Vintage wedding dresses are becoming increasingly popular among modern brides who want to add a touch of timeless elegance to their big day! When it comes to weddings, there are few things more sentimental and meaningful than wearing your mother’s wedding dress. However, the gown may not always be in perfect condition, and it may not be exactly your desired style for this once-in-a-lifetime special day. That’s where a talented designer like Sarah Kolis can come in and work her magic!

In addition to bridal alterations and couture wedding gowns, Sarah Kolis has developed a passion for vintage redesign projects. It’s no wonder that these projects are growing in popularity! Weddings are a time when sentimental emotions run high, and people often seek ways to incorporate meaningful items, such as their own mother’s wedding dress, into their special day. Sarah’s love for vintage clothing began while shopping at local markets just after college and realizing the quality difference between clothing of the past and today. With this came a re-design of Sarah’s personal style that now embraces 2nd hand and vintage clothing for several reasons. Sarah enjoys the “timelessness of certain staple items that were designed and created to last the test of time”. Not to mention- the benefits of buying 2nd hand over new supports a greater good to society through ethical labor practices, delaying landfill waste, and prevention of over-consumerism. But that is a discussion for a later time! What we are talking about here is the gorgeousness of the prior generation’s eye for stylized design that we can use as inspiration for a beautifully sentimental piece of wearable history! Wow!

Sarah has found that these vintage mother’s wedding gowns (mostly from the 80’s these days) were created with a sense of elegance, quality, and lots of room for opportunity with excessive fabrics, large sleeves, intricate details, all of which things can be dis-assembled and re-imaged for a more modern bride!

Redesigning a vintage wedding dress is a unique way to honor family history and create a one-of-a-kind wedding gown. Sarah Kolis is an expert in this field, with a talent for taking vintage fabrics and transforming them into modern masterpieces. Her expertise in bridal design allows her to craft a gown that is perfectly tailored to the bride’s vision while preserving the sentimental value of the original dress!

What Can We Create?

The possibilities for redesigning your mother’s wedding dress are virtually limitless! Brides can re-design their gown to be worn as their actual bridal gown, or worn to their bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, or even a late night wedding day dress!

Or, if wearing mom’s gown isn’t your vibe, you can take a piece of the gown fabric and have it sewn to the inside of your wedding gown! Maybe perhaps we can re-purpose mom’s veil? Or take lace from mom’s gown and create a new veil? So many options!

As every dress and bride is so different, your unique situation can be discussed and talked through with Sarah at your fitting! There will be several options to be talked through and decisions to be made! After all, this is a custom project that is re-designed and created with the individual bride in mind. What a fabulous collaboration to create a new gown that encompasses both mother and daughter!

The Process

Whether you want to completely transform the dress into something new, incorporate some of its elements into your wedding gown, or turn it into a reception dress, Sarah can guide you through the process. She will work with you to understand your style and what you want to achieve, and create a unique design that captures your vision and reflects your own individual personality!

Step 1: Cleaning

Check out the gown! Was it professionally cleaned and preserved years ago? If so, you do not need the gown cleaned again! If you do plan to clean the gown, do so BEFORE your fitting appointment with Sarah Kolis. You may purchase a preservation kit from Sarah (email hello@sarahkolis.com, takes 2-10 weeks) or check out your local cleaners! If in metro Detroit, check out Janet Davis in Royal Oak (and mention Sarah Kolis sent you!)

Step 2: Bring the gown to your bridal alterations fitting!

This is the first step towards making your vintage dreams come true! Tag this gown along with you to your 1st Bridal Gown alterations fitting that takes place 6-8 weeks before your wedding. This timeline is still plenty of time for Sarah to do the work on both your gowns! Click here and select “1st Bridal Fitting (6-8 weeks before wedding)” to book your appointment!

However, if you would like to come sooner than that 6-8 week window, great! Book here and select “1st Bridal Fitting (8+ weeks before wedding): Consultation” to schedule a consultation with Sarah!

Step 3: The Fitting

Bring the dress and shoes! Bring mom’s veil too just in case? All the accessories would be great too! During the appointment, you can discuss your ideas and explore all the many possibilities. Sarah will provide expert advice and insight, making sure that you feel comfortable with every decision!

Step 4: The End Result!

Yay! After a wave of Sarah’s wand and a little bibbidi-boppidi-boo action, your dream gown will come to life! This will be something both you AND mom can be proud of! You will try it on at the 2nd fitting all will be complete and ready for your big day! How fun!

An Ethical Option

This surely is a decision you can be proud of! Redesigning a vintage wedding dress is also a sustainable and eco-friendly option. Instead of buying a brand new dress, repurposing a vintage dress not only reduces waste but also creates a unique piece with a history and story. It’s a way to honor the past and embrace the present.

Vintage redesign projects, particularly for wedding dresses, are gaining popularity for their sentimental value, uniqueness, and sustainability. With her expertise in bridal design, Sarah Kolis is an excellent choice for brides looking to incorporate their family history into their wedding day. She can help transform a vintage dress into a modern masterpiece that perfectly captures the bride’s personal style and vision, creating a lasting memory for generations to come.

Need Some Inspiration?

Check out Sarah’s Instagram story highlight “Vintage”!

Are you a previous bride of Sarah’s and had such work done? Email photos! We will add them to this blog for future brides to admire!! Hello@sarahkolis.com