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This week's topics: couture wedding dresses, dressing the entire wedding party, bespoke fashion, the importance of consultations, wedding dress trends, the timeline for dress creation, veils, tips for fittings and alterations.
This episode of Wedding Day Podcast sees hosts Sonja and Dan sitting down with the illustrious Luly Yang, a renowned couture wedding dress designer with 23 years in the industry, at her boutique in the heart of downtown Seattle. Luly Yang Couture is famed for crafting exquisite, custom wedding dresses and delivering a truly personalized experience for brides. In this episode, Luly shares her journey from graphic design to fashion, delves into the intricacies of bespoke dressmaking, and expresses her devotion to making each bride feel uniquely special.
Luly's career began in graphic design and architecture, but her passion for fashion was ignited during a paper dress contest. This pivotal experience led her to transition from designing interiors to creating wearable art. "Through that process of designing the paper dresses, I fell in love with the fact that I can design products and gowns for human beings that they can then wear and live in," she shared. Her first dress, the Monarch dress, symbolized her metamorphosis into a fashion designer. "It was my metamorphosis," Luly expertly illustrated.
At Luly Yang Couture, the approach to wedding attire is holistic. Luly and her team can dress the bride and the entire wedding party. She emphasized the importance of the personalized process, from initial consultations to final fittings. "It's the process of creating it for the bride and for their family as well," she noted. The experience goes beyond just the dress; it's about understanding the bride's vision and wedding details to create a cohesive look. "Fashion is a personal thing. It's the one product that human beings design that touches all of us," Luly remarked.
One of the unique aspects of her business is the joy Luly finds in dressing the entire wedding party, including the mothers and fathers of the bride and groom, which creates a rich and personal experience. "We've done quite a few weddings for the whole family and it's one of my favorite things to do," she shared. The transformative power of wearing an outfit truly made for you is another highlight of the couture experience. "There's something magical about the right garment and the right clothing; when we put it on... that is hard to explain," Luly noted.
The journey of designing a wedding dress with Luly and her incredible team is a collaborative one, involving consultations, sketches, and ideally, between two and three fitting appointments. Luly encourages brides to explore various options to find the best fit and emphasizes the importance of choosing the right shade of white based on skin tone and wedding setting. Luly also touched on the nuances of bespoke fashion, noting that "there are so many shades of white."
When it comes to who to bring to your appointments, Luly advises waiting to bring close family members or friends such as the mother of the bride, sister of the bride or maid of honor to the fittings rather than the initial appointment, though she stresses that this all depends on the bride and the environment she wants to create at each meeting. The emotional moments when brides see themselves in their dress for the first time are significant. "We have our tissue boxes spread out because the moment they have the dress, usually, you know, someone cries," Luly shared, highlighting the importance of having that supportive group around.
Planning ahead is crucial when it comes to wedding dresses. Luly recommends starting the dress creation process six months to a year in advance, and Sonja notes that eight months is often referred to as "the magic number" when it comes to wedding dress shopping. They also discussed the "second dress" trend, as Sonja and Luly are in agreement that they support the opportunity for brides to change into something more comfortable, groove-ready and even "feisty" at some point in the evening. Luly noted that she enjoys designing gowns for each wedding event, from the rehearsal dinner to the ceremony to the reception and a "dancing" dress.
Luly stressed the importance of bringing the undergarments and, most importantly, shoes that you're planning to wear on the big day to the first fitting. She also discussed managing body changes, acknowledging that some seek to tone or lose weight for their wedding and the hope that brides are at their ideal body size by the first fitting. "But we will always cut the dress to what we measured and then leave room to take it in," she explained.
Luly shared her thoughts on veils, stating that all bridal dresses can go with veils and highlighting their visual impact. "All bridal dresses can go with veils. I love veils," she said. Sonja also offered practical advice on the placement of veils, explaining that the positioning can enhance the bride's look. "If you put the veil at the bottom underneath a bun, it cuts off your neck. You really want to bring that veil up."
Additionally, Luly emphasized the importance of comfort and flexibility in wedding attire. Luly's advice for brides is three-fold: "Plan ahead, enjoy the process and expect the unexpected to happen."
This episode is powered by Luly Yang and I.M. Artistry. Special thanks to members Linen Effects, Continental Diamond, Warpaint International.
