Hi everyone,
Our daughter’s wedding was at the end of August, on wonderful Topsail Island, NC, where they live. Oooh it will take many words to describe the beauty of it all and all my emotions, but right now, I feel the need to tell the story of the wedding dress.
I made it.
I loved every minute of it, even the ones full of anxiety and fear that I am not good enough to do it. It was all just amazing, such a gift.
I did start a bit of this story a while ago, you can see it HERE .
She envisioned it, one of a kind, and we worked together to bring the design to life. No one pattern was going to do it, so a mock-up dress had to be made from one close pattern and then changed…
Remember these lace choices I showed you long time ago?
Lovely, right?
And it really was, except that my beautiful future bride woke up the next day, looked at it and had “that” face… You know, “something is not quite right” face. It didn’t help that few nights before I had exactly that kind of anxiety – what if, after we are all done, she is just not thrilled, just not happy?? Yeah, I did. I couldn’t sleep almost all night. But I guess, it is kinda normal? To be expected?
So that morning, my nightmare was almost coming to life, but fear not – my girl and me, we hugged, we paused, we put the dress back on her and said – WHAT is it that doesn’t feel quite right? It was the shoulders, the lace on the shoulders. It just felt like a bit too much? Too heavy? Too many beads and stuff… This was the lace from the lower left corner of the lace photo above, and once we decided to use it, I ordered more and when it arrived, it was actually a bit different – not in the actual lace part, but it had a wider base, more fine tulle extending from the lace part then in the first version. That tulle was just folded under in the first version of shoulders and not cut off (fortunately!!).
So – in few minutes of pondering what can we do, she went and just pulled the sleeve caps down, sliding the lace lower and making the TULLE be an actual cap sleeve…and VOILA!!
That was IT!!! I also very carefully cut off the outer most few scallops of the lace and she loved it!! It just looks more delicate and lighter – HOORAYYY!!!
Then it was time to get the long skirt on and work on placement of the lace around the hips.
Yes – you heard right – the LONG skirt. That is because the dress itself was a short dress and then it had a long skirt that went over it – making it a…”convertible” dress? Is that what you would call it?
My creative bride to be wanted to have a long flow-y dress for the ceremony, photos and dinner and then fun, short dress for all the dancing! And you know what? – when you are making it, you can make it whatever you want!! 🙂
Everything did fit, everything was just as she wanted and remember I mentioned lace for “shoes”? Since she was going to be barefoot for the beach ceremony, this is what she made from one set of lace appliqués we got:
I just loved it!
This dress is so beautiful. I really wanna something like that for my wedding) The design is very beautiful and the bride in it is just amazing.
My sister and I made my wedding dress 25 years ago. Beth hand-beaded all the lace. You took me back to that wonderful time with your beautiful story. You are amazing. You and your daughter are both blessed. xoxoxox
oh goodness! Beautiful beautiful work … you are talented and BRAVE to take on all that work xx It looks as if you had a wonderful time x
Wow, the detail that went into that gown! Lovely!
You are so talented! I really enjoyed reading your post about the creation of your daughter's dress and all the memories that came to mind as you sewed. You are so blessed to have such a lovely relationship with each other. The wedding photos look beautiful and seems like it was a perfect celebration for all. WELL DONE MOM!!!
What a loving and beautiful gift . You are all blessed to be in one another's lives.