Emma

“I came across Andrea’s studio through an extensive online search for ‘minimalist wedding dress designers’, ‘British wedding dress designers’ and ‘East London wedding dress designers’ – things that were all important to me in my dress!

 

As soon as I met Andrea I wanted an ‘Andrea Hawkes’ dress, and when I tried on the ‘Alinde’ skirt I was 99% certain I would end up getting married in it! I booked in a second appointment that same day but with enough of a gap to be able to try on dresses elsewhere – but I kept returning to the ‘Alinde’ skirt.

 

I never felt the same way in anything else and never came across a fabric quite so beautiful! I’d always wanted a dress though (and very specifically a dress with sleeves, a low back and a small puddle – but that I still very much felt ‘me’ in!) so the next stage was finding the right top for that skirt, and then working out whether I could afford it! Andrea, who I was thrilled to have met (that didn’t happen anywhere else I went!) and Sophie were very patient, and we went through every possible combination for turning the dream skirt into a dress, and we discussed everything from stick-on bras to sweaty armpits – there was nothing they weren’t able to reassure me on!

 

Seven months later I had a dress that ticked every box, and I absolutely loved it!”

 

(Photographer: Nicola Thompson)