Spring Wedding

My mission today - bring a little sunshine into your lives. This time last year I was hand stitching the final little flowers and petals to this beautiful dress. So forget about self isolation and postponed plans for 5 mins and take in this stunning wedding, full of love and happiness. Start dreaming again about how your day may look.

All images by the talented Christina Brosnan

Living in the states and planning a wedding in Ireland is no easy task and Kate put her trust in her mammy Maggie and I to pull of this dress -I think we did well.

What is your best memory of your wedding day?

My best memory from my wedding was walking down the aisle, it was so great seeing all my friends and family who had traveled near and fair for the first time. I felt like I floated down the aisle with all their well wishes and love. Seeing Barry for the first time and having my Father Mike hand me off to him was an emotional and happy experience that I will never forget.

What is your advice to a bride to be?

Savor every minute of your wedding, enjoy the planning process....the late nights after work deliberating over details such as stationary and flowers. You will be so happy with the time and attention to detail you invested into planning. But most importantly on the day remember it is about you and your future husband and the people you surround yourself with. Enjoy the moment!


What was your biggest worry about getting your dress made?

My biggest worry was that the dress wasn't going to turn out as I expected. To be honest having a dress made from half way across the world , in which I would only be able to have a few fittings, sounds like madness. However the minute I met Sarah and explained my vision to her I knew I was in great hands. Sarah has such a calming influence and knows her craft so well, her confidence and calming nature was infectious which made the whole process so enjoyable.

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

I really enjoyed every fitting as it was amazing to see the dress come together. My Mother came to each fitting and it was a great bonding experience, I think we cried with joy every time Sarah brought the dress closer to perfection. The quality of fabrics and embellishments Sarah used were like nothing you would see at some of the bridal boutiques so we really enjoyed choosing those together also!


Kate’s Dream Team

Christina Brosnan - Photographer https://www.instagram.com/christinabrosnan/

Emma Walking Edit House - Videographer https://www.instagram.com/edithousedublin/

Joanne Kelly - Hair stylist https://www.instagram.com/joannekellyhair/

Kate Rose Crean - Make Up Artist https://www.instagram.com/katerosecrean/

Apple Berry Press - Wedding Stationary https://www.instagram.com/appleberrypress/

Paula K Flowers - Wedding Flowers https://www.instagram.com/paula0casey/

McDowell's Jewellers - Wedding Jewelry https://www.instagram.com/mcdowellsjewellers/

The Cake Cuppery / Catherine Lawlor -  https://www.instagram.com/thecakecuppery/

Laduree - https://www.instagram.com/ladureeireland/

 

Thank you Kate for sharing your day with us and trusting me and you mom with this beautiful dress. I can’t believe your anniversary is around the corner .

Stay safe everyone and keep dreaming

Sarah






 

Stronger Together

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.

My new home for the next few weeks

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 - 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.


Our Bridal Muse - Amy

Creating embellishments is my favorite part of making a brides dress. Developing a unique design for our brides every single time. Amy wanted a bodice detailed with 3D flowers pearls and crystals - Your wish was my command.

What is your best memory of your wedding day?

There are so many, its hard to pick one. I actually loved having our pics taken. It was a little time to ourselves after a very emotional and nerve racking morning. Our photographer was great, we had lots of giggles, the chance to talk about the day so far and spend a bit of time together, I finally felt totally relaxed.

What is your advice to a bride to be?

Just really try to chill and be in the moment. Easier said than done I know. Everyone says how quickly the day goes by but you just can’t comprehend how true that is, blink and its gone.

What was your biggest worry about getting your dress made?

I didn’t have a worry, Sarah made me feel totally at ease. I had gone and bought a dress previously and realized it was not ‘the one’. After a chat with Sarah I felt confident selling it and leaving my ideas for my dream dress with her

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

 I loved the regular fittings and seeing it come together… really felt a part of the dress being made and it kept up the excitement.

The Dream Team

Our suppliers were all amazing. We got married at Coolbawn Quay in Tipperary and the staff there went so out of their way to ensure everything run smoothly and everyone was having a great time. They also did their very best to calm me down and take any extra tasks off my hands, cannot recommend them enough. The food was also out of this world and people are still talking about the lamb 3 months later.

Our photographer Derek - Memento photography had us giggling and feeling relaxed all day. He was also really quick so we didn’t miss much of the reception and had plenty of time with our loved ones. When we received the photographs it brought back the whole day, he caught so many natural moments and that is exactly what we were looking for.

Hair by Joanne, Nenagh. Joanne was so great on the morning of the wedding. Kept everyone calm and managed to please four very different bridesmaids.

Make up  Jane Greely

Videographer  Blat Garcia, Edithouse

Flowers Elizabeth Rose, Nenagh

Band Poplife really did make our day… we had to of them play the ceremony and reception drinks and then the full band on the night. Absolutely loved them and all of our guests commented how great they were.

I loved our fittings too Amy, designing for you was a dream.


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

Creatives We Love - Noeleen At EF Creative Studios

Make up is another big decision to be made for the big day. You need someone that knows their stuff, that can create your imagined look, but that also compliments your natural features. You just need to take a look at todays creative Noeleen Cunningham’s Instagram feed to see that you would be in safe hands. Today she shares with us her inspiration and work.

Who is your bride?

I think I'll have to say Megan Markle. Since I did Megan's make up 3 years ago, I get a lot of requests for her look. What is not to love about a timeless, elegant and natural look. But truthfully, it's a really difficult question to answer as every bride is unique. I think that's what I love most about bridal makeup, the character and personality of each bride, our partnership to create a look that helps them feel amazing. This is our ethos at EF Creative Studios, tailor making looks that capture a bride's true personality. I also love being involved in one of the most important moments of their lives.

When do you feel most creative?

As a deaf make up artist living in a world without sound, my whole life revolves around my visual sense. Nature, the changes in seasons and the colours of the earth have always inspired me when it comes to creating mood boards. I love bringing this inspiration into my work, I have created signature bridal looks which we will be launching soon.

How do you feel meeting a new bride to be?

At the trial, I always feel a little nervous as I am keen to give my brides exactly what they are looking for. On the big day, I always feel calm and relaxed as myself and my bride know the look we are going for and I just need to ensure that she has the best day ever. The bridal trial is crucial for me, as I can't hear the sound of the bride's voice over the phone I rely on seeing them in person to get a sense of who they really are, allowing me to harness their natural beauty. I love it when brides bring photos or inspiration with them, it is so exciting to watch the spark in their eyes as they describe the look they want.

What do you like to hear from a bride?

I absolutely love it when I'm asked, ''can you do this?'' as they show me a photo or describe a look they want. I love the artistic licence this allows me. No look will be the exact same on two different people and no two people are the exact same so I have the opportunity to use their natural beauty and my makeup skills to create a look that will be unique to each bride.

How did you find your calling?

I have always been extremely creative and enjoyed working with people. Initially I worked in fashion design and child care before finding my true calling of being a makeup artist. I also enjoyed a brief stint of a modelling representing Monaghan in the Rose of Tralee in 2005. I soon realised that I preferred being the artist rather than the canvas. I moved into makeup because I loved the connection with people. I initially worked as a freelance hair and makeup artist, but joined the EF Creative Studios team a couple of years ago. It is so brilliant to be part of an amazing team of creative artists, we learn from each other and push each other to try new products and techniques and be the best artists we could possibly be.

Thank you Noeleen for sharing with us. Want to see more? Check out Noeleen’s instagram feed for your bridal make up inspiration - @noeleenmua or www.efcreativestudios.com

Ethical Bridal Choices

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.

www.butterflyphotography.ie

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

http://www.johannakingphotography.com/

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.

 

Creatives at work - Moat Hill Photography

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

Our month in pictures - March

Snow days hit the studio this month again but spring is starting to appear day by day. The rails are at busting point in the studio which signals summer wedding season is on the way.

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/

Smock Alley

What better way to spend a November Monday morning in Dublin then in the beautiful Smock Alley Theatre. This was the scene for a day long creative shoot with the best of the best wedding suppliers in Ireland last week.

Starting nice and early at EF Studios for hair and makeup transformation. Super talented early birds Emma Farrell and a Michelle O’Halloran whipped model Katelyn into shape for the day ahead. But the star of the show was Sean Emma's beau!

Frog Prince Events supplied the beautiful flowers and table wear. 

Paul from Moat Hill Photography capturing every bit of light through those spectacular stain glass windows of Smock Alleys Banquet Room.

Jen and Jay from Cupcakes and Counting helping us out as well as delivering the stunning wedding cake 

Karen from The Parlour Press designed the most beautiful wedding stationary to add the finishing touch to our bridal shoot 

Want to check out more behind the scenes from the day here are The Dream Teams instagram handles  

Wedding Gowns @sfoycouture. 

photography @moathillphotography

Forals and events @frogprinceevents

Venue @smockalleytheatre

Hair @moh_hairdesign

Make up @efcstudios

cake @cupcakesandcounting

stationary @parlourpressweddings

model @primamodels @katelyncass

 

More to come next week on what we where photographing on this shoot- exciting news!

Bridal Muse

Today I am sharing a very special Bridal Muse. My beautiful sister Karen, who a year ago married her soul mate. 

All of the pictures today are from the amazing Moat Hill Photography

There is no doubt that designing a dress for a bride is a big responsibility. So when your sister asks you to create her gown, you know you have to design something very special. When I design for my brides I believe that a dress should reflect their personality and style. Lucky for me I have known Karen for quiet some time! So today she is sharing her experiences and advice for your wedding day.

What is your best memory of your wedding day? 

I loved the entire day, I would do it again tomorrow and not change a thing about the day. Having travelled home to Ireland for our wedding I really enjoyed the wedding morning with my family and bridesmaids. I went for an early refreshing beach walk first thing with my sister and baby niece before the preparation began. It was so lovely and unforgettable.

My best memory is probably the ceremony, myself and Brian couldn’t stop smiling and giggling with each other. We had done a rehearsal the afternoon before to banish nerves which meant we got to enjoy the readings and music that we had personally chosen. It was our parish, our town where we both grew up and our people. It was just lovely pledging our love to each other surrounded by our favorite people from home and abroad on our turf.

What is your advice to a bride to be? 

Don’t let the planning take over your life in the run up, take time to have fun and don’t lose sight of why you are getting married and that it is about your future together and not the actual wedding day! We really wanted our day to reflect us as a couple but we also had a cut off point and decided if it’s not done by this date ….. it’s not important and not getting done. I would advise others to do the same as this meant we really enjoyed the days leading up to the wedding with the people we loved.

The biggest piece of advice I can give and that was given to me was to make time for you and your new hubby. The way we planned the day meant that we went for photographs (just the two of us) before we travelled to the venue for the official family ones. This gave us two hours together directly after we said “I Do” and it was amazing. We had so many laughs and moments of silliness before celebrating the night away with everyone else. On reflection, it helped that we loved our photographers and official driver (my favorite brother in law) which meant we just had the banter and soaked it all up.

Last piece of advice is to make sure you gel with the suppliers you book and that they get you and what you want. It’s so important, I’m sure it would have a massive impact on your day as you spend a lot of time with your photographers, your hair stylist and make up artist etc– trust your instinct on this.

What was your biggest worry about getting your dress made?

That I’d give my sister a nervous breakdown because I’m so indecisive, married with the fact that I don’t live in the same country as her.  Despite having grown up literally surrounded by Sarah Foy wedding dresses, I never really thought about what my own would look like. Luckily Sarah was paying attention over the years and had a better idea. She travelled over to me (any excuse for a get together) to try on assorted styles in the UK and we designed it from there. I was very lucky as I had 100% faith in her.

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

Probably, when we sourced the most amazing pink guipure lace. We had a vision of this almost impossible fabric, something very subtly but delicate and to be honest we didn’t think we would find it…Sarah rose to the challenge and sourced the most amazing fabric exceeding my expectations and we both fell in love with it. From there she took all the elements of different dresses I loved and made them work together. I ABSOLUTLEY loved it and still do! I felt so comfortable, happy and special in the dress that my sister had designed and handmade just for me, it’s an indescribable feeling. At the end of the evening it suddenly dawned on me that I’d have to take it off and never wear it again, it was such a devastating moment but luckily I had another fabulous Sarah Foy dress for the following day….I am one lucky sister.

Thank you Karen for sharing your memories of the day. It was certainly a day I will always remember. It is an honour to be your sister and personal designer!

The Dream Team

Photographer - www.mhphoto.ie

Venue - www.rathsallagh.com

Hair - www.michelleohalloran.com

Make up - Helen Henry 0876167607

Dress - www.sarahfoycouture.com

 

 

 

Ask The Designer - The Final Fitting

April always marks the beginning of our busy wedding season. A time when sketches and patterns become wedding dresses. When our brides start to have their final fittings and we get super busy in studio pressing and finishing our gowns.

So what are final fittings all about? What can you expect from yours? and what should you be doing to get the most out of these fittings?

I love to see the whole look for the day. So I encourage our brides to bring everything for the final fitting- Jewlery, underwear, veil and headpiece. To do your hair and make up similar to how you want it to look on the day or even better arrange your trial for the same day. This is a great opportunity for you to see how everything looks together. I would even try out your nail polish!

Plan your transportation and storage - at your final fitting you will be arranging to pick up your gown so a little forward planning will be needed. Will you be storing the dress at home? Do you have a safe place to store the dress away from prying eyes? How will you transport it home? If you are heading aboard, have you checked with your airline about carrying the dress on board? What options have you for storing and pressing when you arrive at your venue?

All along you have had someone help you into your dress and may not have taken note of how it was done. Bring along a bridesmaid or friend to the final fitting so they can see how the dress should go on. Is there any catches to keep your underwear in place. Is there an option to tie up your train ? Are there elements to your dress that need to be attached separately?

And finally double check everything . Are you comfortable in the dress? Can you walk easily or does the hem need adjusting ? Can you see your underwear ? Are you 100% happy with how you look and feel in the dress?

I hope this helps you plan your very important final fittings. If you have a question for Ask the Designer be sure to drop me an email