Designer Spotlight, Kathryn Bass
Welcome to Always Knew I Needed, a luxury Ottawa bridal shop that hosts exclusively Canadian wedding dress designers who manufacture in Canada.
We can't talk about Kathryn Bass, without talking about Morgan.
We were first introduced to Kathryn & Kelsea from Kathryn Bass Bridal from the QUEEN of Canadian focused wedding boutiques, Morgan Mayer, owner of the former Sweet Pea and Noelle Bridal Shop. Morgan and our founder, Abby, had been in the other's orbit as bridal boutique owners for many years. Although, the stars really aligned when Morgan reached out to the team to tell them she was starting a new career path away from her Bridal shop. We had JUST decided to make our newest bridal shop exclusively Canadian Made bridal shop. Our one advice driven zoom call turned into a friendship and a mentorship that we would've have survived or thrived about.
Morgan introduced us to Kathryn Bass Bridal and said that this was the team and the atelier that she would not run a Bridal shop without. We knew instantly that we'd connect.
About Kathryn Bass
“Kathryn Bass Bridal was founded in 2015 by two virtual strangers, Kathryn Bass and Kelsey McIntyre. Kathryn was just about to have a baby and Kelsey had just moved to Vancouver when a mutual friend introduced them. Fast forward a few months, and over a cup of coffee Kathryn asked Kelsey to be her business partner. Kelsey said “yes” without hesitation and the rest is history! Kelsey had previously designed a line of women’s wear and custom wedding gowns in Edmonton, AB. Kathryn had spent 10 years in Vancouver focused on designing custom bridal and formalwear. Together, their experience formed the base of the new company that would see their love of unique bridal experiences become a line that has dressed brides in Canada, the USA, and internationally.”
Why we chose Kathryn & Kelsey
It was love at first zoom call. Every designer we interviewed to work with us, we had to do a vibe check on. A designer and boutique relationship is one of the most important things in a new retail atmosphere. The Bride puts their absolute trust in us as the expert and in turn we have to put the trust in the designer when it comes to quality, shipping times, communication and so much more. The designer has to trust us to uphold their vision for their brand, their dresses, and to represent their designs is the best fashion.
Kelsey wearing the poppy/laura gown
What clued us in that this was a match made in heaven? The first thing they showed us on their screen. Their standard Bridal size chart that spans 0-44. Plus size brides were not an afterthought. They were front of mind when designing whimsical collections that we couldn't find anywhere else.
The Customization
Then Kelsey broke out the customizations information booklet and if we thought we were in love before, this just brought it to a whole other level.
Their idea behind their weddings were that they were a "base dress" and you could customize and personalize your dress as you see fit, with no limit on what could be done.
We took that idea and ran with it and were able to create some of our favourite stock pieces by combing bodices, skirts, and different fabrics.
Jane/Vicki, an Always Exclusive Wedding Dress. Exclusive because we customized and designed it.
Pink Wedding Dress, Poppy/Laura Blush
Over this past year working with Kathryn Bass, our Ottawa Bridal shop has probably asked for every customization under the sun, and it is always executed brilliantly. Whether that be mixing and matching bottoms, swapping fabrics, or seeing an inspiration of a dress online and using existing pieces to execute the vision - they've done it all.
The most popular wedding dress customizations for Ottawa Brides in 202
- Add a basque waistline
- Add a removable strap to a strapless dress
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Adding a invisible corset to make the gown snatched
If you’re looking for a wedding dress in Ottawa that feels different from what you keep seeing everywhere else, Kathryn Bass might just be your perfect match. Between the customization options, inclusive sizing, whimsical fabrics, and Canadian-made craftsmanship, these gowns have become some of the most special pieces in our boutique.
At Always Knew I Needed, we carry Kathryn Bass wedding dresses for brides who want something personal. Whether you’re dreaming about a basque waist, a blush pink gown, detachable details, or completely reworking a dress into your own vision, this collection gives us the ability to truly create with our brides.
Book your bridal appointment at our Ottawa bridal shop to try on Kathryn Bass gowns and experience what makes Canadian-made bridal so special.
