This Wedding Dress Contract sets out how I will do wedding dress design for you, and what I need from you to get a gown finished and fitting well by your date. If anything needs to change once we are underway, I will price it and confirm it with you in writing before I do the extra work.
What you get
I will design, draft, fit, and construct your gown through the fitting stages we schedule together, from first measurements to final handover. The work includes the items listed below, and it is based on the design sketch and style brief I prepare for you, which becomes my build reference for fit, structure, fabric choices, and finish level.
Fittings are by appointment and you’ll need to attend in person for pinning, shaping, and hem marking. Please bring your wedding shoes and your planned undergarments once we reach the skirt set fitting, so I can mark the hem to the right height and balance.
* Consult notes and measurements * Design sketch and style brief * Calico toile for fitting * Finished wedding gown * Alteration record and care notes * Matching veil or overskirt
Payment
I book wedding dress design once the proposal is signed and I receive the 40% booking payment. That booking payment holds your fitting slots and allows me to start the design, pattern work, and sourcing steps we’ve agreed.
The remaining 60% is due when I hand over the finished work. I invoice as we go, and each invoice is payable within 14 days of its date. If a payment is late, I will pause work and any fittings that depend on it until your account is up to date. If a pause affects the timeline, I’ll tell you straight away so we can reset the plan.
Changes and fittings
A “revision” in this context means a set of changes made from one fitting stage to the next, based on what we pin and agree in the room. Your project includes the fittings needed for the normal build path: calico toile and first fitting, bodice build and structure fitting, skirt set and hem marking, and a final fitting.
If you change the design after I start building, for example neckline, sleeves, structure, fabric, lace, or detail level, I will quote the change before I do the extra work. If your body changes significantly after the first fitting, I will adjust where seam allowances allow. If something needs rebuilding, I will price it first and only proceed once you approve.
Who owns what
Once the final 60% is paid, the finished gown, and any veil or overskirt included in your agreed items, are yours. You can wear, alter, and keep them as you wish.
My working materials stay mine. That includes my sketches, patterns, drafting notes, toile markings, internal construction methods, and any templates I use to get accurate fit and structure. I keep these because they are part of how I build and because they help me make consistent adjustments across fittings. If you later want additional work done, these records also help me work faster and more accurately.
Photos and portfolio
I may photograph the finished work in the studio at handover, and I may use those images, and any professional photos you share with me, to show my work in my portfolio and on my channels. I will keep it respectful and focused on the dress.
If you would rather I don’t share your dress publicly, or you want a delay until after the wedding date, tell me in writing and I will follow that. If there are specific angles, names, or identifying details you want me to avoid, list them and I’ll stick to them.
What I’m responsible for
I’m responsible for making the garment described in the design sketch and style brief, fitting it through the agreed fittings, and finishing it to the standard we’ve agreed, using the materials you approve. Because fit depends on real bodies and real dates, you agree to attend fittings on time and bring the right shoes and undergarments once we reach hem marking.
I’m not responsible for problems caused by changes after handover, including weight changes, different shoes, different undergarments, damage from wear, or alterations done by someone else. If you notice a concern at collection, tell me then so I can assess it and, where it’s part of my work, fix it.
Ending the project early
If you need to end the project early, tell me in writing. I will stop work at the next safe stopping point and I will invoice for the work I’ve completed up to that day, including any materials I’ve already bought for your project. Your 40% booking payment is for reserved time and work already started, and it is not refunded once I have begun.
If I need to end the project, I will tell you in writing and explain why. You will receive anything you’ve paid for that can reasonably be handed over at that stage, such as your approved design sketch and style brief and any materials you purchased through me. If you have a hard deadline coming up, I will be honest early if I can’t commit to it.
Signature
