Recently we were lucky enough to have one of our favourite photography duo Lowina and Derek from Black Avenue Productions head over to Europe on a wedding photography escapade!
Join us for their adventure’s photographing our Leah S Designs bride Anna and Melitta. Can you believe they captured 12 weddings in two weeks!
Hi and welcome to my latest blog post, it’s where you get to meet the wedding dress dream team at Leah S Designs. From myself the designer, to the stylists, to the girls of Ginger Pins. Learn about what each of us does in store everyday. We are not too serious here, so I won’t leave out the fun things, like what each of our favourite foods are and our ultimate holiday destinations. Enjoy.
Georgina has been working at Leah’s designs for the past 6 years as a Stylist and has recently become the Store Manager.
I have a personal passion for the Plus Size Perfection collection, I love all of the dresses but mostly the brides that come to visit us. There is nothing quite like the transformation of self that can come from finding the right wedding dress. The perfect dress can delight your figure, body and soul. I love boosting someones confidence and even if they don’t purchase a dress, everyone leaves with a smile on their face. It also helps that we have over 50 styles of size 18+ dresses to choose from.
Whats your most satisfying client experience?
When we helped a woman who came in with a tight budget. The bride had to move the wedding forward as her father had been diagnosed with a terminal disease. Fortunately we found the most gorgeous dress; she loved it and dad loved it too. The whole room was in tears, including me!
Georgina’s advice for brides before coming in to choose a wedding dress is to have a vision in mind of what type of bride you want to be. If you’re not sure think of your location and be open to our suggestions and don’t be afraid to think out side of the box. Keep in mind that the gorgeous Pinterest photo of the dress on your phone might not be the perfect dress for you. Some popular theme’s at the moment are Vintage, Rustic, Glam, Country, Modern.
Favourite cocktail – Fruit tingle | Favourite dessert – Good quality home made chocolate cake | Favourite holiday – Christmas | Heels or flats? Flats for work, heels to parrrrty!
What is your ultimate Leah S Designs look?
Planning your wedding day can be one of the most stressful events of your life, so is only natural that on the big day you might be feeling a little (or a lot) of pressure. You are often so focused on making the day perfect, that you forget what your wedding is really all about. There seems to be a lot of strategies out there for dealing with pre wedding stress, but what should you be doing on the actual day?
Leah’s top tips to keep you Zen will make sure you enjoy your day, and don’t overload with stress!
Home to one of Victoria’s favourite Dandenong wedding venues, we were lucky enough to be asked to work with Dewinta from Dewinta Dandot Photography. After arriving at Lyrebird Falls I did a quick location scout, I was sure the cool colours of the rainforest really made our dresses and the floral arrangements really pop! 
Photographer Dewinta Dandot was looking to create a colourful bohemian vibe for the day. “The atmosphere and greenery was the perfect fit for the vision I was trying to achieve – moody, earthy with a bright colour.”
It was a warm summer night in Melbourne and Morgan had made plans to go to her friends birthday party. After being a little apprehensive about going she finally convinced herself to go. When she arrived at the bar she sat with her friend for a while and then headed to the bar for a drink. Upon her return she noticed her soon to be fiance, Tom was sitting in her seat. Not wanting to make Tom move she sat in the seat opposite him. Tom couldn’t keep his eyes off Morgan, offering to walk her home at the end of the night. Their instant attraction soon turned into a beautiful romance.
Five years into their relationship, Tom decided it was time to pop the question and proposed to Morgan at the very bar where they first met.
How to Travel With Your Wedding Dress is very often treated as an afterthought and sometimes only remembered a few days before jetting off. As if you needed something else to stress about, right? It’s your big day, and everything needs to be PERFECT. So how do you keep your dress perfectly pressed up to the moment you walk down the aisle? We understand the struggle is so real when maneuvering in a car or on a plane with your precious dress, so we’ve put together a few top tips on How to Travel With Your Wedding Dress.
The fabric of the dress is important to note. Ideally, you should hold up to the latest possible moment before you slip on your dress to avoid wrinkling, especially for materials like pure silk. Poly mixes, chiffon, jersey, tulle and lace hold up the best.
Clearly label your carry on with your name, email, phone number and address for both your home and destination.
Leah S Designs is now designing wedding dresses in black, blush pink, latte and champagne. Leah loves coloured dresses now, after 14 years of making dresses in white and ivory. We spoke with her to uncover more about the gorgeous coloured dresses currently available on her website.
Leah started incorporating colour in the wedding dresses at Leah S Designs about two years ago, starting with an all purple dress. Now, her coloured range has expanded to over 10 different styles! If you would like to give your wedding a unique touch, go with a dash of colour in your outfit. Leah believes that champagne with ivory gives off an especially couture look and feel.
Leah loves trend spotting from American designers and taking in her customers’ feedback, which led her to finally incorporating colour to her fashion label. She follows coutourists on Instagram and noticed a lot of ‘ivory lace over latte’ going on, took inspiration, and created the Georgie and Katherine wedding dresses in those two tones.
“As a designer, you learn very quickly which colours are safe to use. You can’t go wrong with neutrals – for example, the blush pink colour has the power to warm up a cool skin tone. The latte can make you look more tan and the champagne can even out your skin tone if you’re on the darker side.”
Nicholas never dreamt that Sarra would be interested in him. Being the older sister of one of his best mates, Sarra and Nicholas grew up in the same friendship circles, but they never imagined they’d end up together.
Their first encounter was at a friend’s birthday party where Sarra was drawn to Nicholas’ blue velvet jacket. Nicholas remembers Sarra gently touching his shoulder to feel the velvet fabric.
But it took another seven years before they both realised they had feelings for each other. Both Sarra and Nicholas remember that fateful hiking trip where they finally revealed their true feelings for one another.
Let’s face it, planning a wedding and saving money usually don’t go hand in hand. From booking the venue to sourcing party favours for your guests, money plays a vital role in the success of your big day. Beware that seemingly small budget can spiral out of control. If you need some tips on how to plan a budget wedding, read on.
According to Easy Weddings Australian Wedding Survey 2016, Aussies spent on average $30,985 on their wedding days. If you don’t have a cool $30k lying around, don’t worry just yet! There are plenty of ways to reduce that final figure. Here is some helpful tips I’ve learnt from some of our own brides to apply to your budget wedding.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the story behind these gorgeous gowns. Leah Sukroo has been a Melbourne-based designer for over 15 years, retailing affordable designer and plus size wedding dresses with the perfect accessories to match! She’s definitely come a long way to achieve what Leah S Designs is today since her humble beginnings, working in a barn from a very young age.
Leah started off making debutante dresses for her neighbours and friends, but one thing led to another, and now she’s helping to dress women from all over the world. Running a bridal business was never part of the plan at 19 years old, but sewing was always in her blood.
Her mother, Lyn Sukroo, used to have her own gallery with silk products and has been involved in plus size fashion for over 30 years. As such, Leah spent several years doing piece work for her family’s business and found that sewing came naturally to her. Lyn has since dedicated her time to her daughter’s brand to help her expand by creating the Plus Size Perfection Collection. The Plus Size Perfection Collection, designed for sizes above 16, boasts both international and national recognition and is constantly growing. (TEN new dresses are added each season!)
Another day another little bit of craziness! Join me for an icy bridal dress photo shoot in the Australian bush lands. I’m going to take you to the other side of the glamorous images we show on www.leahsdesigns.com.au. A photo shoot is a great opportunity to let out some creativity. And escape from the day to day running of a business and get out of the office. I also love designing the dresses, actually the dress designing is number 1 and doing the photo shoots is love number 2. I told myself the night before I would make time to make some videos on the day. The first video was taken at about 6:30 in the morning so I was still in sleep mode.
An extra thank you to my in laws Grazyna and Richard for letting me trash their perfect house.
I have been wanting to do a video of a showroom tour for ages! Its so easy to get distracted and then it goes on to the back burner. It was a little quiet on Monday morning so I grabbed Georgina and my iPhone and got her to follow me around the show room.
Josh and I met while performing together in a children’s performing company when we were 18 and 17 and there was a mutual attraction. We became friends and were both accepted into the same university course in Ballarat. We decided with another girl from the company that we would all share a house. However upon moving in together we didn’t get along at all! It was after a year of living together that we realised our ‘hate’ for each other was the cliched story of a fine line between love and hate. We have been inseparable ever since.
A little about your wedding journeyJosh and I became engaged in August 2014 and were so excited to start planning our dream wedding that we dove straight in and got very carried away!. We started planning this huge extravagant wedding and got caught up in all of the latest wedding crazes and trends. As many real brides do. Going to every wedding expo and bought every wedding magazine under the sun. However in February 2015 we found out that we were expecting a little bundle of joy and realised that our priorities with the wedding had gotten way out of hand. We quickly canceled most aspects of that wedding, which lead to a sense of great relief!. We had lost focus of why we wanted to be married and became carried away with the idea of our perfect wedding. Instead of celebrating our love. Continue Reading…
Surprise weddings. Kiri and Angus choose to surprise their guests. Hosting a engagement party that turned into a wedding at their home in Corinella, Victoria. The Ceremony took place on the cliffs across the road from their place just as a storm took hold. It was a race against the weather, with everyone needing to take cover in the marquee to finish off the official proceedings.
Wedding Date: 19 th March 2016
Nicole and Alex have known each other since they were 18, bumping in to each other here and there. After meeting again at a friend’s party. A mutual friend convinced Alex to have a party the following week so he and Nicole had an excuse to meet again. And as they say, the rest is history. Nicole and Alex picked out the engagement ring and kept it hidden for a while before Alex popped the question. A few months later and they told all their family and friends.
When Mel kissed Steve at the snow late one night during a work weekend away, only to run off laughing. She had no idea that in just a few short years she would marry and start a family with him. While the surprising but happy news that they were expecting meant a few quick changes to the wedding plan. It did nothing to dampen the party atmosphere. When it comes to weddings, Croatians know how to have a good time!
Wedding Date: 7 th November 2015
Erin and Mark met in Primary School but didn’t realise their love for each other until they were almost 30. Mark popped the question with a beautiful custom-made ring at the top of a Ferris Wheel in Fremantle whilst on holidays. Erin decided to be free from stress on her big day, remembering her mantra everything happens for a reason.
Before Erin found Leah S Designs she felt disheartened after some less than perfect bridal shopping experiences. Her Bridget gown is from the Perfection Bridal range – a romantic lace gown with off-the- shoulder sleeve. Featuring a figure fitted silhouette called the Bridget dress – perfect for Erin’s wedding day.
What a day we had photographing our latest Little Lovelies jewellery collection. Photographing jewellery is a much more relaxed shoot, no worrying about models, makeup and hair choices and the much more reasonable 10am start time feels good.
Lee Bird Studios in Keysborough designed a custom light box to get the upmost sparkle from each piece of Jewellery whilst highlighting the intricate work and letting each individual crystal shimmer.
Leah S Designs sister brand Plus size perfections latest photo shoot. “Its a love story” has been picked up by Australia’s top blogger and Instagram king pin Wedded wonderland. Leah S Designs on wedded wonderland. To be featured in a pictorial. Exciting stuff as I have been a lover of the wonderland site for many years, so a big hip hip hooray for Perfection Bridal. Im loving the fact that this is one of the first blog featuring plus size fashion. So we are a bit of a revolution in the fashion world (for a little while at least).
Just a word of warning if you check out the wedded wonderland site it will suck you in for hours in to the dazzling wedding world! have fun.
I just have to share with you all our video of the Plus size perfection Bridal campaign filmed at Monsalvat estate. Its the exclusive look at the behind the Scenes at the Plus size perfection photo shoot. Photographing the latest “Its a love story” campaign.
Shown on Location at Montsalvat in the leafy green suburb of Eltham Victoria.
A wedding coordinator, sometimes known as a wedding planner, can take the hassle out of your big day, freeing you up to focus on being in love. But not all wedding coordinators perform the same functions, and a wedding planner might be a great idea if you work full time, have kids, planning a destination wedding or an extravagant wedding. Before you hire a planner for your special day, be sure to ask these questions:
You’ve had the wedding of your dreams in your head since you were a little girl. There’s just one small problem: all those demands from various family members to be included! If your parents insist that all of your cousins and step-siblings be included unless you want a huge bridal party here are great idea’s to keep your nearest and dearest feeling special, it’s easy for you to feel like there’s no room for the people you actually want in your bridal party. What’s a bride to do? Time to get crafty. Here are easy ways to include family members in your wedding without making them part of the bridal party.
For many newly engaged couples, pets are more like furry children than animals. If you love your canine or feline companions, why not include them in the happiest day of your life? Here are a few easy ways to include your pets in your wedding.
Most brides have at least one terrifying dream before they get married. Whether it’s showing up to the chapel in the wrong wedding dress, fainting at the altar, suffering the worst hair day on record, or getting in a fight with mum, we all have our own unique fears and insecurities. No wedding is perfect, and something is bound to go wrong. Reasonable expectations can help you manage this with style and grace, rather than being reduced to a sobbing puddle of tulle.
An outdoor wedding can evoke otherworldly feelings, creating a romantic, picturesque scene. But it can also be a bug and rain-fueled disaster that leaves you overwhelmed and disappointed. We love outdoor weddings, but they’re not for everyone. Here are four signs you shouldn’t have an outdoor wedding.
In an era of customisable everything, more and more couples are writing their own vows. Though the thought is romantic, the actual act can be overwhelming, and deeply frustrating. If you’re ready to write your own vows, though, we’ve got you covered. Follow these can’t-miss five tips for writing your wedding vows tips.
Whether the search was long and painful, or you knew right away when you found the gown of your dreams, the final fitting is your last chance to ensure your gown is perfect—and perfectly you. It’s too late to turn back and start anew with another dress, so if there’s something you don’t like, you need to speak up. Here are five ways to test the fit of your wedding gown.
You’ve made it this far. You bought the wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses, got the ring, and wrote your vows. Now it’s time to enjoy the most romantic day of your life. If you want to have a truly relaxing day, though, steer clear of these five wedding day destroyers.
Weddings are a family event, and families are notorious for having big opinions about big events. When you and your parents disagree about your wedding—whether it’s something small, like whether to serve fish, or something major, like where to hold the big event—it can turn planning into a major headache. Before you start a family feud, take a deep breath.
In an increasingly conscious world, many brides are abandoning wedding traditions, and often with good reason. Some women point to gender equality and opt not to take their partner’s name. Others alter their vows to reflect their values. But some wedding traditions can continue to comfortably co-exist even alongside the most modern of couples. Here are the four best wedding traditions you should consider keeping.
As you prepare to walk down the aisle and into the rest of your life, you may find your mind occupied with thoughts of the dress, the hair, and the décor. But this is the most important day of your life so far, and it’s natural to feel a little edgy. Whether you’re struggling with pre-wedding jitters, or just want a chance to relax before your big day, these five steps can be crucial for your well-being.
Sure, you want your debutante photos to outlive the trends of today. But that doesn’t mean you have to choose a staid, boring deb dress. Check out this year’s 5 debutante dresses trends, which will have your photos
Two generations ago, debutante hairstyles were all the same: and endless cascade of young ladies wearing white dresses and tightly sculpted updos. Today, debutante balls are all about individual expression with these four deb hairstyles you need to try. You’ve never done exactly what everyone else does, so why start doing so on one of the biggest days of your life?
You only get one debutante dress, so now is not the time to head to the shops and start try on. This is your night to shine, not to mention make a lifetime of memories! Before you beg mum and dad for your dream dress, be sure to consider these four issues.
If you’re like most brides, you’re probably overwhelmed by the endless arrays of hairstyles you see on Pinterest, on television, and in wedding magazines. Maybe you’re not sure how you’ll pull off princess hair—especially if your hair is short or notoriously unruly.
When you envision your walk down the aisle, you’re probably more focused on the dress than what’s underneath it. A wedding is a romantic undertaking, and your new spouse is going to be just as eager to see what’s under your dress. Wedding day lingerie should be something special. Here are five tips for choosing wedding day Lingerie to bear in mind when making your selections.
Come on a video adventure looking at our new deb dress style sneak peak, this newbie is called the Miranda dress only available from Leah S Designs.
I point out all the features of the new Miranda dress such as the lace illusion neckline, key hole straps and the low back. Never forgetting the finishing touches with the accessories such as earrings and shoes. I chose the Mackenzie earrings and the windsor lace hair piece to match your deb dress
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something…If you’re having trouble finding the perfect piece to complete this old wedding adage, we can help.
Are you at a loss on how to do a lace up the back or just need a refresher in how to do it again.
If you want your wedding hair styles to produce timeless portraits but still hope to channel some of this season’s best hair style trends, then a standout feature is your best ally. A trendy coif looks ravishing with a timeless dress and understated accessories, so here is your chance to experiment and find a look that perfectly captures who you want to be on your wedding day. Check out these five looks we’re loving.
You’ve found the dress of your dreams—or at least dedicated a Pinterest board to it. But what’s a dress without some gorgeous bling to accompany it? You only get one chance to choose your wedding day baubles, so it’s understandable if you’re a bit intimidated by the process. Wedding jewelry doesn’t have to be complicated or stressful, though. If you want to look like you just stepped off of a Parisian runway, check out these fabulous wedding jewelry trends.
Are you sick of boring pearls and diamonds? Now you can wear baubles that go beyond the safe traditions
Your wedding day is not the time to cover yourself head to toe in trends. After all, do this and you’ll be sure to look dated in your photos in no time at all here are five wedding dress trends you need to know about this week. Incorporating a handful of trends here and there can keep you looking current without leaving you looking like a fashion victim.
Bare a little skin with the timeless elegance of off-the-shoulder cuts. Though they’re the big trend of the moment, they never really go out of style, so show off your gorgeous arms!
You’ve dreamed of that glistening white gown since before you had any romantic aspirations at all, so it’s no wonder that buying a wedding dress can prove challenging here are the 5 questions to ask yourself before you buy a wedding dress. Pressure from mom, squeals of delight from friends, and body image issues can all conspire to leave you unsure what looks good. Worse still, peer pressure can leave you questioning yourself. This wedding is about you and your partner, not what your loved ones want or looking like a fashion model. This means that ultimately, it’s your decision what to wear and what to buy. If stress, pressure from family and friends, or financial concerns have you overwhelmed by the buying process, it’s time to stop the drama by asking yourself these 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying a Wedding Dress.
Don’t buy a wedding gown with plans to lose 20 pounds. Your dress should make you feel great about your body the way it is. If it doesn’t, then the dress is unworthy of you.
I just want to send a big shout out to all the amazing artists who did a smashing job on the last photo shoot. I believe we captured the heart and soul of all the wedding dresses we photographed that day. You can also hire these lovely ladies for your wedding day also.
Flowers were made by Brown from Buds and roses in Pakenham,
I wanted purple gerbras with a touch of yellow for a table display and a posy. She exceeded my floral expectations (and was so reasonably priced).
Hair and Make up was done by Nathalie from Doll face
I had her do my make up for a wedding, I knew she would be more than able to do camera friendly make up, and I was right. If you are still looking for a make up artist she will take care of you and your girls.
Thanks Lee for letting me use your studio, if you are looking for commercial photography send me an email and I can pass on details.
The weather was perfect last Wednesday for our rooftop photo shoot. Our theme was Summer in the City for our deb dress collection and the landscape of Melbourne sure didn’t disappoint. The photo shoot featured our signature looks for this season. Bridal lace, soft chiffons and tulle skirts.
Oscar-winner George Clooney recently married human rights supporter Amal Alamuddin in a lovely wedding this past September. However, while most of the the buzz was about how romantic the wedding was. The question on everyone’s mind was. “Who designed her wedding dresses?” Alamuddin’s dress was designed by Oscar de la Renta. Her wedding gown featured a bespoke off-the-shoulder design with a soft texture made from French lace to create an elegant look. The final touches included hand-embroidered pearls, diamanté detail and a long train.
When the love of your life finally gets down on his knee, all you can think of is the picturesque venue, the moment you walk down the aisle, and your gorgeous dress. But then, reality sort of brings you back to earth. Will it cost you an arm and a leg to get that beautiful wedding gown, this is when the frugal bride. Top tips on scoring the wedding dress of your dreams come in to account?
Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. This is why we believe that every bride should have the opportunity to wear her dream wedding gown, no matter their size or shape. And enjoy plus size wedding dress shopping.
So far this year we have recieved some beautiful emails and face book posts, I would like to share them with you. Thank you to every one who has taken the time to write a message to us sent us a photo, it brightens our day and makes every one at Leah S Designs so happy to be doing such a rewarding job.
