For example, some brides like to cover the back detail to reveal later at the reception. How would you like it to sit with the dress, completely covering your bodice or just hanging from your shoulders to show off the front detail. Do you want to add a little drama to your simple dress, by adding a train for the ceremony ? These are all really excellent questions to ask before deciding on what will work for you.

As I always say to brides it is about everything working together not just the dress. So it is really important to look at all your elements, accessories, headpiece and veil, make sure your cover up design blends perfectly with your overall look for the day.

Finally don’t be afraid to mix it up. Invest in a beautiful wool cape that you can wear well past the wedding date. A beautiful tailored jacket that can be worn for special occasions. Also colour can really inject something very special into your outfit so don’t shy away from it !

Creatives at work - Moat Hill Photography

April 25, 2018 Sarah Foy

The importance of capturing moments, snippets of our life, freezing a moment in time really rings through to me. As the year flash’s before my eyes I can’t help feeling that I will miss something if I don’t take care to capture, freeze time and revile in life a little. This brings me to our creative at work Paul from Moat Hill photography. Finding a photographer that will capture the atmosphere, the mood of the day is so important and I think a deeply personal choice. Paul shares with us his inspiration and why he does what he does so well.

Who is your bride?

That is a kind of hard question to answer, like who is your favourite singer or whats your favourite movie.

We never really set out to target a particular type of person. I always feel our work reflects the personality of the person. So if you’re romantic then we’ll read that and your images will have that sort of feel.. if you laugh a lot then lets laugh. I think our work doesn’t impose itself on people rather we try to capture the personality of the people in our work. So when you ask who is our bride.. its everyone and anyone that can trust us to capture their wedding honestly and authentically

When do you feel most creative?

A wedding day is a full on affair. You have to be at 100% every time, you can’t have a bad day or a day feeling off. So gathering inspiration is something that learn as you shoot more and more. Photography has always inspired me and music too.. Fellow photographer friends can push you and compete with you to inspire you. But again its back to the people for me.. the conversations you have, the atmosphere on a wedding day and the people in it all provide the inspiration. The challenge of capturing that and doing the best job for each of our clients is inspirational. So on the day working to capture that is when I feel most inspired in this Job

How do you feel meeting a new bride to be?

I’ve always enjoyed meeting people and chatting with them. I love to show them our work and hear what they’re about and hopefully find a link or spark so we both know that we’re right for them and they’re right for us.

I think it’s as important that we choose the right people as much as they choose us, to be sure that we all fit and so when we produce what we do it’s what they’re expecting.

Fundamentally we try to keep our style candid and relaxed, how we like it but from time to time a couple might ask if we can do something a little outside or scope and that’s fine with us.

What do you like to hear from a bride?

Can we book... its the biggest compliment we could get.. they like our work, like what we do and want us to be part of one of the biggest days of their lives so far... what more can I tell ya!

How did you find your calling? Get started in your industry?

I’ve always loved music and photography but worked as an Engineer for 12 years. Finally in 2006 I decided that I wanted to go back to college at night and study photography. I loved the film aspect of photography but being a techie sort of person I was really interested in the move to digital that was happening at the time. After 2 years in Griffith College I was asked to shoot a friends wedding. It was nerve wracking but from the start I knew I wanted to shoot it in a very relaxed and candid way. I didn’t really like the idea of setting things up. I never mind doing the family photos and a few portraits, I think they’re important to the couple but always felt the rest of the day should be a flow or narrative of images.

After that I started to get a few more weddings here and there and eventually setup a website and having the background in tech helped.

A year on from that we decided to go full time as things really took off and we haven’t really looked back since. We’ve been doing this now for 10 years and have shot and met hundreds of great people looking forward to many more!

A big thank you to Moat Hill for sharing insights into their business and work. Check out more of their wonderful work and see the passion that is injected into their images.

Website : www.mhphoto.ie

Instagram : Moathillphotography

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/Moathillphoto/

Twitter : Moathillphoto

Tumblr : moathill.tumblr

Travelling With The Dress

November 21, 2017 Sarah Foy

Bright blue skies, golden beaches and beautiful scenic views. There are a list of reasons why we love a wedding abroad - weather being number one on that list. So if you are dreaming of your french chateau wedding or a cosy winter adventure I have put together what you need to know for transporting your dress.

Ask the designer

You can transport your dress two ways. A bridal garment bag which would usually be provided to you when you pick your dress up. I always scellotape the hanging loops of the dress to the hanger if I know a bride is traveling, this stops the dress from falling off. Be sure the hanger is strong and that the garment bag has a loop at the bottom. This way the bag can fold in half to make it easier to move around.

Your second option would be to pack the dress into a carry on suitcase. This works for simpler styles. Line the suit case with a bed sheet or tissue paper. Then fold the dress hem first into the case. Ideally you want to pack your carry on with anything you can’t replace for the wedding - dress, shoes, underwear.

When you arrive at your destination find a place to hang your dress up high. Take the train out of the bag. Most dresses will crease a little and simply need to hang for 24hours and they will drop out. You can let steam at your dress say from a shower or bath for any stubborn creases.

Plan ahead a little if you feel the dress will need a press before the big day. Ask your wedding planner or hotel to recommendation a dry cleaners and arrange to have it steamed on arrival

Ask the wedding planner

Rosie from weddingplanner.ie has kindly past on her advice for traveling with your dress. Having planned over 200 weddings abroad in over 20 countries is she most definitely an expert.

-Check with your airline about carrying your dress onboard as hand luggage.
-Don't pack it in as checked in luggage in case your bag gets lost.
-Check with your hotel if they have a steaming service to get any creases out when you arrive or can they recommend a dry cleaners that can do it.
-If you are having a Catholic Church wedding, keep in mind they can be stricter abroad about attire. So no bare shoulders or low backs or cleavage showing for the bride, bridesmaids and guests. A veil can sometimes do or get your dress maker to make a light bolero which can be removed after the ceremony

Ask the airlines

The policy for airlines change all the time and I often find that I need to email them every summer to get the most up to date information for my brides. So this is relevant for 2017 but I would double check before booking your flight and again before traveling.

Aerlingus

We do allow guests to carry wedding dresses on board dresses as cabin baggage. https://www.aerlingus.com/travel-information/baggage-information/special-items/
Please note we don’t have a specific area on board to stow these but we advise guests to speak a member of our cabin crew once they board the flight and they will assist as best they can.
Paula Donaghy, Consumer PR Specialist

Ryanair

If your wedding dress fits within our cabin baggage dimensions of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm and weighs up to 10kg you can take it into the cabin with you.
Please note that we do not have any storage facilities on board to hang or store your dress, it will be treated as cabin baggage and placed in our overhead lockers.
If your wedding dress does not fit within the cabin baggage dimensions, then you can check it in as part of your checked baggage allowance.
Alternatively, you can purchase an extra seat for the carriage of your wedding dress in the cabin.
To book an extra seat for your wedding dress:

Go to www.ryanair.com and select 2 passengers when booking your flight.
Don't forget to reserve the seats beside each other.
The first seat should be booked in your name.
The other seat should be ITEM SEAT as the Last Name and EXTRA as the First Name
The name EXTRA ITEM SEAT will then be displayed on the online boarding pass.

Adrienn
Ryanair Customer Service

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