Jules Joyner Designs

02/17/2025

Miss Carmen was brought to me by way of her mom, Aimee. And Aimee was a custom client 30 years ago!! This is beyond wild to me to realize that past brides are bringing their daughters to me! Very humbling and apparently I’ve been around since the beginning of time!!
Aimee was such a delight 30 years ago and had a very special request… a beaded monogram of her husband’s initials on her train.
In walks her daughter, Carmen… her bodice was taken in on the sides, bust lifted, ribs taken in, and straps lifted. She was hemmed and bustled.
And of course, Miss Carmen wished to replicate mom’s vision of the fiancés initials on her train! I mean, how could I say no!! Because we really didn’t have time for this request, but it simply had to happen!!🥰
My neighbors at The Craft Hut drafted the monogram and then I was off to beading!!
Carmen was literally stunning in her gown.. and once again I’ll say, do the twirl!! It’s such a simple move on the dance floor and just epic in a photo!! These two nailed it!
Mother and daughter photos… priceless! ❤️

02/03/2025

This is just such a story!!! Nicole called me regarding serious concern about the woman doing her alterations. I’ve had this call many times!
After our call, it was clear she had a LIST of requests and changes she wanted made to her ensemble. And again, I’ve had this call many times. My job is to be honest about what can and cannot be done, what will it cost, and can it be done on time.
Her initial fitting was met with hesitation. And this woman does bridal… this is the scenario that’s scary to me for my brides. Nicole has a lace gown… so the classic scallop hem will be removed and then moved up to its proper hemline. If you do bridal, this is just another day at the office!! Very red flag if there is hesitation.
So she decides to go get her gown back and it requires a police es**rt! I’ve never had a bride need to do that !! Ever.
So, Nicole is then scheduled to come in last Monday. And gets into a car accident literally in front of my shop!! She was just a few minutes late, calls saying she was right out front, and would be there soon!
I mean… I’m dying for her! I simply had to take pics right from my front window… she is literally sitting in her gown and bin of treasures and then the officer helps Nicole and her gown into his vehicle to deliver her to her fitting!🥰

01/28/2025

The newest design of my private collection! She is silk inside and out.. silk dupioni with pearl beading. She is a swing cut with a collar and bow accent in the back! Bust measurement would be about a 36” max. I adore her!!!
This pearled silk was purchased maybe 25 years ago… she is one of a kind!! And very special!
Informal wedding, shower, reception or just have to have it!!

01/28/2025

01/26/2025

Miss Elena… her Mom, Nancy, was beyond excited to do this project and make it a total surprise for her daughter! I’m a total sucker for ANY project that starts with “surprise!”🥰
The robe itself is a very basic garment… these projects are all about the embellishment. And that means taking apart mom’s gown and putting the puzzle together logically.
Every inch of her mom’s lace was used to frame the edge of the robe, sleeves, and shoulders… it was just so perfect!
Elena and her mom were so much fun to work with.. and to see Elena so surprised with this gift at her shower was just the sweetest!🥰

01/23/2025

So Weird Barbie…. She comes with a story! Many of you who have been to the shop have asked why she was here. So, here we go!
One of my brides, Maria(fabulous post about 1 year ago!) was in for her fitting. She was chatting about how she had seen the Barbie movie with another one of my long time clients Ann Marie. And that how my name came up during the movie!!!
Having NOT seen the movie, I was initially rather offended! Maria stressed that one, it was all good and two, I needed to see the movie.
Up North with family about a month later I saw it. And quite anxiously awaited Weird Barbie’s scenes…. And, well, I am, in fact, Weird Barbie!!💁‍♀️🤷‍♀️ She’s the voice of reason, talking proper shoes, hemlines, and getting your sh}£+t together!!
And THEN, I have another client, Leah Nadeau, who is a super talented artist. She happened to do a piece last summer and asked for name suggestions.. I saw the colors and said, well, I think Weird Barbie would be perfect! And so she was named! And so, of course, I had to buy it!!
So now, FINALLY, they have their place in my shop just chillin for every fitting!

01/23/2025

Miss Natalie! I loved this project… we literally used every inch of her Mom’s gown!
Her mom’s gown was the classic combination of a full skirt and puffy sleeves. Natalie wanted a fit and flare skirt…. And a cathedral veil! Ok, let’s get to work!
The 3rd pic shows how the shapes of a fit and flare skirt are cut.. while it’s a harsh cut, there is actually minimal waste!
So if you really look at her mom’s gown, there was a high neckline and very full sleeves. The neckline was basically removed leaving just enough tulle to keep the lace laying flat.
Removing the sleeves is always fun! This served 2 issues… first, Natalie simply wanted it to be sleeveless!! But 2nd, that gave me the lace and borders to create her cathedral veil! The motif you see on the center back of the train was repeated on the sleeves. So we used 1
of them, and blended borders. This was huge!
This was all so much fun to use every inch of her Mom’s gown for both her gown and veil!🤗
Her traditional bustle had 11(I think!) loops and buttons… that lifted that very wide skirt up to party!
Natalie was a delight to work with and her mom was right by her side!🥰

01/21/2025

I cannot deny that I’m super behind on posting my brides!! So hang in there and I’ll get caught up very soon!

10/31/2024

Miss Meri came to me about a year before her wedding. It was to be in New Orleans on Halloween. She hoped it would rain. The ceremony would be close to a church but not inside. And it had to be black and fabulous.
Her Inspo pic pretty much layed out her vision. She also understood quality… the best French lace and silk. And I suggested Swarovski crystals at her wrists and edge of her bodice.
The overall ensemble… the French lace corseted top. Then there was a silk charmeuse fit and flare skirt. And then there was the French tulle overskirt… DRAMA! And we love it forever!

10/25/2024

Courtney…
It all started out like a normal bridal fitting… I raised her shoulders so the bodice was taught from the tip of the bust to her shoulder. The flounce of the sleeves originally draped to her fingertips… that was shortened. Her ribs were snugged up and the side of her bust was was raised …. All to achieve a perfectly smooth bodice!
She was hemmed and bustled…. And then she says… so I will be the Bride of Frankenstein at my wedding! She had this amazing black corseted waist piece… so her gown had to be a bit tighter at the waist so it didn’t get squished and wrinkled when that piece was on…
She had what I see often… the low front AND low back neckline. I suggest this often… adding a strap across the upper shoulder to literally hold the shoulders on. This way you are not constantly pulling at your sleeves, shoulders, etc.
And finally, her Halloween video!! Please take a few minutes and watch it to the end! Miss Jane(from Jane Part 1 and 2) was her MOH! Partners in crime forever….
Honestly, if one is going to do a themed event, THIS is the bar to beat!! If I’m not mistaken, after the wedding the old-school bus showed up to take guest to the MarcusMarket in Detroit to film a horror scene in the grocery aisles!!! Then back at cocktail hour, their guests enjoyed cocktails, and Courtney and Aaron went into full professional makeup to become…….
The Bride of Frankenstein and Frankenstein!! Seriously, literally go big or go home!! Well done!
🧡🖤🧡🖤
Happy Halloween!!!

10/21/2024

In Jane Part 1, her mom’s gown was featured as a redesign for her wedding day robe. And there is a story! I just happened to use 7 buttons on the sleeves! Mom’s favorite number! This is a Vegas wedding… mom’s gown was designed by Priscilla of Boston and she embroidered her name into the lace used for the hem of her gown… well, Elvis did marry a Priscilla!! And that lace was used to outline the robe!
The Wedding. The theme was sparkle on top of sparkle with candles, chandeliers, and disco balls!!
So Jane’s gown? Well, it had glitter on top of glitter! The next pic shows her when she bought it and how it was 3 sizes too big or so.
It was taken in and hemmed and a French bustle was perfect to keep her waistline intact AND keeping the fullness of the skirt closer to the hemline. This also means an epic twirl on the dance floor!🥰
What was an exceptionally awesome moment during her fitting was when she was convinced that she didn’t need a veil. And mind you, not every gown needs one. BUT, I had exactly 1 veil that I thought would work. It had Swarovski crystals sprinkled all over. My first thought was it would be too much. And then I put it on her. Goosebumps ran through the room!! It was simply epic!! It complimented her glittered gown 1 step further!! It was sincerely so much fun!
Jane’s wedding had no flowers…. Only candles and sparkle! They even had cookie playing cards with their portraits on them! Just an amazing wedding to be a part of!

10/13/2024

Miss Elena… a young breath of fresh air!
She had a vision. She did the homework I insist of my custom brides… go try gowns on! We have all shopped online, received our order, and either love it or not so much. Asking me to work from pictures of your vision BEFORE you’ve tried ANY on is pretty much madness!! I’d say 90% of my brides would say that they ended up 180* from what they thought they wanted!!
Not Elena! She did as I asked and did not waiver! So here we go!!
She had her sketch, which never changed! Her complete ensemble had her gown with the bodice of her sketch and a ballgown tulle skirt. And THEN, there was a an even fuller over skirt made of the same satin as her bodice.
The pic of her from the back at the alter truly shows the volume of her overskirt! It was magnificent!!
She had also purchased a veil with amazing embroidery and color… normally I always say to set the length of a cathedral veil beyond the tip of the train. However in this case, when it went beyond the train, the colors got lost! So this time, the train and veil became one! And it was just amazing!!
To say that I was beyond thrilled to see her have so much fun with the almighty twirl is an understatement!! She was having fun.. such a simple thing but it says so much! Elena was happy and comfortable in her wedding gown… my goal with every bride!
Her photographer was also a past bride!! Marlaina, who is tagged, was one of the sweetest brides and does amazing work!!

07/05/2024

Miss Jane…
This bundle of personality was so much fun to work with!!
For the morning of her amazing Vegas wedding, she wanted to rework her mom’s wedding gown into her robe to be worn during hair and makeup!
Her mom’s gown had a very straight lace trim… and the front of her neckline had 2 rows of scalloped lace. The straight lace had the designer’s name Priscilla woven in! This is a design house that has been around for some 60 years!!
So the straight lace finished her hemline and all around the front edges. And then the scallops from the front of mom’s ended finishing the back neckline of the robe!
And then the sleeves!!! There were bows and buttons that mattered to Jane. Mom’s favorite number is 7… I had no idea!! I finished her sleeves with a pleat that let me set up the buttons(7) and finish with bows from mom’s shoulders!
Such a simple garment becomes a family heirloom that has been created from Jane’s mom’s gown… quite the honor!
#3000 followers

06/23/2024

Ms Donna…
She bought a true traditional gown. And with this amazing hemline that had the sheer organza at the bottom and then appliquéd to the satin above with lace. Absolutely gorgeous … until she wanted a Tea-length dress!
So, the bodice needed the shoulders raised, waist nipped a bit, bust lifted and ribs in, sleeves shortened, and a few flowers added to the center front… AND then the hem.
This hem was beyond insane. This skirt was set with single box pleats. But with the organza edge, her new hemline was measured from the bottom up and then about 7 yards had to be repleated into triple box pleats to fit onto her little waist! I set that thing 4 times!! I’d get it all set and then 1 little pleat was tipped 1/4” off and the hem was off!🤦‍♀️
I did finally get there, because I will win!! And Donna simply killed it on her 60th birthday and wedding day!!❤️❤️❤️

06/07/2024

Ms Tanya….
First of all, her journey to improve herself and meet her soul mate was impressive, to say the least!! Nothing but hard work there!!
Her gown struggle was real!!! She tried on so many and sent me many pics… and then there was the one she chose! It was perfect… not too much, form fitting, and comfortable!
While the before pic of her(at home) doesn’t really look that bad, once she had her fitting, the true amount of just how much it was too big was revealed! The pins don’t lie!! It was 2 sizes too big… and what was taken in was pure excess… it was not left pulling or too tight at all!
And as I have said sooooo many times, the veil!! Her gown was unique with its embroidery design… so go simple with no embellishment annnnnd long!! Right? Cathedral is just everything!
Tanya and her mom are beyond close… so who better to walk her down the aisle? This was at her home, meticulously manicured for this day, and just perfect!
#3000 followers

05/27/2024

Miss Alex… the most fun personality!!
She brought her mom’s gown in to be redesigned for her reception dress. Her mom’s gown boasted very good satin and my favorite French Alencon lace!!
The gown was altered to fit Alex, b***d for structure, and that amazing skirt recut to a mini!!! This was so much fun and her party photo says it all!!🥰💃🥰

05/13/2024

Miss Brenna…
Her custom gown project started because of the simple fact that the gown she fell in love with was only lined with a body suit. So any kind of sunlight would show her entire leg. And she felt like the appliqués along the neckline looked like flames… and not ok!
So I got busy! First up was the fabric consultation. Brenna wanted ALL of the layers sewn together at the hemline… easy to fluff and beautifully controlled while dancing.
Her skirt had a layer of the leaf embroidered tulle, a layer of sequined tulle, a layer of glitter tulle, a layer of coarse tulle, and finally a layer of silk organza.
If you know me, you know I am a huge fan of the strap across the upper shoulders to hold wide set sleeves in place. Brenna’s was beaded with Swarovski crystals to match her beading on the gown… total game changer to making your day carefree! No shoulder tugging!!
I loved complimenting her look with a cathedral veil that beading to match her gown… about every other leaf on her gown had a pearl and crystal!! Just a little intense, but gorgeous!!
Her wedding was New Years Eve… I was actually able to attend!! This is just so rare! I have to give a huge shout out to her sister, Vaughn! This 16 year old was a total champ… supervised the steaming of the veils and was there at every turn!
And I had the first-ever time of bustling a bride’s gown with her husband!! This was so much fun and such an honor!! Well done, Rob!
And finally, these two had an amazing choreographed dance to Nat King Cole’s song Love… it was just perfect!! This gown spun and lifted perfectly!! Chills.. just chills!❤️
Fireworks went off that night that set their whole future in motion!
And a few weeks later her mom showed up with both gowns to be preserved!! Perfect complete circle!!
#3000 followers