Phillipa Lepley bride Julia

For her wedding in Charleston, South Carolina, Phillipa Lepley bride Julia wore an exquisite white duchess satin gown with a hand-embroidered ‘Petit Jardin’ removable top and silk tulle veil.

Julia’s journey to finding her perfect wedding dress began with a serendipitous visit to the Phillipa Lepley Shop in Chelsea, London. ‘I was aware of the iconic designs, and when we had our first appointment, I immediately had my “this is the one” moment”.’ 

Phillipa Lepley bride Julia

For the base of her bridal look, Julia decided on a clean, corseted, duchess satin gown with a gentle strapless neckline and full A-line skirt. She paired this with a detachable high-neck ‘Petit Jardin’ button-back top, which she removed in the evening, replacing with a romantic lace beaded belt.

A contemporary take on a classic silhouette, the embroidered top featured a modern dropped waist silhouette to elongate the bodice and accentuate the figure. The ‘Buttercup Beaded Pearl Belt’, shaped to fit the low waist, added a touch of sparkle and tied the entire ensemble together seamlessly.  

‘Phillipa’s beautiful embroidery was a strong draw for me initially so the embroidered top was always a focus. The white satin is absolutely stunning on its own and I loved removing the top for the reception and wearing the buttercup beaded pearl belt. I loved how each piece provided a different, yet equally elegant look.’

Phillipa Lepley bride Julia

The top was intricately hand-embroidered with delicate floral motifs of maiden’s fern, fuchsia, iris, and peony roses using satin chiffon appliqué, cording, and thread work with ivory seed pearls. Three-dimensional laser-cut leaves with sparkling glass beads and crystals were also included to catch the late afternoon light. The top was finished with a beautiful scalloped hem, with the floral motifs organically spilling onto the contrasting sheen of the white Italian duchess satin. 

To refine her couture wedding dress, Julia travelled from New York to London for fittings. In between, her dress took its form in the Phillipa Lepley Atelier – each stage a labour of love to create.

The satin base dress was tailored meticulously to Julia’s form, providing an immaculate canvas for the stunning embroidery. A stiffener was added to the top’s shoulders for structure, ensuring it maintained its elegant shape throughout the day.

The embroidery was carefully placed to flatter Julia’s silhouette, with motifs adjusted as needed to achieve perfect harmony. ‘With such intricate embroidery, we made several adjustments throughout the process, and the team was so detail-oriented in their work and truly did not stop until we felt we had the perfect design.’ 

Phillipa Lepley bride Julia

For her ceremony, Julia wanted her veil to amplify the intricacy of the embroidered top. She opted for a plain, ivory, single-tier veil, hand-cut from the finest French silk tulle so that the design was still visible.

‘In a bespoke dress where every piece is made to you exactly, it fit like a glove, and I felt so beautiful thanks to the Phillipa Lepley team.’ 

Phillipa Lepley bride Julia

Photography by Virgil Bunao

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.