Archives for December 2021

The Custom Dressmaking Process

December 28, 2021 By Leave a Comment

We were reminiscing about past clients and creations and we came upon this custom wedding gown. Many years ago, when Jennifer was still working from her home studio, she worked together with the Bride Janice. Janice got married at Maui Tropical Plantation in this beautiful bias-cut silk charmeuse wedding gown. With the new year around the corner and many brides-to-be preparing for a busy 2022, we wanted to share a bit more about the custom wedding gown process at JOA.

At the Atelier, we treat the custom wedding gown process as a one-of-a-kind experience. We curate the process to each individual client we work together with. We want our clients to feel comfortable and confident through every step of the way… all the way to the last dance at the reception. For us at JOA, the custom wedding gown process is about getting to know our clients in order to truly let their personalities shine through on their wedding day in their custom made dress. 

The general structure of our custom wedding gown process begins with an initial consultation to make sure the bride and JOA are a good match. This is an important step as the process is very much a collaborative process and we want to make sure that we are on the same page. Afterwards, we will set up a design consultation to begin the draft of your dream wedding gown. This is always a very exciting meeting as we dream up all of the possibilities and details. Jennifer will then create a visual design for you to review to make sure it fits your vision. Next, the JOA team will create a toile, or sample dress. Once the sample garment is approved by you, we will create the real garment from the chosen fabrics. We will have as many fittings as needed to make sure all fits right and you feel comfortable in your gown. 

Creating a wedding gown is a rich and full process. Your gown becomes embedded with something very intentional and meaningful as you were a part of the process the entire way. For Jennifer, it’s very personal, as the gowns are a labor of love. She is a bit sad to see them go, but happy for the bride. It is a process she would like to share with every woman getting married. If you’d like to know more about our custom wedding gown process click here or email us at love@jenniferoberg.com. At JOA we are passionate about creating and collaborating. We would love to work together with you on bringing your unique vision to life!

Filed Under: Dressmaking

All About Bustles: The Reception

December 21, 2021 By Leave a Comment

We have previously shared the English Pick-Up Bustle in our blog series which you can find here. For this blog post we wanted to share this type of bustle in action! 

The whole purpose of a bustle is to give Brides the freedom and flexibility to have the dress of their dreams with the possibility for comfort. Many brides like to lean towards the classic longer train on their wedding gown. When you go for this look you also need to consider adding a bustle to your gown. Wedding gowns aren’t already made with a bustle. You need to find a highly skilled dressmaker or alteration specialist to create a bustle for you. Depending on the length of your train, the fabric, the layers, and the detailing on the gown, the complexity of the bustle can vary. Hence, you want to make sure you go to a professional with experience and expertise in sewing and dressmaking. 

The beauty of a bustle is that you suddenly get two dresses in one. You can flaunt your gorgeous classic train down the aisle at your wedding ceremony, and then come night, you can secure your bustle and suddenly your gown is ready to dance the night away at the reception! Bustles are not only incredibly practical and functional, they also add beautiful details to your gown. If you view our past All About Bustles blog series you can see the plethora of bustles you can add to your gown. The possibilities are endless and very much curated to you, your gown, and your personal style. 

Below is the Bride Mickenzy at her reception dancing with her pinned up English Pick-Up Bustle. You can see her bustle is nicely pinned up and her gown is ready to handle any dance moves. 

Here is a photo of her gown with the full train..

Brides-to-be get in touch with Jennifer at love@jenniferoberg.com for all bustle inquires. We would love to work together with you!

 

Bride Mickenzy’s Wedding Vendors:

Dress: Ellys in Kihei (@ellysformalwear) (Designer: Stella York) (@missstellayork)

Wedding Gown Alterations: Jennifer Oberg (@jenniferobergatelier) 

Photographer: Sydney Breann Photography (@sydneybreannphoto)

Hair/Makeup: Sisu Beauty, Duluth MN (@sisubeautyco)

Videographer: Hunter Chear, Chear Media (@chearmedia) 

Wedding ceremony: Enger Park in Duluth (@

Reception: Greysolon Ballroom (@greysolonduluth)

Flowers: Saffron and Grey (@saffronandgrey)

David’s tie: Otaa Australia (@otaa.australia)

David’s tux: The Black Tux (@theblacktux)

Filed Under: Alterations, Bustles

Real Weddings: Mickenzy

December 15, 2021 By Leave a Comment

We are highlighting the Bride Mickenzy today! She got married on September 9, 2021 in Duluth, Minnesota. We had the joy of working together with her on her wedding gown. Below is some more information on the work we did for her, photos from her special day, her wedding vendors, and her favorite memory from her wedding day.

We did many different wedding gown alterations for Bride Mickenzy. First, we let out the straps that were too tight. Then, we made small darts at the neckline to tighten the front. We added new bust cups and added boning under the bust area to keep the bodice from collapsing. We hemmed all 4 layers of the gown. For the top lace layer, we had to remove certain appliques and reposition them to make the hem look cohesive. The goal in this type of work is to make it seem like nothing was done. Everything has to flow perfectly! Lastly, we created an English Pick-Up Bustle for her gown.

Having your wedding gown altered is a very precious and tedious process. We can’t emphasize enough the importance of finding a skilled Alteration Specialist to do this work. It takes tremendous care and a meticulous eye to carefully alter your gown while maintaining the integrity and intricate detailing of your gown. At JOA, we are specialists in what we do. Each and every gown we work on is entirely different from the next. 

We have a wealth of knowledge in not only sewing, but also in how various fabrics work, how to make changes blend smoothly so you have no idea anything was done, and how to mold the process to the individuality of each client. The alteration process is curated to the uniqueness of your gown and your body. There is no cookie cutter formula for altering gowns. People are not symmetrical. One shoulder may be higher, one breast larger, one hip higher, etc. Working in this field requires gentleness and kindness for each client we work together with. Every client’s body is completely different. 

Here are some photos of Bride Mickenzy on her wedding day with her husband…

A favorite memory from the bride:

 

“A favorite memory of our wedding day was having a sweetheart table during dinner to spend quality time with my new husband! “

Wedding Vendors

Dress: Ellys in Kihei (@ellysformalwear) (Designer: Stella York) (@missstellayork)

Wedding Gown Alterations: Jennifer Oberg (@jenniferobergatelier) 

Photographer: Sydney Breann Photography (@sydneybreannphoto)

Hair/Makeup: Sisu Beauty, Duluth MN (@sisubeautyco)

Videographer: Hunter Chear, Chear Media (@chearmedia) 

Wedding ceremony: Enger Park in Duluth (@

Reception: Greysolon Ballroom (@greysolonduluth)

Flowers: Saffron and Grey (@saffronandgrey)

David’s tie: Otaa Australia (@otaa.australia)

David’s tux: The Black Tux (@theblacktux) 

For wedding gown alterations and custom wedding dresses get in touch at love@jenniferoberg.com.

Filed Under: Alterations, Real Weddings

In-Studio Projects

December 7, 2021 By Leave a Comment

Often we are sharing all of the beautiful wedding gowns we are working on in the Atelier. Today we wanted to share with you a unique project we have been working on. We were recently commissioned to create custom pajamas and bathrobe for a special staff member at Seabury Hall in Makawao.

We were asked to incorporate the school colors of red and blue, but we also wanted to create a restful design. So we focused on the blues and whites and used accents of reds for the details.  We started with a beautiful luxury bathrobe that we restyled into something new. The fabric of the robe is very thick and cozy to the touch. We added a new collar and cuffs made of a royal blue minky fabric. At the edge of the collar and cuffs we added red piping.  The pajamas are made of soft rayon viscose, very silky and comfortable. We lined the bathrobe with the same fabric of the pajamas so the whole set was coordinated. In theory, the bathrobe could be reversible, too!  Having the right fabric makes all the difference, especially for something like pajamas and bathrobes. You want to be sure to have the coziest fabrics available.

Then, to really personalize this bathrobe and pajama set, we added custom embroidery on the pocket. Our Atelier team member, Lynne, has an amazing embroidery machine and she graciously brought it into the studio for this project. We did several samples to test out different fonts and designs until we finally came up with a design we loved.  It was an embroidered heart on white satin, with the words “Wrapped in Seabury Love” in red to match the red piping.

Here are some photos of the embroidery tests and the final designs of the robe and pajama set…

If you are interested in embroidery, please get in touch with us. We have the equipment for this and are happy to help out with any embroidery needs. Send an email to love@jenniferoberg.com for any embroidery inquiries.

Filed Under: In-Studio Stories, Sewing