Welcome to the second edition of The Insider, Moriarty Events’ exclusive look behind the scenes of luxury event production, industry insights, and expert conversations. As we move into spring - a season of new beginnings and unforgettable celebrations - we turn our focus to the world of bridal fashion.
In this edition, we sit down with renowned bridal designer Kate Halfpenny, whose timeless yet contemporary approach to wedding dressing has made her a leading name in the industry. From finding the dress to embracing sustainability and avoiding common pitfalls, Kate shares her expert advice for brides navigating this once-in-a-lifetime decision.
With weddings at the heart of luxury event design, we explore the evolving expectations of modern brides and the trends shaping the industry. Let’s dive in.
What are the top priorities for brides when choosing their wedding dress, and how have these evolved in recent years?
Choosing a wedding dress isn’t necessarily like we see in the movies. Not every bride has dreamt of this day, we don’t all burst into tears when we’ve found the one. It can be a simple roll back of the shoulders and standing up taller knowing that you feel like the very best version of yourself, that is our main aim. To simply find the dress or separates that make you feel like you. Don’t feel that you need to take a group of guests with you if you would prefer to work out what styles you love first. You can always take your nearest and dearest with you to show them your favourites, and get their opinion on helping you choose the final look. Start with an edit of styles you love and work with your stylist and get them to suggest, in Halfpenny London the team will help you navigate the often overwhelming racks of beautiful ivory dresses, the will also help you step out of your comfort zone to really make sure all bases are covered as sometimes wild cards can really surprise you and be that magical one!
Through the selection process, what are the most common compromised brides make when selecting their style of dress? And how do you guide brides towards the right decisions while ensuring they feel empowered and confident in their choices?
Don't let a stylist determine your figure by a piece of fruit! There isn’t one kind of Halfpenny London bride and every girl I meet has a different love story, location, vision which is what is so beautiful about what I do and I really have this in mind when designing our collections. We really pride ourselves on saying that the brand is for everyone. Our DNA is quite clear though. It’s about a certain mix of fabrics and textures, as well as our fanatical attention to detail when it comes to cut and length. Fit is everything to us – it has to be, especially when brides are making this kind of investment. After an appointment, I really encourage brides to go away and have a good think about their decision, for so many it's one of the biggest investments they'll ever make.
Have you encountered a situation when a bride has changed her mind significantly? How did this impact the wedding planning and how was it handled?
This has never happened in my boutique as we really do work closely with our brides in the initial stages to make sure that the outfit it truly perfect, so no matter what the dress stays the same even if details of the wedding change.
Are brides asking more about sustainability, and how can event planners incorporate eco-conscious elements to match their choices?
We are definitely seeing brides who are more conscious about sustainability on their wedding day. As a brand we are proudly made in London by our team of incredibly experienced seamstresses using the finest fabrics and where possible re-use off-cuts on other items to ensure nothing goes to waste!
We have also worked with Ett-Hem for our boutique floral displays as their forever flowers really make a statement and they don’t need replacing weekly.
From your experience, what advice would you give brides who have just got engaged and start the process of planning their dream wedding?
Enjoy the process - you will hopefully only do this once so have fun! Don't lose sight of what the day is about - you & your partner! When shopping for your dress, really think about your location and budget and be open with your stylist about what you're happy to spend before you fall in love with a dress that is totally out of your budget! You don't want to fall in love with something you can't have...
If that is the case, add yourself to the brand’s mailing list to be notified about sample sales.
We would love if you could give us a snippet of a story on your favourite wedding dress you’ve designed and why.
I love so many of my wedding dresses but the one that really does work on every woman making them feel utterly gorgeous is the Okotan corset and draped skirt in silk crepe, the power mesh foundation of the corset really contours the body perfectly and the drapes on the skirt flap in the perfect place. You can have the skirt with or without a leg split, both equally stunning and elegant.
How have you worked to expand your business from a small atelier to a larger global brand?
It really has been so organic, the growth happened year on year since our launch 20 years ago adding more wholesale accounts to our global stockists and the beautiful edits we create seasonally with Net A Porter have grown our footprint. It's mainly happened through word of mouth, being a trusted brand providing exquisite quality and service which has always been so important to me. Instagram has also been pivotal in our growth, after the pandemic we saw a surge in brides and I think this was down to us being able to be so reactive to what brides were loving and create really exciting pieces that felt different to everything else out there.
I’m really excited for the future, we have so many ideas.
What do you advice brides to avoid on their wedding day? All tips and recommendations!
Make sure you take time with your partner, just the two of you! It's so easy to get caught up in the excitement of the day that you barely spend time together so schedule this in.
Also give your photographer a clear idea of the images you like of other brides to ensure you capture the pictures that you want.
Moriarty Quickfire:
Noma in Copenhagen. I recently went and it truly was emotional. The whole experience was everything I imagined.
I love The Dover - the Vodka Martinis are delicious! Alternatively my husband makes the best negroni’s at home!
