A custom made wedding dress?

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Bridal shops usually don't design dresses.  I made sketches of what I wanted and took the sketches to a dressmaker.  The cost was $2,700, but the fabric has a big impact on cost.

A bridal salon is not going to make it from scratch for you. You need a seamstress that has experience in bridal gowns.

 They would need to draft a pattern.  I would say this would be quite pricey. Time would depend on what you want. Any handwork, like embroidery or bead work is going to add on more costs and time.  Also what is their work load at the time, when can they get to your dress. 

The other major problem would be your drawing.  What you see and what a seamstress see won’t be the same thing.  Make it as detailed as possible. 

I would highly recommend trying on gowns first. Get a handle on what looks good on you. Try on all styles. 

I worked in a bridal shop. I have had many women come in with a photo from a bridal magazine with their dream dress. They try it in and find it doesn’t look good in them at all, the hate it. 

Have you priced fabric and lace? 

Yes and no. No to the basic bridal gown store. They don't do custom.  However there are professional dressmaker/designers with experience in wedding gowns. You need to find one of these professionals. It will not be cheap and it will take time -at the minimum it will be nine months.  And I hope you are an excellent artist able to illustrate any and all details you want. The pro might look at the drawing and say no. 

My professional opinion. The more detail in your drawing the better. Supplement the drawing with some photos similar to what you want. Cut and paste your most-wanted features onto a basic human body shape and write a few notes. Also list your do not wants. When you consult on the design listen to the pro and be flexible. Once a client asked for a strapless dress with a plunging neckline and deep back V that ended at the butt crack. There no way a dress like that could stay on the body and I turned down the job. Sometimes dream dresses can never exist outside of dreams. It's possible to draw a dress that can't be made. Once we have worked out a finished design then I would have you sign off on the design. This means no major changes, so if you want to switch from a halter neck sheath to strapless Ball gown two months into the job it ain't happening.  

You need to find someone about a year in advance. Dressmakers in my area haven't been as busy this year but that could quickly change. Had you asked this pre-virus I would have said start your dressmaker search  a year to 18 months in advance. 

And lastly it will be expensive. Custom is always expensive and some wedding dresses are the most complex dresses a designer can make. A few like myself lo longer take on weding dresses. So start searching now.

Don't bother going to a bridal shop, they'll charge the earth. Find someone independant or even a fashion student - my friend had her bridesmaids dresses made by a man that had just qualified and they were far nicer than anything available in the shops.

Call and find out!