Eco chic Bridal wear - Compliments

Quotes from Green Brides about our Eco Chic Bridal wear, reprinted with our clients' permission

 Dear Lori,

The dress was great - thank you so much again!  The cotton lining felt amazing against my skin, and it was comfortable to wear the whole day - I didn't want to take it off when it was time to leave!  People were very complementary about the dress, saying how beautiful it was, and how it was just my style as well.  Simple yet elegant and gorgeous!  I think some people I'd told that it was coming from the US were a bit apprehensive, wondering what I had let myself in for!  However, the sceptics were more than pleasantly surprised! 

And my local seamstress did a good job altering the ruching to fit my chest a bit better, and she found your bustle video very helpful, and did a great job of that too.  Having said that, as you can see from the final photos, it fitted wonderfully in the end. So although it did need minor alterations, I would recommend that other people from UK use you, especially if they want an ethical dress.  From what I've been told most bride's have to have their dress slightly altered at some stage before the wedding, and as you hadn't had a chance to see me in the flesh and had only my measurements and the toile to go by, then you did a fantastic job!

  -- Lucy M.    

                (Lucy is wearing 'Tabitha' in bamboo satin, from the 2009 Bridal Collection)

Hi Lori,

I just wanted to share with you how wonderful the fabric is, and what an amazing job my sister did on my wedding dress!  It turned out beautiful and it was a wonderful day. 

Edith Samuels (my amazing sister) did such a wonderful job on the dress.  She said that the fabric was easy to work with, and it was great that it came pre-shrunk. I can't wait to dye the gown and wear it again.  This also makes the dress more eco-conscious - being able to wear it again.  I'm debating whether to shorten the length or not.  Anyways all the best, Thanks again for your help!

                                              -- Eva M.

        (dress created by Eva's sister)

"Dear Lori,

Firstly the dress was fab - the style, colour, fabric, the service and personal touch - were all that I wanted. My parents can't sing your praises highly enough, and my father thinks it's a loss to this country that you've moved back to the US.

Overall everything was marvelous. I was thrilled that you made my dress, it was beautiful, and I only hope I get to wear it again (Gareth has vetoed me wearing it to the supermarket!). You made the whole process relaxed and enjoyable, and listened to me in ways I hadn't experienced when dress shopping with friends in bridal boutiques for their gowns. After meeting you I realised I didn't need to even go to a 'traditional' bridal shop (much to my bridesmaid's disappointment) - and it was all the better for your green credentials. I would highly recommend you to anybody - only problem is I don't know anybody who's getting married - in the UK or USA!" 

                    - Isabel F.     (Isabel is wearing 'Jemma', from the 2009 Bridal Collection)

"Dear Lori,

Very happy at the thought of using your company, I did want as much of my wedding fund to go into people and companies that I believe in, so yours fits perfectly.  The fabric has been a joy, again I am so grateful to you for supplying it.  I know I've said it a lot, it's not out of a desire to gush but it's just so much nicer than the other organic cottons I was able to get samples of, so I am so happy that I found it!  Still so pleased with the fabric [after the wedding] , it was so comfy to wear all day long and I can't wait to start wearing it all the time now!

Thanks again so much for the fabric but also the enthusiasm.  It's been lovely meeting so many great professionals through organising the wedding, have really loved it!"

                                                                                                       -- Siobhán P
(Siobhán's dress designed by Jackie Thompson and photo by Rob Bird)               

Dear Lori, 

'Yes the parcel reached me fine, I had to pay VAT on it when it arrived which bumped the cost of my collection up a fair bit but it was worth it. The fabric was perfect, it's all finished now! It all went really well and I'm very happy with it, I've included the pdf document of my photo shoot for you. Our fashion show is this Thursday, it's so exciting!'

                                                               -- Emma J.

(photo is of Emma's wonderful design; the skirt is created from cappuccino hemp/silk)

Dear Lori,

'I've been meaning to email you to say how thankful i am for all your help.

The fabrics arrived and they have been a great help,  i've included them into my final research boards (quoting Concious Elegance of course!), and its due in tomorrow.

Thank you so much for your speedy and friendly service!'

                                                                                        --- Best Wishes, Rebecca L

Dear Lori,

We had a fabulous day - even the British weather held and the sun shone!! Attaching a few pictures of me in my dress that my local seamstress made with your beautiful bamboo... we're yet to get most of them back but these give you an idea...Everyone liked the dress and everyone who commented got a lecture from me about the fabric and it being bamboo and sustainable!! Great!

                                            -- Anna M.

"Hi Lori,
 
Just wanted to let you know I've been viewing my dress page, and got tingles down my spine seeing the photos - I'm very excited!  Thank you for providing such lovely updates :) "
                                                                                                                   --  Lucy K.

"Dear Lori,

[my little daughter] Serena has worn the dress you made her last year every day for a month. When it's soiled or crusty and needs to be washed she insists on wearing it right up to the machine, taking it off, and putting it in to wash herself. She checks on it every few minutes until it is done and she can put it back on. But yes, she wears it that much. She even wore it on all of our recent plane rides. She takes it off to sleep, but that's about it."                                                                
                                                                           - Sierra B.

Hello Lori,

The dress went really well, lots of compliments!

The fabric was great to work with, really easy to use!

Thank you for all your help!!

                                               --  Becky C.

  (Kerith's beautiful dress was created by Becky)

"Dear Lori,

I've read your website (specifically the words on the wedding dress industry) but never really seen a mainstream wedding shop before - this: it was... quite something. Clearly cheaply made, polyester/acetate-looking, overpriced dresses: badly made, untailored polyester for two thousand pounds... *shudders*...I've been recommending the website to people I know who are interested in weddings for a while, and will continue to do so. Hurray, you, for promoting Proper Stuff."

                                                                  - Ludmila

"Hi Lori!

I really was so impressed with your service from the outset.  You are helpful and flexible, and understanding.  Nothing was too much trouble for you. It was exactly what was needed during that sometimes-stressful time!


All the very best
Sarah x"

(bridesmaids' dresses created by Conscious Elegance)

"Dear Lori,

Again it was a pleasure to work with your fantastic fabrics. Here it is, [my design] the "Queen of Butterfly".

Thanks a lot,

-- Julia "

Hi Lori - thanks so much - the dress is gorgeous! I can't wait to show it off. Feel free to put photos up before the wedding - Ewan doesn't know where to look!

Thanks again!!!

Elaine x

(Elaine is wearing 'Tara' from the 2008 Bridal Collection. We love how the groom's tie was created to match the gown. A truly Green Gown for a Green Wedding!)

"Working with Lori was great.  Originally I was only planning on having just a plain party dress, but Lori graciously offered to share some of her ideas with me and once we got talking we ended up with a beautiful design!  Lori was extremely accommodating and was happy to get feedback throughout the process.  I was also in the middle of moving house and had little time to check my dress log so she kindly sent me updates and links in my e-mail!  The final product was perfectly unique to me and the fit was superb. Lori is a dressmaking genius.  Everyone loved the dress on my wedding day and I can't say enough about how comfortable it was! Normally I'm a jeans and t-shirt kind of gal and I didn't want to take the dress off at the end of the day (I nearly slept in it but my new husband protested!).  I would definitely recommend Lori to anyone wanting something other than a traditional white, strapless, a-line gown.  It's your wedding day, stand out a little!"

-- Carrie B.

(Carrie is wearing the 'Carrie' design, from our Eco Chic Bridesmaid and Party Dresses Collection); her groom's tie is also made of matching hemp/silk!)

I can't quite believe how amazing the dress looks. It's a compete stunner, it's absolutely gorgeous! I can't wait to wear it.

Thank you again Lori. You have been so helpful and lovely and I think the least stressful part of arranging the whole wedding. I really appreciated you making time for me, it has made me feel really special. I can't wait to get the dress, show off and let everyone know how wonderful you've been. I'm sure I'll be back for more in the future!

Thank you :-)                                                                

Anz xx

Hi Lori!

How are you?! I finally get round to sending you a photo :-) I think I lost some weight since the last fitting! It was super comfortable and I felt good and confident in it :-) The only things I would do different is have the empire line lower :-)

Hope you are well!

Blessings,
Teresa

(Teresa is wearing 'Amber', from the Eco Bridesmaid and Party Dresses Collection)

Hi Lori -

Sorry I didn't get back to you...the fabric was amazing quality and really lovely to work with. It arrived in good time and I was very pleased with the service...here is a picture of the of final garment I made.

               - Regards, Gemma

"Dear Lori,

The "Butterfly Story" could not be told without your beautiful fabrics.

thanks
Julia S"

(dress designed by Julia, photo by Daniela Aglunz)

Lori,

Life is getting back to normal here now (said with a tinge of sadness!!), our day was wonderful and as you said it would be. I really enjoyed wearing the dress and did feel beautiful in it, and despite its weight it didn’t feel heavy! Just as well, as my head was so up in the clouds I may have floated off without it!! I found it completely comfortable to wear and really don’t have any minus points at all. I particularly liked the way that the fabric reflected the light in different ways as you can see in some of the photos.

Thanks again for [lending] the crinoline and for “the dress”!!

Maggie

(Maggie is wearing 'Rose', from the 2008 Bridal Collection)

'Dear Lori,

We have received the dress, it is as beautiful as the picture. You have a very talented team. Thank you for the wonderful service you have given both April and I and I wanted to tell you that we have both really enjoyed the experience, it's really made April feel special as every young women dreams of...

The ball was fabulous and April looked wonderful, even more importantly she felt great!

Thanks again,

God Bless, Lucy (April's Mum) xx'

(April is wearing 'Tina' as her prom gown, from the Eco Bridesmaid and Party Dresses Collection)

'Hi Lori,

Here is a photo of the dress I made out of your silk hemp fabric. I'm really pleased with it, it looks very glamourous and drapes really well. Unfortunately I didn't get that many great shots of the back which also has the big pleats on, but I will hopefully take some more.

Philippa C'

'Lori has been an absolute star from beginning to end creating dresses for myself and bridesmaids! I am hopeless at making decisions but she guided me through the process (which involved a LOT of emails!) to the end result of the 'Rachel' which is beautiful beyond description! I am so looking forward to wearing it and getting gasps of admiration.

Thank you so much to Lori and the CE team - they deserve Nobel prizes for dressmaking!'
  
                                           - Rachel L.

Dear Lori,

I just wanted to let you know that the dress [you created] ended up beautiful and very comfortable and fun to wear.  The wedding was great, and I'll send some pictures soon.

Thanks for your work - it was a pleasure working with you.

        - best, Kirstin

'Dear Lori,

I can hardly believe how beautifully the fabrics you supplied made up. What a pleasure to work with such quality fabrics again! I am absolutely delighted and hope to buy some more soon.' - Elizabeth A Edwards, founder and designer of eco-couture range 'Hope&Glory'  (her 'Tennyson' design is pictured here)

'Dear Lori,

I think what you do is really great. It is always inspiring to meet to meet someone that gives environmental issues such thought, so thank you. Your choice not to use zips and boning really struck me. I had seen your garments with ties rather than zips, but hadn't put two and two together. Really admirable.

I said I'd e-mail you a photo of the dress I made for my 10 year anniversary party so here's the best one. I'm afraid we didn't have a professional photographer, so there isn't a photo of just me in the dress looking pretty.

Thanks again for the fabric and your time. It was lovely fabric to work with and I love wearing the dress. I think it turned out rather well.'

                                  -Faith J.

'Dear Lori,

As promised, here is a photo of my wedding dress made from your lovely silk!

Thanks again for your help. The day was really special and went so well, we had an amazing time. And I felt beautiful in my dress!

Thanks,
Steph'

Stephanie and hubby in crimson hemp/silk, garments made by her mum

'After 5 months and 42 e-mails in our conversation (!) I am very happy to finally have decided on the Fallen Leaves fabric for my wedding dress, and to have ordered it from such a kind and service-minded woman. The fabric is obviously of high quality and will complete my 50s style perfectly. I'm gonna show all my family and friends that you CAN have an eco-friendly wedding without compromising with beauty and quality! Thanks for everything!'

                    -- Sofia from Sweden

'Dear Lori,

Thanks for your email and asking about how the wedding went. It was fantastic and Grace looked stunning in her dress. From my perspective, I’d say the whole process of ordering, fitting and communicating with you were excellent. I think your main strength was the personal touch, being positive and keeping in touch throughout the process – so thank you very much'.

Best wishes, Judith (the mum of the bride, who ordered the gown)

'From my side the dress was everything I was looking for. The quality and feel of the fabric was great and I enjoyed wearing it all day. I was amazed how well the dress fitted without a fitting.'

'Dear Lori,

Finally I’m taking the time to write! I wanted to thank you again for making my wedding dress which was a real success with relatives & friends but first of all to me and my husband to be.

When we had our first chat about wedding dresses I hadn’t thought that you would be interested in doing mine as what I had in mind was quite different from your previous designs; I was more looking for tips and advice. But you rising to the challenge was a real life saver as all my forays into wedding or non-wedding shops had been quite a disaster. I had my mind set on a certain shade and shape which was nowhere to be found. So when I first came to your workshop and saw the fabric you were going to use I was ecstatic as it was exactly the colour I had in mind, besides the feel of the hemp/silk satin was lovely and really easy to wear all day. I must say I felt privileged to be handled by such skillful hands.  Nowadays everything is far too perfunctory hence sometimes losing the quality and service. My experience with you was so not the case. I really felt the centre of attention and that you did your utmost to make me feel confident, sexy and happy.

On a more practical note, my dress has now been machine-washed and pressed and is as good as new. I’m really delighted with this as it means this little work of art will not be forgotten and gather dust in a closet. I will wear it again soon knowing that it has been made especially for me and it now has all the memories of a fabulous day associated with it as the pictures display.

Thanks again and looking forward to seeing all your new creations !

PS - My mum said she's happy to be pictured on a website that promotes lovely dresses, especially by the woman who made her only girl look amazing !!!'

                                        - Stephanie N.

(The Stephanie dress design is available in our 2009 Bridal Collection)         

'Lori,  

The fabric was perfect! I've attached a copy of our favourite photo of the day. You were just wonderful! I thoroughly enjoyed our telephone conversations, and felt really encouraged after speaking to you. The thing is, when you tell people (especially future in-laws!) that you're making your own dress, they inevitably have all sorts of advice to offer. However, no-one managed to offer as much helpful advice as you, simply telling me your own story - so thank you!

Thanks for reusing the envelope. I feel like I'm getting better value for money when things come in recycled packaging, but maybe that's just me! In the end, I used just half of the sateen for my dress, and managed to make a prototype of the other half which I dyed yellow and wore for the morning after. So I got a lot more dress than I paid for! I think my actual wedding dress cost a tenner, which represents massive value for money!

All in all, Lori, I'm honoured and proud to have done business with you. Although the style of dress you make wasn't what I had in mind, they are beautiful things, and I would go so far as to call them works of art. You're a lovely person and I couldn't be happier with the service I received from you. I just hope that you didn't lose any money on the deal!

I'm 100% delighted with all of my experiences of Conscious Elegance - communication, service and product!

Take care, Lori, and thanks again!'                                                                   

                                                                                       - Mirella de J.

'I felt that the experience of purchasing [fabric] from you was of excellent service.  You were helpful at all stages from the initial telephone conversation about the fabrics and their properties right through to the samples, selection of product and the delivery of the goods.  I was very happy with the fabric selection and the way it turned out as garment. '

                                                                                    - Peter T.

'The dress lived up to the occasion magnificently. I enjoyed seeing the progress and process of the gown being made, and it links in nicely with the finished product!!'

                                                 -- Rebecca G.

(Rebecca is wearing the 'Tara' design from the 2008 Bridal Collection)

'Lori was so incredibly helpful while I was planning my green wedding!  When trying to find an organic dress for my wedding, I was frustrated by how few resources there were out there at the time.  So it was really helpful and encouraging to talk to Lori about dress options.  She not only helped me get a sense of what kinds of materials and colors are available, but she also gave me a great sense of what sorts of styles would work.  I was able to finally picture what an environmentally-friendly wedding dress that was perfect for me would look like. I would definitely recommend Lori as a very professional, friendly, enthusiastic, responsible, talented, and environmentally-conscious dressmaker.'

                                                     -- Vanessa P.

'Lori is fabulous. In creating my dress, I always felt like I was in good hands. She listened well to what I wanted, and the results speak for themselves. Many of our guests told me how stunning I looked, and commented on how not only was the dress beautiful, it was clearly something that incorporated "me".'   

                                                      -- Jess M.

'I loved Lori's attention to detail and ability to think outside the box! That was a must for our wedding and particularly my wedding dress. I wanted the dress from the movie "Legend" that Lily is wearing in the first scenes. There was no pattern for the dress so Lori creatively combined several patterns to create this beautiful dress. In the end, our wedding looked like something out of a fairytale and the dress was at its center.'      

                                                    - Shelley P.

And here we have little PJ, wearing a hemp/silk infant gown. Hello PJ!! Welcome to the family!!

'The dress was awesome and all I had to do was find a pretty pattern and say 'can you make this look good on me even though I look nothing like the model?' Now THAT's Talent! Lori knows how to make even a bridesmaid look like a princess which means that I'm thrilled to show people the wedding photos...my dress will be seeing a lot more usage when party season starts again!'

                 - Karen M. (on the far right)

(all dresses in the photo created by Lori)

'When I started thinking about what I wanted to wear for my wedding, I had a vision in my head, and Lori enabled me to get from that vision to the spectacular dress I got to wear that day. She worked tirelessly to get the dress exactly how she wanted it, and she was also very responsive to all my suggestions and input. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her to anyone. '

                                                        - Johanna B.

 [click on pic for different view]

'When Lori makes a dress, she puts the time and attention into detail as she would if making it for a family member.'

                                       - Talia L.

(Talia is wearing the 'Lydia' design from a previous collection)

'My wedding dress was well-made and fitted me nicely, and I enjoyed having a dress made especially for me. Since this was my second marriage and I was in my 50s, it was important to me that it be age-appropriate while not seeming too matronly. Lori was able to incorporate my two concerns into one perfect dress.'

                                        - Sue S.

'Dear Lori - I can't thank you enough for making my beautiful wedding dress for me. At the time you first offered, I was at my wit's end trying to find something in bridal stores, department stores, or on the web that even remotely fit me and looked appropriate. I'd spent hours and then given up in tears...what you created was even more than I'd hoped for! The dress is absolutely beautiful. You made something exactly right for me, and thanks to you I felt beautiful on my wedding day. I really appreciate all the time and effort you put into the dress...all the chances you gave me to see it in progress...you really have a gift, to take bolts of fabric and turn them into something beautiful. I'm so grateful, and I love my dress so much. I want to get married again and again so I can keep wearing it! Thank you thank you thank you'

                                         - Karen McA.

(and now we welcome baby Lillian! Congrats Karen and Thomas!)