Phillipa Lepley bride Alice

Phillipa Lepley bride Alice wore an exquisite high-neck french lace and duchess satin wedding gown for her Cathedral wedding in Oxford.

Seeking a couture gown that would compliment her wedding’s historic surroundings at the beautiful Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford, Alice opted for a timeless and renowned Phillipa Lepley silhouette. 

The dress took its shape over the course of several months in the lead up to Alice’s wedding. First the design was refined with Alice by Phillipa’s couture consultants in The Shop, before work took place in the London Atelier where a team of skilled artisans hand-crafted the dress ready for fittings. Then, the shape of the dress was honed on the body in the serene space of the Chelsea Conservatory, each line was drawn to perfect the fit and lace was meticulously placed to best compliment the frame.

To create Alice’s bespoke lace wedding dress, lightweight duchess satin was moulded over an internal signature Phillipa Lepley corset and petticoats to add fullness to the skirt. Phillipa and her expert team have been perfecting the couture craft of corsetry for over 35 years – paired with grand petticoats, the contrast of the defined corseted waist is divinely feminine. 

An organic placement of luxury french corded ‘Scroll’ lace was positioned over the satin to create an overlay on fine tulle. The lace extended beyond the strapless bodice to a high neckline and cap sleeves, providing coverage suitable for a church wedding whilst allowing for a subtle, elegant showing of visible skin. The high neck collar – a striking yet soft detail of the renowned design – was perfectly placed on Alice to frame her features, with a beautiful sweetheart ‘v’ created within the lace scallop. The back of the dress was finished with dainty buttons and loops, hand-sewn by Phillipa’s expert couture hand-finisher and finally, a bustle was added into the skirt to allow the train to be looped up for dancing.

Reflecting on her wedding dress journey, Alice says: ‘From the very first appointment, I fell in love with both Phillipa’s elegant and timeless designs and the use of exquisite fabric. The couture process really made me appreciate the amount of work and precision that went into the making of my wedding dress. I felt that I didn’t just get a dress from Phillipa Lepley, the whole couture process was an experience in itself!’

Phillipa Lepley bride Alice

Alice paired her couture wedding dress with a bespoke appliquéd ‘Wild Rose’ lace veil. She opted to include the most personalised of touches within her veil – specially commissioned, script initials were carefully hand-embroidered into the fine silk tulle to signify loved ones, beautifully framed in sparkly Swarovski beading.

‘It felt so special to have a personal embroidery on the veil with me on the day.’

 Phillipa Lepley bride Alice

For the evening reception, Alice wore a pair of timeless satin gloves with her Phillipa Lepley wedding dress – a breathtaking finishing touch to her ensemble as she ascended the stairs of the Randolph Boutique Hotel. 

A couture dress worthy of cathedral grandeur, Alice looked the picture of grace and sophistication in Phillipa Lepley.

Photography: Charlie Dailey

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.