There are lots of reasons why a bride might find herself in the market for a bespoke or custom-made wedding dress. Perhaps you have a really clear vision of your dream bridal look but haven't been able to find anything similar in local boutiques, or maybe you're tempted by the luxury of a once-in-a-lifetime Irish bridal couture experience. Either way, we're here to help! We've compiled a list of exceptionally talented Irish bridal designers who specialise in unique, bespoke and custom made-to-measure wedding dresses, making sure to include the very best in the business. These incredible designers can create a wedding-day look that's totally unique, fits you like a glove, and may even include a personal detail or two!
The Best Irish Bridal Designers
Sarah Foy Couture
Handcrafted in her seaside studio in Clontarf in Dublin, Sarah Foy Couture wedding dresses are something truly special, a one-off piece designed exclusively for you. Sarah appeals to brides who not only want something different, but something completely unique and one-of-a-kind. This could be anything from a classic gown to an edgy jumpsuit in a bold colour or a set of chic separates. A Sarah Foy Couture wedding dress is a collaboration between Sarah and the bride, and she never makes two dresses the same, meaning that each gown is a stunning reflection of the bride's style and personality!
To find out more, visit sarahfoycouture.com.
Bespoke Bridal
An experienced designer with 10 years of experience working in high fashion, including time on the creative teams of John Rocha and Simone Rocha, Niamh Lynch is one of the top talents in Irish design, so we're beyond thrilled that she's turned her full attention to bridal fashion! From her design studio in Marlay Park, Niamh offers one-on-one consultations for a complete custom service. Brides can choose one of her beautiful existing gown designs, mix and match elements they love, or collaborate with Niamh on a completely custom creation.
To find out more, visit bespokebridal.ie.
Aoife Kennedy Paris
Aoife Kennedy Paris creations are contemporary, luxurious, and always tailored to the personality and desires of the bride. From the initial consultation through to completion of the finished gown, Aoife remains thoroughly detail-oriented, offering as many fittings as are required to achieve the perfect fit, and sending her brides away with a dress or jumpsuit they can't wait to wear!
To find out more, visit www.aoifekennedyparis.com
The Next Chapter
Brainchild of Irish designer Rebecca Whelan, The Next Chapter is a new wedding dress design label launched in 2023 offering Ready To Wear and Made To Order designs. After studying at Limerick School of Art and Design and interning for some of the Ireland's best stylists, this independent and bespoke designer made the transition into bridalwear. We think brides will love Rebecca's delicate use of tulle, drapery and romantic silhouettes as well as pushing the boundaries of modern bridalwear with suiting to reveal the confidence and beauty of all who wear her designs.
To find out more, visit, thenextchapterbridaloccasion.com
Helen Cody
Having worked in fashion for almost 30 years, including stints at the Paris studio of Azzedine Alaia, and as a celebrity stylist, Helen Cody is perfectly placed to create a knockout gown. She's been designing wedding dresses for over a decade (including her own!), with a focus on timeless silhouettes, and intricate embellishment. One of her gowns was a dead ringer for the Dior wedding dress that Chiara Ferragni wore to wed Federico Lucia in 2018, so, naturally, she's a big hit with fashion-forward brides.
To find out more, visit helencody.com.
House of Delphine
French-born, Irish-bred designer Delphine Grandjouan is synonymous in Ireland with high-end bridalwear, being particularly skilled at constructing slinky, 1930s-inspired, bias-cut silhouettes, although her designs regularly feature modern twists on 1920s, 1950s and 1980s styles, too. Old-world glamour, bohemian romance and vintage femininity are her specialities, which explains why so many women aroung the country - including One Fab Day's original co-founder, Naoise! - choose her to create their bridal look. With studios in Kerry and Dublin, she also creates a yearly collection, which offers inspiration for her bespoke designs.
To find out more, visit houseofdelphine.com.
Sharon Hoey
Boasting over 30 years of experience in connecting brides with their dream wedding dress, Sharon Hoey is one of the top names in Irish bridal design. Her boutique on Dublin's Lower Merrion Street may stock world-renowned international brands including Jenny Packham and Suzanne Neville, but brides are regularly swayed by her bespoke bridal service, which invites them to collaborate on a made-to-measure gown. Sharon Hoey's understated and elegant designs are dreamed up and handcrafted in her Dublin studio, using only the finest fabrics, making them truly timeless.
To find out more, visit sharonhoey.com.
THEIA
The man behind the world-famous THEIA collection is Don O’Neill – an Irish designer born in Ballyheigue who’s designs launched in 2009 and are currently sold in over 350 stores worldwide. THEIA Couture provides evening wear, bridal and day dress collections combining glamorous and elegant styling with luxurious fabrics and prints.
To find out more, visit theiacouture.com
Mizz Rio
An alternative wedding dress designer based in North Co. Dublin, Mags of Mizz Rio works on a one-to-one basis with each bride to create her dream wedding look. The most important factor for her is that each bride feels comfortable during her appointment and feels heard. Her bespoke wedding dress service is a collaboration between designer and bride, meaning that no two gowns are the same, although, more often than not, her designs feature a fun and unique edge.
To find out more, visit mizzrio.ie
Kathy De Stafford
With boutiques in Nenagh, Howth and Dublin city centre, Kathy De Stafford has introduced countless brides to their dream wedding dress in her three-decade career, including many of her own designs! Her bespoke service is focussed on timeless styles and high-quality fabrics, regularly featuring delicate lace panelling and intricate embellishment. Each bespoke gown is made in Ireland and finished by hand to couture standards.
To find out more, visit destaffordbridal.ie.
Patrick Casey
Boasting 30 years of experience in the fashion industry, designer Patrick Casey worked for world-famous designers including Vivienne Westwood before setting up shop as a couture bridalwear designer. Working out of his studio in Ballymahon, Co. Longford, he excells at classic elegance, although there's often a modern twist in the intricate details of his gowns. Collaboration is key when it comes to his custom wedding dresses - he loves to work with brides on telling a story through his pieces.
To find out more, visit patrickcasey.ie.
Manley Bride
Irish designer Emma Manley is best known for cutting-edge womenswear, particularly heavily-embellished accessories and metallic and leather minidresses, but, after designing a simply stunning bespoke wedding gown for actress AoibhÃn Garrihy, she's now taking regular bridal commisions. Emma even made her own wedding dress, as well as two complimentary looks for her bridesmaids, which you can see in our real wedding feature on her big day! Her custom bridal designs borrow heavily from the Manley aesthetic, featuring lots of romantic embroidery, while still managing to reflect the personality of the bride.
To find out more, visit manley.ie.
AL Bridal Couture
Founded and based in Ireland, AL Bridal Couture was created by designer Audra Levinskaite. Luxurious, sophisticated and timeless - each silhouette has been designed to drape with elegance but to also offer a refreshing and modern balance to appeal to fashion-forward brides. Each AL Bridal Couture dress is cut to perfection with hidden structure and will make any bride feel like the best version of herself. AL Bridal Couture is available to order at Alice May Bridal in Ireland as well as in their Dublin atelier where you the option to customise any dress to your specific requirements.
For more information visit, www.albridalcouture.com
Tamem Michael
With over 33 years experience Tanem Michael's award winning Irish made & designed TM Couture is an award-winning made-to-measure brand based in Ballymount, Co. Dublin, currently headed by in-house designer Paula King. Her bespoke wedding dresses tend to feature classic styles and lots of romantic lace, but, having dressed countless Irish stars for their big day, including Jenny Dixon and Anna Geary, she's a dab hand at creating unique and head-turning designs.
To find out more, visit www.tamemmichael.ie/tmcouture
Margaret Coyne Couture
With over twenty years experience in bridal dress design, working for both herself and some of the leading names in Irish design, Margaret Coyne believes that every bride deserves a couture experience when looking for her dream dress. Margaret feels so privileged to be a part of your bridal journey, and is always thrilled to see brides wear their Margaret Coyne Couture gowns on such a treasured day in their life.
To find out more, visit margaretcoynecouture.ie
Edwina O'Gorman
Edwina O'Gorman aims to design wearable and comfortable bridal wear for the bride who loves classic details reimagined. She is the master of the perfect fit as all her designs are made with your body and its beautiful shapes in mind. Made from a luxurious eco crepe, Edwina O'Gorman gowns are the perfect blend between minimalistic yet outgoing, modern yet traditional. The brand is Sustainable, Vegan and Ethical, with a tree planted for every gown they make.
To find out more, visit edwinaogorman.com
Not Another White Dress
Having worked in the fashion industry in London, Ireland and Australia for more than a decade, designer Carolyn O’Sullivan returned to Ireland in 2020 and created her range, Not Another White Dress, for the bride looking for something different. Carolyn combines vibrant hues, exquisite cuts, and unique textiles sourced from all over the world. Her debut collection entitled Dreaming in Colour, was created to inspire brides with a variety of possibilities other than a white dress, including jumpsuits, tailored suits, overskirts, dresses worn with separate overdresses and top/skirt combinations.
To find out more, visit notanotherwhitedress.ie
Looking for inspiration for your custom wedding dress? You'll find lots of ideas in our wedding dress gallery