From classic rock to bumpin' new pop songs, here's a curated list of crowd-pleasers.
Updated Mar 06, 20256 Reasons to Consider a Custom Wedding Dress
A one-of-a-kind gown could be more accessible than you think.
If finding an existing wedding gown design that ticks every box on your "dream dress" checklist seems like a long shot, don't sweat it—you've got options. Customizing a gown is more accessible than ever, with some designers offering services like removing or adding sleeves, changing necklines or even completely switching fabrics. To get the inside scoop on the process, we spoke to Caitlyn Chase, founder of the blog Caviar & Cashmere, about her experience creating a completely customized wedding dress with Casablanca. Here, Chase shares why a custom gown was the right route for her, and the reasons it may be a good fit for you.
Courtesy of Caitlyn Chase
1. You have a very specific vision.
Whether you've already started the dress search and are struggling to find the one, or you just have a very particular picture of what you want, customizing might be the answer. For Chase, she knew she had a clear idea of what her dress should look like and wanted to be sure it would live up to her expectations. This desire prompted her to search for boutiques in her area that offered customizations, and she came across the Casablanca flagship store in Newport Beach, CA. "Even though I had never tried on a wedding dress before, I was confident that the design in my mind was exactly what I wanted," she said. "I curated a collection of images to share with the Casablanca team, giving them a strong sense of the style I envisioned."
For their intimate elopement at an estate in Tuscany, Chase and her now-husband Stefan dreamed of a romantic ceremony and dinner surrounded by rolling vineyards, a medieval castle and rows of cypress trees at the Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco estate. With this in mind, Chase wanted a timeless gown that evoked the classic elegance of Grace Kelly, the type of dress she could one day pass on to her future daughter. "I didn't feel the need to follow current trends because my vision had remained the same since I was a little girl dreaming about this moment, and I was confident in my gut decision," she says.
2. You want something that's uniquely "you."
Raise your hand if you can't imagine wearing the exact same wedding dress as hundreds of other people. Chase felt the same way—she knew from the start that she wanted something one-of-a-kind that you wouldn't see anywhere else. "I've always been drawn to pieces that are more refined and flattering to my body type, rather than trendy, and my wedding dress embodied that philosophy perfectly," she says.
Customization gives you the freedom to create a dress that's uniquely yours, suited to your individual style and taste. As a fashion and beauty content creator, Chase has strong opinions about marching to the beat of your own drum on your wedding day. "My advice is to choose a dress that makes you feel incredible, rather than focusing on trends or others' opinions," she says. "Your wedding gown should be a true reflection of your personality, allowing you to feel not only beautiful but also like the best version of yourself."
3. You'd love to control every detail.
Are you a detail-oriented person who's going to scrutinize every button, appliqué and sequin adorning your look of a lifetime? Then a custom or semi-custom dress might be the path for you. Whether you choose to work with a designer to craft a dress from scratch, or select a bridal brand that allows plenty of customization options, like Casablanca, you can have the flexibility to adjust a neckline, add straps or more. Chase felt her strong sense of personal style was key to helping her turn her dream into a reality. "Knowing what you love—and just as importantly, what you don't—can help streamline the process and prevent decision paralysis when faced with endless options," she says.
Overall, Chase found the process to be both fun and rewarding. "Over the course of four months, I visited the boutique about six times for design meetings and fittings, refining every element, from the number of buttons on the sleeves to how high the lace would go up my neck," she says. In the end she landed on a dress of ivory Chantilly lace with a high scalloped neckline, structured shoulders, exposed boning and long sleeves that draped over her hands—not to mention, nearly 100 buttons down the back.
4. You're having trouble finding exactly what you want.
If wedding dress shopping or Pinterest browsing has fallen short of what you imagine, or you find yourself constantly thinking things like "If only I could change the neckline, sleeves, fabric, etc.," going custom might be your solution. Chase always knew customization was the way she wanted to go. "While I had saved many dresses for inspiration, none of them perfectly matched the vision I had in my mind. From the start, I felt that creating a custom gown would be the best way to bring my vision to life," she says.
With Casablanca, every gown across all of their collections is completely customizable, and to-be-weds are welcome to mix and match aspects of existing designs, or go with something completely different. You can pair the bodice of one dress with a different skirt, for example, or entirely change the beading or lace. Simply set up an appointment with your local Authorized Casablanca Retailer to learn more about what's possible.
Courtesy of Caitlyn Chase
5. You want a truly personalized experience.
Yes, most dress boutiques go out of their way to give you the service and attention you deserve. But customizing a gown elevates the experience even further. You'll be working with a dedicated team whose main goal is to make your dress dreams come true, who are just as committed to every last detail as you are. At Casablanca, every gown is made to order, one at a time, ensuring the design feels personalized and individual. Chase's first fitting felt especially memorable with her mom (her personal style icon) by her side. "The in-store team was incredibly helpful, optimistic and genuinely excited about my vision for the dress—it truly felt like a collaborative effort," she says.
6. You have the time and budget to dedicate to the process.
Typically, the timeline to design a custom dress takes longer than buying something off the rack, so it's important to start early. Casablanca recommends an 8- to 10-month lead time for customized wedding dresses, but they do offer several rush options available within 8 to 10 weeks. Chase was working with a tighter time frame of about four months, but she credits close communication and the professionalism of the team for making it work. "Because I had such a clear vision of the dress, I was able to make decisions quickly, which helped ensure that the Casablanca team had complete clarity on what I was expecting," she says. In terms of budget, customized dresses are often similar to the cost of buying a made-to-measure dress at a salon and then paying to have it altered (a common practice), but it's always worth doing some price comparisons to be sure.
After months of meetings, fittings and emails back and forth to finalize the details, the end result was worth the wait. On the day of her wedding, Chase says she felt "a wave of peace" wash over her after putting on the dress, and the final reveal with her now-husband Stefan was an "incredibly romantic" moment. But the icing on the wedding cake was knowing her day-of look was all that she'd dreamt of and more. "The best part of the journey was seeing my vision come to life in such a tangible, meaningful way," she says.
