Custom Gowns + Reviews

Each Copious Bride I get to work with is such a special experience for the bride and myself. These unique and alternative wedding gowns are one of a kind, custom made and are styles and fabrics that these brides had dreamed of but couldn't find in stores.

We work together to help create your dream wedding gown, with your dream fabric and in the end you walk down the aisle in a dress that is a reflection of you and your personal style. For such a special day, why not wear exactly what you dreamed of?

Traditional Style + A Pop of Colour = The Copious Bride

alternative bridal gown, floral wedding dress, embroidered floral fabric, handmade in Ottawa

Gillian- My OOAK Bride

I always knew I wanted a non traditional wedding dress; I wanted to wear colour down the aisle and have a tiara on my head.

I have worked the One of a Kind show in Toronto for the past few years and after some disappointed google searches of bland white dresses, I started going through the artisans from the site and seeing if any did custom dresses. Carissa and Copious fashion popped out as a fellow fan of the bright and wonderful. With a show approaching, I went through her entire Instagram feed twice and finally with my sister on hand, approached her at the show. After talking at her for almost an hour, I knew I wanted to work with her. She was just as lovely and warm as I thought she would be and instantly had me excited for my dress.

Together we finalized a beautiful flowery gown, that put comfort as just as high on the list as style. She even added pockets! It was everything I wanted plus more. Working with her at every step was easy and one of the best parts of organizing a wedding. She was calm yet excited, easy going but focused and my dress is one of the best things I have ever owned. One of my favourite parts was doing a final fitting on the OOAK floor after the show closed for the day. It had been a long tiring day, and we were rushing through, but as soon as I put the dress on, it felt like time stopped. It was perfect.

black wedding pantsuit, floral embroidered skirt, alternative wedding gown, unique bridal outfit, handmade in Ottawa

Kay- My Fashion Bride

Ever since I could remember, I wanted a functional but statement-making wedding outfit. A few years back I was browsing Pinterest and I found this amazing wedding where the bride was in a black jumper, I fell in love with this concept. When I got engaged, I wanted local wedding vendors who I knew, so naturally Carissa was at the top of my list. I've known Carissa for a couple of years and knew she would do my vision justice - I mean, look at her beautiful Copious designs. From the get-go Carissa was beyond excited and supportive of creating exactly what I envisioned and encouraged me to speak up and make changes - which helped this people-pleaser of a Libra, immensely, Carissa was open to all my feedback. Conceptualizing and creating my wedding outfit was one of my favourite memories of my wedding. Carissa is not only a warm and talented designer, but she puts you and your vision first, which for me, still means the world to me.

golden wedding gown, alternative bride, unique bridal dress, gold dress, mermaid wedding dress, handmade in Toronto

Kaja- My First Custom Bride

I knew that I wanted a custom Copious dress the moment my now husband and I decided to get married. I wanted a dress that was all mine, a dress that no one else would wear, a dress that was truly me. Going into the design process I knew I didn't want to wear white, however, I wasn't fully decided on which colour or tone I did want. I knew what general shape I had in mind, however I didn't fully understand exactly how it should look.

I knew I wanted modern details, however I couldn't figure out how to incorporate them without it getting out of hand. From day one, Carissa helped me with all of these aspects. She patiently explained patterns, shapes, cuts and lines to me, helping me to understand what would work with my body and my vision. Her attention to detail was so prevalent, from choosing fabrics all the way to every final finishing touch. I LOVE my dress, and I thoroughly enjoyed the process of designing it. Thank you, Carissa!

1920's inspired bride, downton abbey inspired dress, alternative wedding gown, unique bridal dress, silver velvet dress

Naomi- My 1920’s Bride

Working with Carissa was the answer to my wedding dress shopping challenges. After walking into bridal stores asking for something "not white and not poofy" and not getting very far, it was clear I needed to go a different direction. Carissa listened to all my finicky preferences, and was always full of ideas and interested in exploring options, including shopping for fabric together! In the end, we found exactly what I never knew I wanted, and I could not have been happier with the dress.

Having fittings all the way through the design and construction process was incredibly reassuring, and resulted in a gown that I simply adored. I am so happy that I found Carissa. My wedding day wouldn't have been the same without her!

floral lace wedding gown, alternative wedding dress, unique bridal gown, pink, purple and white floral gown, crinoline skirt, handmade in Toronto

Maya- My Floral Bride

I had always wanted something very unique for my wedding gown. I went to all the bridal salons and tried on over 50 dresses and was just bummed that I couldn't find something to suit my personality. After a recommendation from another bride, I emailed Carissa and from the first moment we met I was so impressed by her knowledge, appreciation for unique, custom pieces and her genuinely overall talent. Together we came up with our design and with lots of fittings we worked through every inch of my dream dress and dream dress it WAS! The final product is a piece of art, a gorgeous floral masterpiece that I wish I could wear every single day. Everyone was blown away by the design and I heard "that dress is made for you!" without them even knowing - YES it actually WAS! I am so grateful that I found Carissa and had her experience and expertise through this process.

golden chiffon wedding gown, alternative wedding gown, unique bridal dress, golden bride, handmade in Toronto

Katrina- My Golden Bride

"At first, the idea of having a custom dress for my wedding was daunting. But I knew from the Copious website how well Carissa did structure and colour and knew I would be in good hands.

On my wedding day, wearing the dress was like wearing a summer day – full of light and colour!"

white wedding gown with floral back detail, crinoline skirt, unique wedding gown, alternative bride, handmade in Ottawa

Danielle- My Strapless Bride

I can’t say enough wonderful things about my dress from Copious. I had this image of my perfect wedding gown and was unable to find it in any of the boutiques. The gowns I tried on were just missing something special. Luckily, my MOH stumbled across Carissa’s Etsy site and saw this beautiful fabric. Carissa was so willing and enthusiastic to create a dress tailored to my vision. It’s the most “Danielle” thing I’ve ever worn and I couldn’t have imagined getting married in anything else. My guests were blown away and I’m so grateful for Carissa’s time, energy, and thoughtfulness.

white wedding gown with floral back, lace back detail, crinoline skirt, alternative wedding, unique bridal dress, handmade in Ottawa

Jocelyn- My “Kaja” Bride

Carissa was amazing! I loved the design of this dress. The process was super easy and she was easy to work with. Guests from my wedding still talk about how unique and beautiful the wedding dress was. Thanks Carissa!” When a bride purchases my Kaja Wedding Dress

online, we never actually meet. It is a virtual relationship where we go back and forth and figure

out measurements and design decisions, then I cut and sew your wedding gown. It is such a unique bond and trust level that I completely appreciate that on such a big day they put their trust in me!

Want to learn more about the Custom Bridal Design Process, check out that page here.