Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/80908
Freng's fi rst foray into the wedding scene started online at Etsy. com. She began custom-designing pieces, but soon realized that online, something was missing. "I love people," she explains. Th e element of personal connection was missing. So Freng began designing for friends, who spread her name, and attending bridal shows to meet brides face-to-face. It wasn't long before coffee dates began rolling in. "Having a custom dress created is an intimate process. I love meeting for coffee and having time to personally connect with the bride," Freng says, explaining her preferred way to work with clients. Th at's why a custom dress from Freng starts with a cup of coffee over which ideas are shared, sketches are drawn and budgets are discussed. Th ere are women like herself, looking for a dream gown—but they are also women who want to show off a great tattoo, wom- en with less-than-standard locations (say, a barn), and women who plan to serve beer they've brewed themselves. And that's the part that she says makes her job so fun. Freng describes her typical bride as anything-but-typical. "Creating a unique wedding gown for a unique bridge is a special thing," she explains. To date, she's produced about 50 custom dresses, including her own. While some brides come to the table with specifi c ideas of what they want, many enlist her expertise because they like her work. Her creations have ranged from simple cotton sheaths that run as little as $300 to elaborate, lace-covered designs with custom corsets involving over 35 hours of labor and come with a $2,000 price tag. Whatever the design, the goal remains the same: As long as the bride is happy, so is Freng. "I really love a vintage aesthetic," she says, showing looks that include feminine shapes, nipped-in waists and elegant fabrics. "[I want to] help a bride celebrate her day in a personal way, to elevate her experience. Th at's the joy in wedding dress making." Surprisingly, aside from a few pointers from her crafty mother, Freng is primarily self-taught. A natural talent along with count- less hours of research into trends, techniques and new tools has left her with a vision of a bright future ahead. "I did not plan on being a wedding dress designer," she admits. "But now that I've landed here, it makes perfect sense." Age 22 Opens an Etsy shop and earns her fi rst clients— and gets her fi rst taste of custom dressmaking. Age 25 One of Freng's gowns is featured in Wisconsin Bride Magazine. September 2012 bravamagazine.com 45 Age 26 Freng attends three bridal shows, books a dozen local brides, participates in two photo shoots and is scheduled for a third—all while being a wife and mother of two. Whew!