Our Bridal Muse - Anne Marie

What a January , meeting new brides has been so invigorating. To explain - Sarah Foy brides are amazing, they love to be unique, march to their own beat and truly a dream to work with. This little lady Ann- Marie is no exception. From day one she had a vision of how she wanted to look and trusted that vision to me

What is your best memory of your wedding day?

My best memory of the day for me was straight after dinner we had drummers play they really put everyone into gear for the dance floor.

What is your advice to a bride to be?

Your going to have so many opinions. I would say write your dream day down at the beginning and when you feel yourself going of track to refer back to it.

What was your biggest worry about getting your dress made?

My biggest worry was that I wouldn’t find the right person to do it. But after finding Sarah from the very first meeting she put me at ease and I knew she was the one.

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

Every time I went for a fitting I didn’t want to take off the dress. It was so amazing watching it come to life piece by piece my very own dress that no one has tried on before or even set eyes on - It was one of a kind.

Thank you Ann-Marie for sharing your truly unique day

The Dream Team

Our photographer was Susan Jefferies www.sjphotography.ie

Our Videographer was Adrian Carton www.amcfilms.ie

Our hair was Mia Kane 086 888 4894

Make up was Lesley Nugent 083 863 4761

Our Venue was Rock Farm Slane http://rockfarmslane.ie.


A year in pictures

For me pictures speak volumes - I’m a visual girl so what better way to sum up my year.  

Wishing you all a wonderful 2019  

Our Bridal Muse - Fiona

How do you have it all? How can you have a romantic dress and a slinky evening wear style ? How can you incorporate the lovely details you have pinned on your secret Pinterest board ? Todays bridal muse Fiona was exactly like you. She had a dream of what she wanted to wear on her wedding day and I helped her to bring those ideas to life.

What is your best memory of your wedding day?

Myself and my husband walking around the streets of Sorrento (Italy) town with our photographers. By that stage we were more comfortable having our photos taken and most of my nerves had subsided after the ceremony. It was lovely having some time together and having so many passers by congratulate us and compliment me on my dress. I had removed my overskirt for this part of the day so it was easy to walk around in the main slimmer fitting dress and I didn't get overheated at all.

What is your advice for a bride to be?

This is by no means unique advice as I myself had heard it so many times before my actual wedding but it is "enjoy ever second as its over so fast". Also, don't care what anyone thinks, its your day, as you've invested so much time, money and energy planning it, you want to enjoy every moment and have no regrets, for instance if your nervous remind yourself this is what you wanted and enjoy all the attention as you only get one day! Also, enjoy all the lead up to the wedding as much as possible while it lasts, as everyone is so interested and happy for you and your hubby to be!

What was your biggest worry about getting your dress made?

That what I wanted overall wouldn't work, as I would have liked various aspects of different dresses that I had previously tried on but no one dress had it all! Sarah knew exactly what I had in mind when I showed her some photos from my Pinterest board. I had confidence that Sarah would advise on what would work and not work all throughout the design process and at each fitting I might have had a new idea to run by her, and I always worried that I was asking for too much or being too fussy, but Sarah was open to all my ideas along the way and would always say that we can try this and see if it works and if not we can remove that part.

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

Having my own input into my dress was the most exciting as I ended up with exactly what I wanted and was able to merge different styles and end up with something modern, romantic, with vintage aspects and overall unique. I also enjoyed attending the fittings every couple of months with my mam and/or mother in law to be. We would make an afternoon of it and go for lunch somewhere nearby afterwards or a walk on Bull Island. It was exciting being able to share this with them and talk about the progress that had been made with the dress after each appointment.

The Dream Team

Location Sorrento in Italy

Hair and makeup Joanna Falanga www.makeupartistsorrento.com

Photographer Enzo Campitelli

Wedding planner Sorrento Sunland - They were extremely organised and provided visibility from the start on prices unlike a lot of other wedding planners that I had contacted. Sorrento Wedding Planner (@sorrentosunland) • Instagram photos and videos

Dream location and dream wedding thank you so much Fiona for sharing your day with us. It was such a pleasure to work with you and bring your vision alive

Have you got a dress in mind that you want to create for your wedding? This is what I love to do so drop me an email now info@sarahfoycouture.com

Ask The Designer - Cover Ups

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.

Our Bride Naomi in a Wool Cape creation

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 !

 

 

Our month in pictures - April

We are heading towards brighter, longer days and feeling the energy rising in the studio. New fresh designs along with exciting plans developing this month.

Shot! The amazing talented team from Waterlily Weddings caught this blue beauty at Markree Castle. Can't wait to see all the final pictures from this amazing shoot.

April saw a short much needed break in Royal Lemington Spa. Hanging out with my best girl and checking out the new Hotel De Vin opening today in Shakespeare home, Strafford.

Lots of hand finishing and embellishment this month. Truly my favourite part of creating our dresses. Along with new designs for photoshoots with the most talented wedding suppliers of Ireland in great locations such as Slane Castle and Markree Castle. Watch this space for the pictures to come.

Finally a great photo by Moat Hill Photography who kindly took part in our Creatives at Work series on the blog this month.

Bridal Muse

Snow days are finally coming to an end here at HQ. But I had to share our first bridal muse of 2018. A blush and gold dress paired with a herringbone wool cape, beautifully captured at this Canadian wedding - snow included. Creating this dress was fun and exciting, our bride Naomi a pleasure to work with has shared her tips for the big day and having her dress made.

What is your best memory of your wedding day? 

It’s a cliché but the wedding day really is a blur to me, a happy blur, but it goes by so quickly! I really loved our ceremony, it really stands out to me as something really meaningful, it was very tailored to us as a couple and resulted in a lot of laughs from everyone and also lots of tears (but the good kind). My all-time favourite moment of the day though was during the wedding party photos; we had a winter wedding and my shoes were definitely not well suited for the snow! It was so cold on the day but we all had so many laughs outside and just kind of goofed around (complete with a really ill thought out snowball fight, luckily no one’s outfit was ruined) and my new husband had to help me as I slipped and slid all over the snow which resulted in a lot of laughs for us. It was so lovely for us to have a moment of silliness and fun between ourselves, but also with our very closest friends, it was really special.

What is your advice to a bride to be? 

I planned a wedding long distance (living in Ireland and the wedding was in Canada), while working full time, and doing my masters part time- it was a lot, but it is doable! It all worked out because I tried my best to organise my time really well- I scheduled time for planning and doing wedding things whenever I could and that really helped balance everything.

I would also advise to really think about who you ask to be in your bridal party-I kept it to a small group, which is not for everyone of course, but this meant I really had my best girls on the job. I was a fairly laid back bride (or at least I hope I was!) but I needed help sometimes and my bridesmaids were always ready to help out with anything they could, came up with ideas and solutions and were really supportive and involved, that really made the whole process so stress free and even fun.

The last thing I would advise is really remember that this day is about you as a couple, if you want something a bit more non-traditional or different (like I did with my dress, or we did with our ceremony) and people aren’t receptive or happy about your choices, try not to take it to heart. On the day you’ll be happier you went with something that is truly you and the people who didn’t like the ideas you had will completely come around.

What was your biggest worry about getting your dress made?

Before starting the process I wasn’t sure how everything would work out because I wanted something unique, but also something that looked bridal. I was worried that wouldn’t be possible, and that I’d end up with something too far one way or the other which would make me look either too much like someone I’m not, or just way wacky and out there and not like a bride at all. Also, as a “plus size” bride, I really struggled initially to find anything I liked on me in the shops, I was worried the same would be for any dress I got made and that the look which I had in my head would look horrible on me. Happily none of these fears turned out to be true, having an expert there to guide the process and tease out the concepts in my head was an amazing process and the result was fantastic!

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

To be honest, I loved every bit of it! Getting the first sketches was so exciting-even though we went a bit different from the initial ideas it was so amazing to see exactly what I had in my head set out on paper. Choosing the fabrics was also amazing because I wanted a dress which was a bit on the non-traditional side and finding this lovely blush colour and the subtle gold lace to go with it was just so amazing, it was exactly what I wanted- still very bridal, but something different as well! Seeing it all come together bit by bit was just so exciting, by the time we were getting near the end I absolutely couldn’t wait to wear it. I got so many compliments on the day, from everyone there and even from friends of friends whom I didn’t even know but who saw photos on Facebook and Instagram! I really loved having something unique which reflected me as a person but which was also really stunning!

A big thank you Naomi for sharing her tips and her wedding day with us. I don’t believe any bride could regret putting their own personality and style into their wedding. It is vital to do what makes you and your partner happy, everything and everyone else comes second - a great way to start married life.

 

Naomi's Dream Team

Photography: Gillian Foster Photography - http://www.gillianfoster.ca/

Hair and Makeup: Bridal Beauty, Niagara-on-the-Lake - http://www.mobilebridalbeauty.com/

Shoes: Irregular Choice - https://www.irregularchoice.com/eu/

Venue: Prince of Wales Hotel, Niagara-on-the-Lake Ontario, Canada - http://www.vintage-hotels.com/princeofwales/

Our Month In Picture - February

As snow falls around the country we have come to the end of another month - it was a fast busy one for us here as we make are way towards spring.

Photographer  Aoife O'Sullivan
Makeup and hair @efcreativestudios
 

This is what went on in the studio this month

  • The top pictures are our design in progress for our lovely client Caroline Grace Cassidy. Walking the red carpet of the IFTA'S in a spring yellow creation.
  • February was website refresh time for me in studio. Lots of new images and plans for the website. Image of me at work by the super Johanna King Photography.
  • Spending a wonderful sunny day at Horetown House snapping our new photoshoot with Butterfly Photography.
  • A great interview with Michelle O'Halloran hairstylist graced the blog this month.
  • Feather detail hitting the studio as we finish up our latest dresses.

Easy going January - Our month in pictures

Having eased myself into the first few weeks of the New Year I had time to step back think review and plan the future for Sarah Foy Couture. Lots of fun projects ahead including new collections of my new accessories line and a new dress line. I loved working on the blog in 2017 and want to give brides to be more and more. So watch this space as I start answering all those questions about your dress.

Dreaming and planning my next collaboration with Butterfly Photography.

Here is a collection of pictures that sum up January 2018 in the studio

  1. Instagram love from @elishaclarkephotography of our bride Sarah's grey simmer dress
  2. Our stunning bride @aislingmkeenan still dreaming of her wedding dress
  3. Pattern work begins on our new projects 
  4. Finishing touches to our summer 2018 brides begin
  5. Excitement as new fabrics start arriving in the studio
  6. Teaming up with the ladies in One Fab Day to give away a custom made accessory for a luck bride
  7. Colour hits the studio - 2018 brides rocking strong colour gowns
  8. Dramatic custom made cape for our December bride 

Travelling With The Dress

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.

Photo by Butterfly Photography

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

Other Helpful Links

Traveling by boat

https://www.irishferries.com/ie-en/terms-and-conditions/#Luggage

Other airlines

https://www.britishairways.com/en-ie/information/baggage-essentials/packing-tips

http://www.etihad.com/en-ie/before-you-fly/baggage-information/allowances/

http://www.lufthansa.com/ie/en/Baggage-overview

 

I sign off dreaming of warmer weather. Share with us where are you planning your destination wedding? 

 

Glitter studio

It's going to be a busy week at Sarah Foy Couture - it's Glitter studio week

This time last year I made my first appearance at One Fab Days wedding event - Glitter studio.

It was the most fun I have ever had at a fair. Meeting the best brides, best suppliers and just having fun all weekend.

What have I in store for Glitter studio this year? New dresses, our new line of accessories and me there to answer all your bridal dress questions.

Pop by and say Hi... bring chocolate if you can.

Ps. Quick flash ticket give away over on my Facebook page for one hour only this evening