Top 10 FAQS about custom dresses

Commonly Asked questions

about having your

dress designed

1. Do you have sample dresses?

   • Yes, we do have sample dresses that you can come and see however they’re all from photo shoots, as brides keep their dresses.

2. Can I try dresses on?

   • Not here, we absolutely recommend finding a style that you 100% love and fits your body type before meeting with me. This will help to ensure that the finished dress will be exactly what you wanted.

3. What is included in the quote provided?

   • Everything included for this dress quote; fabric(research and shipping), labour, minor alterations, fittings and taxes.

4. How involved can I be in the process?

   • You can be as involved as you want, some brides want me to send updates and pictures as I find fabrics and get things done, others wait until there first fitting. Totally up to you, this is your investment so I will provide as much information as I can for you during the process. 

5. What is the process?

   • Can be found in the Investment Section of my website.

6. Is there a required deposit? Is it refundable?

   • Yes there are two deposits required; one is for booking the first meeting appointment which is $100 to hold your spot and will be taken off the final payment. The second is 50% of the final payment at the first meeting, this ensures completions and enables me to purchase fabrics for your custom dress. Neither of these deposits are refundable. We do have payment plans available, inquire within.

7. Do you make dresses for the whole Bridal Party?

   • Yes, we make dresses for you, your ladies, the mother of the bride/groom and the flower girls.

8. How many fittings will I have?

   • That is dependent on a few things; typically there are two fittings the first and the final pickup, however if weight is lost or something about the dress need to be drastically alter(does not happen often) then there may be 3-6. This is to ensure the perfect fit, when it is custom made it is truly made for you!

9. What types of fabrics do you use?

   • We find quality fabrics within your budget that coincide with the month your wedding is in, ie; if your wedding is in the summer months we will find light weight satin’s, silks chiffon’s and laces that work well with the style of your dress but won’t make you swelter in the heat.

10. How long does creating a dress take?

    • Currently we are booking meetings 8 to 12 months out from your wedding date, depending on if they are bulk orders or single dress orders. Everything depends on when fabrics are found, purchased and then scheduling fittings.

I hope these have answered any questions you may be having about making a custom dress your dream dress. If there’s anything else you’d love to know, I’d be happy to help, contact me (Amanda Garrett).

A Real-Life Fairy God-Mother

Once upon a time, in a cozy house, on a quiet street, in a village on the edge of a booming metropolis, a young seamstress discovered she could perform magic. It was a transformative sort of magic that could make every bride look and feel amazing…

We all love fairy tales and, when I complete a dress for a client, it makes me feel like a real-life Fairy God-Mother! The magic occurs when a bride’s vision comes to life, and fits all of their curves (or lack of them) perfectly. True to the genre, all good fairy tales begin at home. This one is no exception. You see, I struggled with body-image issues for a long time. For years, I suffered from never feeling happy in the clothes I was wearing — literally feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. Everything changed on the day I picked up my scissors, cut into some fabric, and sewed my first dress. I took the pattern and adjusted it to my measurements. There was a moment, just before I tried it on, when I felt hesitant, worried my work would let me down. But the moment I pulled that dress on, well, it was magic. It fit me perfectly and, as a result, for the first time in my life, I felt fabulous! That dress made me aware that having something tailored to my own personal shape made me not only feel more comfortable, but heightened my self-image. Inspired, I embarked on a journey which, with a lot of self-love care, has helped me see an even clearer image of myself. It also gave me a clear vision for my business, to share my joy with the world! I have experienced the thrill of that moment over and over again. My goal has been to elevate and accentuate the best parts of my clients, leaving the rest behind them. Every day, I use my weapons of dress construction to make visions come to life. The ultimate challenge is to listen to an idea that someone has in their mind and translate it, craft it, form it into what I hope resembles their dream dress. Over the years, I have created and altered hundreds, if not thousands, of gowns and there is one thing that makes everything I do worth it: witnessing the ecstatic joy on their faces as they slip into the dress for the final fitting. The transformation into a fairy tale princess is immediate as they turn and spin around in front of the mirror, feeling the perfect fit, beaming with happiness. Dare I say it again? It’s magic!

Each of my clients arrive with a vision, an idea that is pre-existing about how they wish to look. It’s the reason custom-made, tailored design is the perfect solution for most brides, especially after searching and trying on what feels like a thousand ready-made dresses. That’s where I come in! As a crafter, there is nothing more satisfying than starting a project, finishing it runs a close second. The process is stimulating. At the initial consultation we discuss fabric and style. I measure every inch of my client to ensure the gown will fit all those ‘perfect imperfections’ (with thanks to Ed Sheeran for such a great expression). Sketches and cups of tea, and more sketches and tea, until the gown starts to come to life in my mind. There is such delight in sourcing fabric – the satins, the silks, the lace – it’s like a smorgasbord of texture. Then crafting out the pattern, piecing the dress together like a jigsaw puzzle, to ensure a perfect fit. The moment of truth comes as I prepare to cut. Like a carpenter, I measure twice, double-checking pins are secure before I pick up one of the most critical tools in my toolkit – no, not a magic wand – a shining pair of scissors. For me, there is nothing more exciting than pinning freshly cut pieces of fabric together and sitting down at the sewing machine. And this is where I wish I did have a magic wand to wave, or perhaps some sparkles or a puff of smoke because, with a ‘Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo’, the perfect fitted dress has come to life! Exactly what was envisioned, or more frequently, the words are, “Amanda! This is better than I could have ever dreamed!” Yup, I feel like a Fairy God-Mother every time.

Over the last ten years I have been privileged to create some lovely dresses, but I believe the dress you see here reflects my best work yet. For some reason, I just feel creatively connected to this one. It highlights my skills. The style is based on a pattern that I have altered many times and followed once before, however I have never created one quite like this. My husband says it’s his favourite and he has seen more wedding dresses than any other man I know. Each piece of fabric that I cut, each layer upon layer that was sewn together felt effortless. It was almost magical, as if I was achieving the vision towards our first fitting on some sort of a creative energy high like no other. My client arrived for her fitting. She loved it! She was delighted to see her vision becoming a reality. Each lace appliqué was hand-sewn and took several days. With the kids and other obligations in my life, there were moments when I felt I would never finish the bodice! But as each day passed, I grew more excited to continue. The final result was such an achievement. It is an honour to provide a service that fulfills dreams. To say that I enjoy ‘crafting’ is a gross understatement. Each piece that I alter or create to fit the bride’s size, personality and style allows me to share my magic with the world. My goal is for everyone to feel beautiful and confident on the day of their wedding and beyond.

And so we draw to the end of the fairy tale. The little seamstress who discovered she could perform magic feels most days like a real life fairy godmother, making each clients dress visions come true. And, as she creates their dreams, she is living her own. Dreams that are so big and beautiful, there are times she has to pinch herself to believe they’re true. And somewhere, behind a pile of fabric, surrounded by needles and pins and scissors, she is grinning from ear to ear, because she is living ‘happily ever after’.

A dream come true

“I showed Amanda what I wanted in my wedding dress and she worked so hard to get every detail to perfection! She was lovely to work with and is so talented. She also made my garters and veil, my mom's Mother of the Bride dress, the dresses for my bridal party, and face masks for the bridal party and groomsmen. I highly recommend her if you want a custom bridal experience. She will make your dreams come true!”

Wedding and Bridesmaid Dresses created by Amanda Garrett from A.M.E.G. Designs

Photography by Maranda Elysse Photofraphy

The Estates of Sunny Brook

McLean House

From the moment I drove up the road and came upon this stunning old house I knew this shoot was going to be phenomenal. Fun fact about me, I'm in love with architecture. If it's different, old or at all artistic I'm beaming at the sight. The McLean House, one of the Estates of Sunny Brook, is honestly the perfect place for an elegant wedding.  With stunning grounds to enjoy and take your photos (engagement or wedding), then to venture inside where your met by various spaces to explore. Huge windows that take in all that glorious light and old wood floors that are to die for. Upstairs there is a Bridal dressing suite that is damaskly what your dreaming of (you see what I did there ;)), including a Vanity table with a mirror and a jaw dropping tub in the bathroom that you can sit down in!

Then enter into the sweetest area to marry the love of your life that can totally be decorated in any way you could dream up. From the winding staircase to a large room to have a reception while the pianist plays, this place is the ultimate dream. I 100% had to list this as one of my featured wedding venues on my website.

The captures you're about to see are breathtaking, by an immensely talented group of wedding vendors. All will be listed below you need to check them out!

(As seen on TodaysBride.ca)

Can you tell why this place had me swooning? Honestly you have to check it out for yourself as anything in life pictures just don’t do it justice not matter how stunning they may be. And these are exquisite <3.

I hope this inspires you!

Your Designer,

Amanda Garrett

www.amegdesigns,com

Vendors from this shoot;

Event Planning & Styling: Alannah @pinkandwhiteevents

Photography: Amanda @amandamorariphoto

Stationary: Chanel Sanci @chanelsanci

Florals: Arina @flwr.ca

Furniture & Table accessories: Alina @roselle_and_co

Men’s made-to-measure: Aaron @aaronlail

Bridal Gown/Veils & Garter: Amanda @yourdesigneramandagarrett

Make-up artist: Prerna @prerna.co

Hair: Jasmin @herhairbyj

Desserts: Claudia @totallycupcakes

Bride model: Karen Pastrana @karen_pastrana_

Extensions for models hair: Tesoro Hair @tesorohair

Crown: Blair Nadeau Bridal @blairnadeaubridal

Rings: Liane Vaz Designs @lianevazdesigns

Lantern/Terrarium rental: Vintage Bash @vintagebash