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Civil & Courthouse Wedding Dresses: How to Choose Yours
Lace, up closeA civil ceremony is shorter, closer and quieter than a big church wedding – and your dress can be, too. Whether you're saying yes at a courthouse, at city hall or in a registry office, this guide walks you through the five decisions that matter: length, sleeves, fabric, season and colour. Below you'll find the dresses Camilla designed for exactly this kind of day, sewn in our atelier in Poland.
- 7 min read
- Linen · silk · cotton
- Sizes XS–XXL
IThe basics
Five questions to ask before you choose a civil wedding dress
There's no dress code for a civil ceremony. That's the freedom – and the difficulty. These five questions narrow it down quickly.
01 · Length
Midi or maxi?
A midi dress feels light and easy for a city ceremony followed by lunch – cobblestones and town-hall stairs are no problem. A maxi dress reads unmistakably bridal in photos. Both are right: choose for the whole day, not just for the ceremony room.
02 · Sleeves
Sleeves or straps?
Long sleeves are one of the most popular details for a courthouse wedding dress, and for good reason: they look elegant up close, keep you warm in a cool hall from October to April and need no extra layer in photos. Puff sleeves give a softer, vintage line; thin straps belong to summer.
03 · Fabric
Linen, silk or cotton?
Linen has a matte, natural texture and stays comfortable on warm days; it creases softly as you wear it, which is part of its charm. Silk drapes and catches the light – the classic choice for an evening or winter ceremony. Embroidered cotton gives structure and detail that look beautiful in close-up photos.
04 · Season
Summer or winter?
In summer, choose light linen or cotton. In winter, choose long sleeves – or plan the layer you'll wear outside from the start. A long wool coat over an ivory dress looks intentional rather than improvised.
05 · Colour
White, ivory or cream?
Many brides choose pure white; ivory and cream are softer and warmer, and often more flattering in daylight photos. We describe the colour of every dress as precisely as we can, so you know exactly what you'll receive.
- Midi with puff sleeves
- Maxi with a full skirt
- Long sleeves, fluid silk
- High neck, fitted waist
IIThe dresses
Civil wedding dresses designed by Camilla, sewn in Poland
Every dress below is designed by Camilla and cut and sewn in our atelier in Poland – most of them to order, in sizes XS–XXL.
Our linen wedding dress
Under the Tuscan Sky – ivory linen wedding dress
An Edwardian-inspired dress in warm ivory linen: a deep neckline with embroidered mesh and lace, a fitted bodice that defines the waist and a full, flowing skirt finished with lace. At the back, corset-style buttons. It's light and unlined – made for a ceremony in the sun, a garden lunch or a small town hall with the doors open.
- Fabric
- 100% linen (lace details: polyester)
- Colour
- Warm ivory / off-white
- Details
- Embroidered mesh and lace neckline, corset-style button back, concealed side zip
- Sizes
- XS–XXL
€490See the dress
Getting married in winter? Wear it with a long wool coat – see part III.
More dresses for a civil ceremony
Long sleeves · silk
Moonlight in Marrakesh – white
Milky white silk muslin, long sleeves with buttoned cuffs, a V-neckline and a button front – inspired by peignoirs of the late 1930s. Double layer of fabric, except the sleeves.
€880View
High neck · silk satin
Careless Whisper
Off-white Italian silk satin with a natural sheen, a covered neckline, buttons with small loops at the front and cuffs, and a fitted hourglass line.
€430View
Embroidered cotton · maxi
Ophelia
Pure white embroidered cotton, puff sleeves, a widely flared skirt and corset lacing at the open back.
€399View
Linen · pockets
Celeste
Creamy white linen, delicate and almost invisible mesh at the neckline, and real pockets.
€399View
Midi · puff sleeves
Claire
White embroidered cotton, a softly pleated skirt and puffed sleeves with fitted cuffs – our midi for a city ceremony.
€290View
Cotton · golden thread
Aphrodite
A long, flared dress in white cotton with golden-thread embroidery and cotton lace, fully lined.
€255View
Silk & long sleeves
IIIWinter
A courthouse wedding in winter
If you're getting married between November and March, a town-hall staircase in January is no place for bare shoulders. There are two good ways to dress for it.
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1Choose sleeves. Moonlight in Marrakesh (white silk, long sleeves) and Careless Whisper (silk satin, covered neckline) are complete on their own.
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2Add a coat. Over a linen or cotton dress, a long, fitted wool coat looks like part of the outfit, not an afterthought. Arwen is cut from 100% wool made in Poland (660 g per metre), with a hood and hand-covered buttons – in emerald green, black, burgundy and grey melange.
IVTiming
When to order your dress
Most of our dresses are made for you after you order. Here's what happens next.
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I
You order
Choose your size – or write to us if you're between two sizes.
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II
We sew it
Pieces in stock leave within 24 hours. Others are cut and sewn for you in our atelier in Poland in 4–10 working days; coats in about 7 working days.
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III
It travels
EU delivery usually takes 3–5 working days and is free from €170. Orders to the UK and the US ship with duties included in the price, so there's nothing to pay on delivery.
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IV
You try it on
You have 14 days to return it. If you need another size, we cover the shipping of the new size for your first exchange.
Our advice: order at least four to six weeks before your date. That leaves time for sewing, delivery and – if you need it – one exchange.
Need a different length or your own measurements? Write to us before you order. Custom-made pieces take about 1.5–3 weeks and can't be returned.
VQuestions
Civil wedding dress: questions & answers
Can't find your question? Write to me – I'll help you choose.
Do you have to wear white to a civil wedding?
No. There's no rule – it's your day and your choice. White, ivory and cream all read as bridal; some brides choose a dress they'll wear again.
Can I wear a long dress and a veil to a courthouse or registry office?
Yes. A maxi dress is just as appropriate as a midi. If the ceremony room is small or you'll walk through the city afterwards, a lighter skirt is easier. Whether you wear a veil is entirely up to you.
What should a bride wear to a civil wedding in winter?
A silk dress with long sleeves – or a linen or cotton dress with a long wool coat over it for the way in and the photos outside.
How long does it take to receive my dress?
In stock: dispatched within 24 hours. Made to order: 4–10 working days of sewing, plus delivery (usually 3–5 working days within the EU).
What if the size doesn't fit?
You can return the dress within 14 days. For your first exchange, we cover the shipping of the new size.
Can you sew a dress to my measurements?
Many models can be adjusted – write to us before you order. Custom-made pieces take about 1.5–3 weeks and can't be returned.
Do you ship to the UK and the US?
Yes. Prices for the UK and the US already include duties and taxes, so there's nothing extra to pay on delivery.
From my sketchbook to your day
With love, Camilla
Every dress in this guide is designed by me and sewn in our atelier in Poland. If you're unsure about a size, a length or a colour, write to me before you order.