Phillipa Lepley bride Madeleine

‘A dress worth crossing the Atlantic for…’ 

Madeleine was married in a Phillipa Lepley couture duchess satin gown with a high-neck ‘Symmetrical Scroll’ lace top.

Madeleine and her husband took their vows at Christ the King Church in Dallas, Texas on a sunny Saturday in February. The couple then celebrated their nuptials in a cocktail party and reception at the George W. Bush Presidential Library – the university library where they first met.

Based in Washington, D.C., Madeleine made use of the International Couture Service we offer at Phillipa Lepley. She was able to collaborate with Phillipa’s expert design team virtually, before travelling to London to hone her vision and refine the fit. 

Speaking to the expertise that Phillipa’s team holds, able to help guide brides to a design that will be the most flattering and beautiful on them, Madeleine recalls of her time in the Phillipa Lepley shop: ‘I will never forget when we were designing the gown, we had narrowed down the neckline to either a square neckline or the high lace neckline. When I asked for Sarah’s opinion, she told me that I stood taller, more assured, when I wore the high lace neckline. And she was right!’ – Phillipa Lepley bride Madeleine

Crafted from heavyweight duchess satin in a pure white tone, Madeleine’s dress included a specialist Phillipa Lepley corset hidden inside. Phillipa is known for her signature corset, which she has been perfecting with her team for over 35 years. It allows the dress to be moulded to the wearer, creating a desired feminine shape. 

During fittings at Phillipa Lepley Couture in Chelsea, the team refined the fit of the dress to Madeleine’s proportions, adjusting the lines to suit her preferences. 

‘The corset, duchess satin, and lace were made to every dimension of my figure. Simply put, the dress was perfectly tailored. Every millimeter. ‘ 

Phillipa Lepley bride Madeleine

Madeleine chose a high-neck, cap-sleeve ‘symmetrical scroll’ lace Button Backed top to sit on top of her satin strapless dress. She opted for her lace top to be finished with a scallop edge at the sleeve hem and waist – a beautiful design detail that draws the eye. 

Button Backed tops and overlays are a design signature in the Phillipa Lepley collection. With the option to be made detachable, they allow the bride opportunity to change their look throughout the day. In love with her lace bridal look, Madeline rather chose to have her top attached to the dress, so she could wear it all day.

Madeleine paired her lace wedding dress with an ‘Ivoire scroll border’ silk veil that beautifully trickled out to nothing at the elbow – a lovely framing effect to the bridal look. Every Phillipa Lepley couture lace veil is made by hand in the Atelier. To create Madeleine’s veil, intricate ivoire scroll lace was mounted onto soft silk tulle, then skillfully cut out and appliqued by hand.

In the most special of personalised touches, the Phillipa Lepley Atelier team lovingly stitched a piece of silk from Madeleine’s mother’s wedding dress into her own. It’s these thoughtful details that set a couture wedding dress apart from the rest. 

‘The dress somehow spoke to the very qualities in myself that are unique to me, and make me feel confident and beautiful’.

Phillipa Lepley bride Madeleine

Photography: Paul Morse Weddings & Grant Miller Photography

Phillipa Lepley is recognised globally as a leading British wedding dress and eveningwear designer, renowned for bespoke couture dresses of the utmost luxury. Her wedding dress shop in London, Chelsea, has over 50 dresses, all of which have been made in England from start to finish at her Atelier.