Rachel Lamb Bridal Design

  Here's lovely Poppy wearing her wedding dress. Poppy really is a country girl at heart - wellies, dogs, mud (she won't mind me telling you that) and an easy and comfortable life. She wanted a dress that reflected that, and that she would feel easy and comfortable wearing. So soft, feminine, no boning and a small train that can easily be hitched up later on. Poppy's dress is a gentle A-line shape with a scoop neck and loose sleeves. It's made from a heavy silk crepe with a soft lace overlay and soft satin hand-tied sash. I added some small pearls around the neckline and on the sleeves to give a small and gentle gleam. No fuss.

This is Sophie, who wanted an old fashioned type of glamour on her wedding day. Late news item: the photos of Sophie's wedding were taken by Tapas Maiti and you can find more info about him and his service at www.tapasmaiti.com Isn't the picture above lovely? I think the tones of the stone and tiles complement her beautifully. Sophie had specific ideas about what she wanted - a dress that could be worn again, and a kind of detachable train, both of which should be in colours rather than the usual ivory. Marrying in the Cathedral, she wanted to make an impression and fill the space, yet not be encumbered with the train later on in the day. We looked at various images of glamorous women from the 1950s and Sophie even took a picture of a china ornament that she owned, to get the feel of the slightly 'bouffed' train look that was required. Sophie's dress is a dusty pink silk overlaid with an ivory and gold beaded lace. The challenge was findin...

Remember this dress I showed a picture of at the toile stage? Well it's slowly progressing! Above was the toile (prototype) made from calico. Yes, I pinned all those pieces on something that it's then necessary to take apart again. Below is a picture of the real silk dress in progress. Today I started beading those squares onto the main body of the dress. Phew! I really enjoy this sort of day, working on something where I'm sitting still and doing a repetitive task like this can be very relaxing and leaves my mind free to wander. But I think the idea of doing this sort of work does weird things to my brain: First thing in the morning, I optimistically think such things as 'Yes, I'm sure I'll have half the dress done by sunset'. The sun is not yet set, but it is fading, and I'm about 1ft up from the hem at the back... and I'm not hanging about! It's important that I get the timings right, as this is a sample dress and needs to be...

...if you aren't a mother of somebody, that's OK too. I've recently been making a dress for a mother of the groom. I have made a few 'mums' over the years, but it's not something I do regularly.     Anyway, I thought I'd get my act together and take some pics of work in progress of this dress, and up to the finish.   This is a very simple shift dress, quite Audrey looking. I tend to make relatively simple dresses for bridal party people, because often they might not be the type of person that likes wearing matching dress, jacket, hat, bag and shoes etc. I get the idea from feedback that it can be quite tough to find an outfit if you don't feel like a typical bridal party mother (as dictated by the high street), or if you just want something easy. Or perhaps the wedding or event is a small and/or quiet affair and a simpler dress is required? Whatever the reason, I like making dresses like this, and have lots of 'why don't I ma...

Here's Nisha, the summer bride in the title. Nisha is very petite and didn't want a dress to swamp her; she knew she would have a bespoke design and have it made for her. We went for quite a simple slim silk Dupion dress in ivory, with a pretty, twinkly lace overlay. The dress has a seam under the bust (empire line) which is really useful if you're petite, as it draws the eye upward and gives the impression of a longer waist and legs. The lace is an ivory base with 'latte' high-lights within it. Nisha's pictures were taken by photographer John Harris . I've mentioned him before - he really is very good. As I was looking at the photos I realised I was welling up; he really knows how to capture emotional moments perfectly. If you're a sentimental sort, best get some tissues handy for the next couple of shots! . . . . . . . . Aahhh :)

I've started to make some accessories. I'll start by showing you the bags I've recently made. These are great for carrying the essentials - purse, keys, phone, tissues, small umbrella - that type of thing! They are what I always think of as 'bucket' shape. The bags are made in silk Dupion, some with lace trims and/or beading, and can be made to order, or in different shades. What do you think? The actual bag section is approximately 20cm tall and including the handle approximately 33cm. Great for brides, bridesmaids, and in darker colours, as evening bags. They will be for sale soon, I'll post where and when.

...or is it early autumn? No matter. It's that transition phase. Do you fancy a walk? Come for a gentle ramble with me and him. I like to walk around my neighbourhood and village, every day if time allows. I love just looking .        I had intended to take pictures of hay bales - the rolled up type, because I love how they look.  They're such an unnatural shape. Like alien life-forms, or as if some large hand had just rolled them there.   Inevitably we got side tracked by other stuff too.   I love looking at wild stuff randomly growing. I like looking at the textural mass of tangle - I see it as a whole...       ...and the individuals that make up the tangle. Both are inspirational to me. I wonder if we would find the nettles above prettier if they didn't sting, and the umbel shaped things less attractive if they did?   More a...