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Leah S Designs dream team

Wedding dress dream team bridal stylists

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 alterations. 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

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. Every thing from a simple wedding dress style to an elaborate long sleeve wedding dresses.

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 try on styles from bohemian wedding dresses to mermaid styles.

Bridal stylist Georgina

Try different styles

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. Also, season if your wedding is in January or February look at summer wedding dresses to keep your cool.

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?

  • Wedding Dress – Alina Wedding dress.
  • Veil – PK005 cathedral with face veil 108 inches long – ivory – the veil has to be longer then the train of the dress.
  • Earrings – Halo earrings.
  • Hair piece – Cinderella hair comb.

Leah

If you would like to know more about me, I have my own story here.

I couldn’t help myself and have created a real diva look for my ultimate wedding day look, it would be for a glam wedding!

Favourite tea – peppermint | Favourite dessert – Loukoumades or Dandy Donuts | Favourite holiday – Hamilton Island | Heels or Flats – Heels baby!

Leah’s ultimate look

Leah Ann

Julie

Julie’s specialty is making people feel comfortable and beautiful. I love when the bride sees them-self in a dress they didn’t think would suit them, they have a twinkle in their eye. It gives me chills and then warms my heart.

What is the most satisfying customer? Recently a bride visited who is getting married in two years, she just looked so special in her dress, she couldn’t say no.

Julies advice to Brides is to have an open-mind, and when you find the dress, stop looking. You don’t want to have dress regret. Also make sure not to take too many people with you, the crowd can be very overwhelming and opinionated.

Favourite cocktail – Espresso martini and dry gin martini, one after the other| Favourite dessert – Creme Brul’e | Favourite holiday – Disneyland | Heels or flats – Flats

Let’s create you ultimate Leah S Designs wedding day look

  • Wedding Dress – Divine A-line wedding gown
  • Jewellery – Pearl drop earrings and Pearl bracelet
  • Veil – LS005 with sparkling sequins
Wedding dress stylist Julie

Jennie

I love the Plus Size Perfection collection and love styling with the accessories. I’m all about the complete look. It makes me feel good to make the brides feel good.

What is the most satisfying experience you have had with a bride?

I love to turn an unpleasant wedding dress shopping experience elsewhere in to a positive and enjoyable experience here. Jennie’s advice to brides to be is stay faithful, be yourself, never change yourself and be grateful to be alive.

Favourite tea – Green tea | Favourite dessert – Tiramisu | Favourite holiday – Greek Islands | Heels or flats – Heels

Let’s create your ultimate Leah S Designs wedding day look

Lyn

I started in fashion when I was 16 years old, working sewing in production in a factory. That would have been about 1977. Afterwards I worked in ladies wear retail, I started making clothes for friends and then friends of friends and realised they were mostly in size 18 and above. This was back in the 80s and 90s.

It was a natural progression to start a plus size bridal collection in collaboration with Leah Ann.

What was needed was a pattern that was cut and styled for an Australian figure, styles that were current and on trend. How do you get ideas for designs? Easy – I just ask our brides what they are looking for. I’m very proud of what I have created and love every day making dreams a reality.

What’s your ultimate wedding day look?

  • There is no single dress, each dress is its own ultimate look on the right bride. For myself it would be a coloured ballgown wedding dress possibly in blush.

Favourite Cocktail – Espresso Martini | Favourite dessert – Pavlova | Favourite holiday –  Beach | Heels or flats – both.

Melissa

What I like best about working at Leah S Designs is sharing in such a happy time with the bride, and when they find the one I get to be a part of that excitement and the moment. When they try wedding dresses on.

What is the most satisfying experience you have had with a bride?

My first sale was very exciting when Courtney brought her mum in to look at the dress she had chosen and the mother-in-law burst in to tears. Then they were arguing over who was going to pay for the dress (don’t argue with your mother in law, just let her pay).

What is your advice for brides to be before looking for their wedding dress?

Do some research to see what you like and not so much, so at least you’re coming in with an idea.

Favourite cocktail – Cosmopolitan | Favourite dessert – anything chocolate | Favourite holiday – Canada | Heels or flats – Heels

Let’s create your ultimate Leah S Designs wedding day look

Ginger Pins

Ginger Pins is a bridal alterations and dressmaking service where we specialise in bridal and deb dress alterations as well as formal wear. Located within the Leah S Designs building.

What’s an average day in the life of Ginger Pins?

On a daily basis Amy and Maria discuss with brides and debs how to get the perfect fit from their chosen gown. How we can achieve exactly what they are looking for, and what elements they can add to customise their dress and make it truly theirs. Our team then work in the workroom to cut, trim, sew and alter each gown to the individual, ready for the next fitting. We trim hems, attach belts, nip and tuck to finalise their ultimate dress.

What are your inspirations behind your flower girls dress collection?

We wanted to try something new and create a range that was cute (obviously), accessible and that offered to coordinate with some of the Leah S Designs wedding dresses.

What’s your favourite Leah S Designs dress to alter?

There are far too many gowns to choose a favorite to alter – each gown has it’s easier and slightly more tricky areas to adjust.

Favourite cocktail – Cosmopolitan| Favourite dessert – Ice cream, always | Favourite holiday – anywhere, any time | Heels or flats – Flats

Let’s create you ultimate Leah S Designs wedding day look

Faye

Faye has been sewing for around 45 years and been doing bridal alterations for 10 years. Honestly she’s the best machinist I have ever met, and I can say that because everyone knows its true! She does the alterations no one else wants to do. Faye believes her main job at Ginger Pins is to make each bride look beautiful and that their wedding dress expertly fits. She loves to create art with the sewing machine and sees every new project as a challenge.

Favourite tea – English Breakfast | Favourite dessert – Baked Alaska | Favourite holiday – New Zealand | Heels or Flats – Kitten heels

Katherine

Other than Amy, Katherine will be the lady to help you with your fitting, she will help you in to your dress and then mark what needs to be altered. Katherine will also help with any other follow up fittings but usually two or three fittings is all that is needed. She finds that the most common alterations are bridal gown hem shortening and taking in straps. Bridesmaids dresses sometimes also need adjustments.The team at Ginger Pins can also help you with your everyday alterations like shortening pants or sleeves.

Not every one gets to grow up on a sewing machine, so Katherine completed a three year course with the Melbourne school of fashion to hone in her skills. Katherine has now been sewing and creating for 14 years and still loving it.

I asked what unusual alterations have been done lately?

One of the dresses that was being worked on was a white dress that had pockets added with black trim, hem line with black ribbon and a black lace up the back. Another was a bride that came in with three internet wedding dresses to be altered. None of them could be fitted or look the way she wanted them to, so she actually ended up purchasing one from our Melbourne bridal store Leah S Designs. There are always stories when it come to a bridal store. The people you meet and the happiness you give through a garment are one of the reasons that makes working with brides so satisfying.

Favourite tea – Coffee | Favourite dessert – The wafers from Aldi (lol, they are so good) | Favourite holiday – Greece | Heels or Flats – Flats

Wedding Dress fabric
Posted in: Blog Author: Leah