Miss Bush Sale - Sizing and Fitting

Across many of the blog posts I have written I have 'shared with the group' the unmissable fact that I sport I fine G cup bust. I have adjusted to the fact that if I want to buy a  reasonable, well fitting off the peg dress I nip into Hobbs and the angelic pattern cutters seem to have catered for me in their size 16.

Wedding dresses would be a different story - if I was advising myself I would suggest I didn't visit a sample sale. Wedding dresses. even if they are a 16, are not cut for a very large cup size. Similarly they are not usually great on the over 5' 10" or in the under 5' 2".

A sample sale is really best suited to those brides that are sample size - it can be an 8 or a 16 - but it is worth not disappointing yourself with a slightly deflating sale experience.

Reasonable and practical alterations would be to take a dress down by 1 to 2 sizes, shortening the length, customising and certainly adjusting to a different size top and bottom  - all entirely manageable.

Letting out - crikey no! Letting the hem down - ditto! These are inadvisable and I would not recommend buying a sample dress with these in mind.

The one exception to this would be adding a larger panel under the lacing of a corset back dress - this could certainly buy you an inch or two.

Hems, side seams, lifting shoulders, adding bust cups, lingerie carriers, bustling trains - all perfectly practical tasks that our seamstresses perform daily - can be offered for samples.

Samples sales can be a fabulous steal. Miss Bush staff are trained to continue to advise with integrity and to not let the spectre of red pen bargains overwhelm common sense.

Suzanne Neville Devotion £2300 reduced to £995

Laura Bell in Suzanne Neville's Devotion

I am so delighted to have Laura's pictures because, despite the fact I could bore for Britain about the minutiae of wedding world, my core job, responsibility and calling is to dress brides. The winter is a relatively lean month for weddings - though be warned winter brides I shall be stalking your inbox soon - but a very busy period for the shop. I haven't had as much time to hunt down photos and the Miss Bush blog has had a rather Emma Meek bias. As anyone who has met me will testify, I am a virtual wallflower so this has been troubling to my inherent shyness.

Is anyone buying this?

More than anything I have loved seeing these photos on a wintry day when the false promise of summer has given way to wet, grey skies. When Outlook is filled to bursting, the phone is relentless, home hasn't cleaned itself, a few window envelopes are eyeballing me and the supper has not been started. Clearly the responsible thing to do is dream about a luxury resort in Malaysia where " Twilight happens all too soon. But with sunset cocktails and dinner in a beach-side gazebo served by your own private butler, you don’t really mind." - have a little link love in and see what I mean.

Laura dropped me an email...

"Hi Emma

My official photos are now "in" and thought you and the girls at Miss Bush may want a peak of how the dress looks in the pics.

You will probably spot the gorgeous Polly Edwards "Claudette" band too!

We didn't hold out much hope for the pics as the photographer came with our wedding package, and after seeing some of your blogs about getting the right photographer I was worried! It seems as though we were lucky however and thankfully we have some lovely ones to cherish.

Hope you are all well, and please pass on my thanks to Corrine and Jen once again just for being so fab!
Hope you enjoy

          Laura xx"


We always love photos - although it might appear, from my demands that brides choose good photographers, that I am becoming slightly despotic...

Polly Edwards triumphs again...

The train looks enormous! I'm sure this is a trick of the light!

See - much littler train....

I want to sit on a beach at sunset soon please....

Thank you so much to Laura and John for sharing a few precious images of what looks like a perfectly relaxed  corner of paradise.

Laura's credits

"We got married at the Shangri-La Rasa Ria resort in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia on the 23rd Feb.

The photographer was Jeffrey Wong at All About Love photography -

http://www.allaboutlove.com.my/

At the ceremony were John and I ...16 guests... & a lovely sunset. "

A little word about Miss Bush "Keep up the fabulous work..." - oh well - if we must ;) xxx

 

Suzanne Neville Forever as worn by Miranda Dossetter

The lovliest aspect of receiving wedding photos is seeing our dresses in action. In Miranda's case a sublime Suzanne Neville dress called 'Forever,' exquisitely structured dress draped in fine silk chiffon. I also love to see the the transformation from the girl I see in the shop to the model-esque bride! On the day the transformation is more subtle - from slightly nervous, to beaming and radient

Getting ready - pensive...

...but composed

Beaming and relaxed...

Just marvel at the structure in this dress....

Wasn't this Autumn's Indian summer perfect for weddings!

The golden, low sunlight just can't be planned for - what a blessing!

Many thanks to Miranda and Scott 

for sharing some images of their very special day.

Photography by http://www.source-images.co.uk/

Suzanne Neville Rapture Sample for Sale

I apologise unreservedly to any 'more-to-love' girls like myself for publishing this image. I would need a full season on 'The Biggest Loser' to get a leg in this. However for any 5'10 size 10s out there this would make a fantastic dress for a black tie wedding. The expertly cut bias crepe clings and drapes with a hint of Studio 54 and 70s luxe. It is completely stunning.
Now - do you see the limitations of my buying. I would love to get married looking like a young Jerry Hall - it isn't a very mainstream desire...
So if you share my love for this AND have the figure to work it you could snap up the sample for a bargainous £1250 as opposed to £2455.

Fancy making like Debbie Harry and spend your night in 'Rapture' then ring 01483 222815 or email emma@missbushbridalwear.co.uk Dress now SOLD

Fetcham Park Shoot - Undiscovered Models and the making of the Foxes

I have lovely amazing girls that work for me, they're like sisters and friends rolled into one. I spend more time with them than anyone else ever and they know Miss Bush and our ethos inside out.

However between us we couldn't shake down one single standard size 10/12 figure if our shoot depended on it. My girls are gorgeous, stylish with a natural knack of putting looks together. Collectively, though, we sport fine bosoms, curvy bottoms and whiff of muffin top.

So when searching for models surely we should be stymied. No because we know some utter foxes. Some are friends, many are related and some just walk through the door!

These are the first four and I am desperate to show more but I have to wait for some 'other' bloggers exclusives first ( eh - Annabel!)

Gemma bestie of my daughter

Gemma - Fetcham Fox

Jeni - another bff of my daughter

Fetcham Fox

Ellie - 15 year old baby sister of Bush lovely - Gina

Fetcham Fox

Leia bff of Annette's(Bush sewing supremo)daughter Kirstie

Fetcham Fox

Credits

Photography Eddie Judd and EFC Photography
Styling by Tigerlily
Hair and Make Up Elbie Van Eeden; Carolanne Armstrong; Sharon Roberts; Ariane
Flowers by WildAbout, Scarlett and Viloet and Richardsons
Dresses and accessories Miss Bush
Jewellry Jon Dibben

Laura Wanless in Suzanne Neville's Maiden - Classic and Iconic

There are some words that really annoy me in reality TV and tabloid journalism. The worst being 'journey.' It is overused and reductive but I really want to use it here to describe my first meeting with Laura to the culmination of receiving these sublime pictures. It has been a 'voyage'  - wedding dress shopping is always emotional but for some more than others - like Christmas it stirs emotions, reminiscences and occasionally a tear or too.

 Laura looked beautiful in the delicate chantilly lace of Maiden from the first moment she slipped into it. It is a delicate dress perfect for a willowy English rose. Through the months from ordering the dress, Laura's stresses gently ebbed and here she is the very epitome of a relaxed and beautiful bride.  The setting of the ancient and mystical St Martha's in the hills above Guildford is glorious and the sun shone despite dire predictions - as the saying goes 'somebody upstairs' was definitely looking out for her.

 In Laura's words
" the wedding was a big success and thank goodness, despite a really unsettled weather forecast, it turned out to be a hot and sunny day up at St. Martha's on the Hill, Chilworth. The dress was perfect and I can hardly describe just how many comments I had on it, even now, a week and a half on!"

Laura on the arm of Godfather Adrian Waddams

The gently rolling Surrey countryside

St Martha-on-the-Hill

The new Mr & Mrs Richard Davies

Laura - many thanks for sharing these fabulous pictures and being an all round fantastic Miss Bush bride. Best 'Bush' wishes to your Mother Patricia too.


Photography courtesy of Roger Brown