NSP Studio owner Natalie Sinisgalli is a great friend, and I know I say this about every dress I make, but making her custom wedding dress was special. I guess that means I’m super fucking lucky that I get to have so many incredible experiences through my job.
But this custom geometric wedding dress was really special LOL I swear! Natalie and I met in 2011 if I recall right. I think it was the year before I moved into the Hotel Lafayette because it was one of the last times I made bridesmaid dresses. That’s another story for another day. A friend of mine was getting married in Canandaigua and asked if I could make her some dresses.
How we met
My husband and I stayed in Canandaigua for the wedding, and it was such an awesome wedding. While he was kicking back and relaxing, I was helping the bride steam and prep her dress, as I do! That was the first time I met Natalie. She was so busy and in her zone that we didn’t get properly introduced until the reception. We were on the dance floor when she came up to me and said, “Oh my God! Like I have to know you!” To this day it makes me laugh because we’ve gotten so close.
Natalie is one of my closest friends, mentor, guardian angel, all around just incredible human being. When she got engaged, I nearly jumped at the bit to make her wedding dress. Natalie‘s custom geometric wedding dress is probably one of the most true to my original design style.
If my business operated where I created seasonal wedding dress collections and sold them in stores, they would pretty much look like hers. I love the juxtaposition and combining things that don’t normally fit together. I think when people ask me what’s one word to describe myself I typically choose eclectic. You can see the combination of the geometric need with the floral appliqué is really stunning.
How the creation process works
First, I found the fabric. Then, I showed Natalie, and she fell in love. Sometimes the custom dress process begins by finding fabric or it can begin with the silhouette. There really isn’t a right way to begin the process, it happens organically based on the client and the job. The NSP Studio owner knew the silhouette she was after, so once I chose the fabrics it was easy enough for me to run wild with all of the ideas I imagined.
What you see is a fit and flare, with a modest train, long sleeves and an open back. For support, I used the illusion that I can cross the back and hit the zipper by inserting it on an angle as a post to straight up and down the back. Next, I camouflaged it with the application so you can’t even see it. I couldn’t put the zipper on the side seam because of how the dress was and the sleeves.
How it came together
Fun fact about the couple: Natalie and her husband Pepsiare huge on salsa dancing. Knowing this about them, having the ability to dance on their wedding day was a must, she needed flexibility. I used a stretch material to make the sleeve. However, once you stitch appliqué on top of it, some elasticity is lost. To combat this, I added a nice gusset to her underarm. When you see photos of the happy couple dancing, you can tell there are no restrictions to her mobility. That’s another great element about starting from scratch with your dress, it’s created for you to do whatever you want! I can tailor the dress specifically to fit your needs and your body. Some brides know they’re going to dance the crap out of their dresses, while others know that it’s all about the photos and the wedding!
Anyways, it’s amazing creating something out of nothing! I grafted in the lace together in certain spots because I didn’t want there to be an overlap. The goal was for the custom geometric wedding dress to feel like a second skin as much as possible. I added some boning in for structure and support. The dress itself is very lightweight and only has a skirt lining.
The entire bodice is unlined with just cups to conceal Natalie‘s cast. I obsessed over every detail of this lace placement. And yes, it took me a very long time! The lace had so much possibility that it was so much fun for me. I flat patterned the silhouette of the dress and started by cutting out the yardage in the geometric place. Then stitched it to the lace to create the silhouette of the dress. Once that was in place, I was able to drape the appliqué and combine the two. For the sleeve, I picked the most beautiful section of lace to use as a focal point of her shoulder and added a few more flowers down at the bottom.
How it turned out
Natalie also wasn’t sure about a veil. However, when she tried it on, she knew she needed one. We used some leftover appliqué to create it. I was lucky enough to be invited to Natalie‘s wedding, so I got to see the entire dress in action. It was spectacular! There’s really nothing better than seeing how beautiful a woman feels on her wedding day, and knowing that you had something to do with it. The confidence and radiance that beamed from Natalie on her wedding day is something I will never forget. I’ll also never forget those aerial acrobatics and the dance show. The Whole thing was a once in a lifetime experience!
Natalie also wasn’t sure about a veil. However, when she tried it on, she knew she needed one. We used some leftover appliqué to create it. I was lucky enough to be invited to Natalie‘s wedding, so I got to see the entire dress in action. It was spectacular! There’s really nothing better than seeing how beautiful a woman feels on her wedding day, and knowing that you had something to do with it. The confidence and radiance that beamed from Natalie on her wedding day is something I will never forget. I’ll also never forget those aerial acrobatics and the dance show. The whole thing was a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Photos courtesy NSP Studio
If you’re interested in a custom wedding gown, reach out to me! I’d love to get to chat about your vision!
