Phillipa Lepley bride Taylor

A breathtaking wedding in the Vatican – Taylor married in Saint Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City wearing a bespoke Phillipa Lepley ivory duchess satin gown with a detachable high-neck Buttercup lace top and hand-embroidered silk tulle veil.

Travelling from Europe to work with our Atelier, Phillipa Lepley bride Taylor designed her dream bespoke wedding dress – an exquisite, timeless design that would define her bridal look from the cathedral ceremony at Saint Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City to her reception at Villa Miani, Rome.

The foundation of Taylor’s bespoke wedding dress was a strapless, A-line satin gown. Crafted from luxurious Italian duchess satin, a fabric specially sourced by Phillipa from Lake Como’s mills, it provided a beautiful canvas for Taylor’s delicate lace top.

To achieve the iconic, feminine silhouette Phillipa Lepley gowns are renowned for, a signature internal corset was used inside the dress. The corset was designed to define the waist and create a flattering shape on which the satin flowed over. All signature Phillipa Lepley corsets are specially crafted by hand in the London Atelier to perfectly mould to the bride’s form – a level of detail that makes all the difference in the fit of a bespoke wedding dress.

For her ceremony, an intimate mass set inside the halls of Saint Peter’s Basilica, Taylor opted for a bespoke lace top to provide some coverage, which she then later removed for her reception. The top, made from very fine ‘Buttercup’ lace, featured a high neckline and a subtle puff sleeve at the shoulder. Intricate scalloping featured at the hem and the cuffs of the top, adding the perfect, bridal finishing touch. The lace took centre stage as Taylor walked down the aisle, with beautiful sunlight streaming through the stained glass windows and highlighting the intricacy of the motifs in the light.

Taylor’s two-tier silk tulle veil was the epitome of personalisation. This bespoke accessory was designed to be simple yet profound – in a truly meaningful touch, Taylor selected a Hewbrew blessing to be hand-embroidered in ivory satin stitch across the bottom of the veil. 

With any bespoke Phillipa Lepley veil, the care with which the lettering was designed, down to the scale and placement of each character, reflected the precise artistry of our team and showcased the limitless possibilities of custom veils and the unparalleled beauty of embroidery. Taylor was closely involved in the whole design process of the veil, for example, working with Phillipa’s Head of Embellishment to decide on the embroidery stitch technique. The veil now serves as a timeless heirloom that Taylor will cherish for life.

A couture collaboration between Phillipa Lepley and Emmy London completed Taylor’s bespoke look. Using the same buttercup lace as Taylor’s top, the Phillipa Lepley Atelier team worked closely with Emmy London to create one-of-a-kind shoes that perfectly complemented her dress, a special design that can be re-worn for years to come as a reminder of her wedding day.

For her evening reception at the iconic Villa Miani, Taylor seamlessly transformed her wedding dress by removing the detachable lace bridal top to reveal her sleek, strapless satin gown beneath. Taylor styled the gown with an ivory duchess satin sash to highlight the corseted waist and impeccable fit. As the spectacular party unfolded into the night with breathtaking views over Rome, the soft romantic sheen of the satin looked stunning under the warm glow of the evening lights.

From her hand-embroidered silk tulle veil, to her Phillipa Lepley x Emmy London bridal shoes, Taylor’s wedding day look truly epitomises the level of bespoke couture that can be achieved with Phillipa Lepley.

Photography by Julia Kaptelova

Bespoke Shoes by Phillipa Lepley x Emmy London

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.