How to commission bridal lingerie: a practical guide
A bridal lingerie commission is different from a standard made-to-measure order in one important way: the piece needs to work with a specific dress, and that dress is usually not available for reference until close to the wedding date. This guide explains how we handle that constraint and what you can do to make the process straightforward.
Starting the conversation early
The minimum lead time for a bridal commission is three weeks from the date we confirm your fabric choice. During the winter bridal season, which runs from November through February, lead times can extend to five weeks because we limit the number of commissions we take per month.
The earlier you start, the more options you have. If you contact us six weeks before the wedding, we have time to propose two or three lace options, make a sample if needed, and still have the piece ready with time to spare. If you contact us two weeks before, we can usually still deliver, but the fabric choice will be limited to what we have in stock.
What to bring to the first conversation
You do not need to visit us in person. The first conversation happens through the enquiry form or by email. What helps most is a photograph of the dress neckline (or a description of it), a colour reference (the dress fabric swatch if you have one, or a photograph in natural light), and your measurements using our guide.
The neckline matters because it determines the bra cup shape. A strapless dress needs a different cup construction from a deep V-neck. A high-neck dress may not need a bra at all, in which case we might suggest a high-waist brief and a slip instead.
The fabric selection process
We propose two lace options based on your colour reference and dress silhouette. For ivory and white dresses, we typically offer a Calais-Caudry lace in natural ivory and a slightly warmer cream, because the two read differently against different dress fabrics. You choose one and we proceed to cutting.
If neither option suits, we can source alternatives, but this adds one to two weeks to the timeline. It is worth mentioning any strong preferences (open pattern versus dense, matte versus slight sheen) in the first conversation so we can narrow the options before proposing them.
After the wedding
Several customers have told us they wear their bridal commission as an anniversary piece or for other occasions. The ivory Calais-Caudry lace we use for bridal work is the same lace as the ready-to-ship Ivory Bridal Set, so if you want a matching piece later, we can usually match the dye lot if you order within the same season.
Bridal commissions are a significant part of what we do each winter. If you have a date in mind, the enquiry form is the right place to start, even if the wedding is months away.