Mother Of The Bride Dresses By Gill Harvey At Eliza Jane Howell

Navigating what to wear as the mother-of-the-bride is something of a minefield. Throw in a black tie dress code and a December wedding date and you can rip up the traditional “rulebook” entirely.

While my own mum, Jo, was thrilled that she wasn’t expected to wear a frou-frou fascinator and matching floral dress, this elation soon turned to a headache when she began shopping. Where does one go for mother-of-the-bride dresses that are appropriate for the season, dress code and, importantly, won’t be worn by another guest?

The solution? Go bespoke, something Gill Harvey at Eliza Jane Howell has down to a tee.

Where Did It All Begin?

12 years ago, Gill Harvey and Andrea Cutts established the bridal brand, Eliza Jane Howell, and this was closely followed by the inception of Gill Harvey Collection. The latter was born out of the duo’s desire to redefine occasion wear for the modern day woman and mother-of-the-bride, all whilst retaining a sense of history with ancient beading techniques and vintage silhouettes.

Today, Gill’s legacy and vision is continued by her protegé, designer Catherine Fisher, Andrea and the team at Eliza Jane Howell in London’s Connaught Village.

A Snapshot Of The Boutique & Experience

As boutiques go, the Eliza Jane Howell flagship on Connaught Street needs to be seen to be believed. Filled with sequins, beads and feathers at every turn, it is a kaleidoscopic feast for the eyes and offers both bespoke, made-to-measure gowns and ready-to-wear designs off the peg.

With my personal experience of finding a wedding dress fairly straightforward, before we arrived at Eliza Jane Howell, my mum was a little nervous and feeling the pressure. Fortunately, our appointment with Andrea was a riot of fun, and she put Mum at ease immediately.

The intimate nature of a one-to-one appointment with Andrea at Eliza Jane Howell extends to the fitting room too which feels boudoir-like with its sweeping velvet curtain, perfect for a grand reveal, and antique furniture.

Size-inclusive, Eliza Jane Howell also stocks sizes 8 to 26 . No matter your shape nor size, Andrea has a special knack for making a woman feel a million dollars and can tailor every detail and design to your desire should you wish you to marry the pattern of one dress with the colourway of another, for example.

A Gill Harvey Collection appointment at Eliza Jane Howell is, pleasingly, free of charge and there is no limit to the number of mother-of-the-bride dresses you can try on— so arrive caffeinated and ready to celebrate afterwards with a glass of champagne in Connaught Village.

The Try-On

Keeping in mind the location and season of our wedding, my Mum looked past the glorious summer shades on offer and we shortlisted a number of Gill Harvey Collection mother of the bride dresses in blue, green and gold with Andrea’s guidance.

With bright blue eyes, my Mum was positively glowing in the teal blue colourway that was reminiscent of a peacock’s plumage, but it was the flattering scallop neckline of the midnight blue dress that she fell in love with.

The real showstopper, however, was the Lady Carlotta: a floor-length, dazzling gold dress with beaded, cap sleeves. I, for one, loved it, but Mum was nervous it might err on the side of stealing the spotlight— a delicate balance. Of course, given that all designs are made-to-order, Andrea suggested that the pattern could be made in the midnight blue colourway my mum loved, to create a truly one-of-a-kind design.

Similarly, while many of the designs in the Gill Harvey Collection were knee or ankle length, Andrea assured us that any dress could be made floor-length for the purpose of our black-tie wedding, which opened up a world of possibilities.

The Verdict

During our appointment at Eliza Jane Howell, Andrea called in the boutique’s seamstress who was able to swiftly take Mum’s measurements and noted the bespoke modifications she’d like to make to the colour and length.

Three to four months is the sweet spot when it comes to placing an order and so, with four months to go until my own big day, you’ll have to watch this space for a glimpse at the final mother-of-the-bride design…

The Extras

At Eliza Jane Howell, there is also a spectacular range of capes, hair accessories and vintage jewellery making it the perfect destination for self-confessed magpie mothers and brides-to-be.