This first post will be all about my dress!
The day I got engaged, I did what every modern girl does and started a secret Pinterest board to begin saving all my ideas.
(Now public it can be found HERE)
It began as a "Pin all the things!" spree. I knew we both wanted an Edwardian wedding, but where to start! Ten years worth of fashions and traditions. As I started pinning period dresses I liked, I began to notice a common theme.
The bodices all had a similar feature, what I started calling, "The cross." The game was now ON!
I began a quest for "The Cross." Not only that, but there were several other features I knew I wanted. I had caught "Princess Kate" fever after staying up all night to watch her wedding a few years ago, and thought her long lace sleeves to be the epitome of elegance. A few years before that I had made a purchase at Wal-mart of all places, of the softest lace I had ever felt. But there were only a couple yards of it. I bought every bit, and made a little dress with it. (Ironically, also "Kate Middleton" inspired) I vowed as I did that someday I would find it and use it on my wedding dress.
And I did!
As time went on, and things developed, The Dress began to take shape.... In my mind anyways. I still hadn't found a pattern. I intended to use a mash up of patterns until the day I found this one.
I knew I had found the one, with a few alterations, this was the dress.
I called up one of my SCA buddies who knows everything there is to know about patterning and drafting and we set to work putting the perfect pattern together.
So I now had ten yards of Dupioni silk, 8 yards of lace, and a pattern made from former 50lb paper sacks. It was time to get started.
 |
| (I took a ring shot for those who asked, but I felt it was bad JUJU if the groom should happen to see the fabric behind it... )
|
As the weeks wend by, it began to take shape for real. There were delays and setbacks, breakdowns and tears, but in the end, it all came together.
A not about the veil before I show final pictures. My veil was going to be my something new among all these old things, so I went shopping. With no results. My final stop on the store-bought veil train was "David's Bridal." I must give them a shout-out, they were so fantastic! Even though my budget was low and I walked away with nothing, they still treated me like royalty, thank you folks!
While I was there I found "The One" Unfortunately it was three times what my budget was. Eeep!
So I took some rough measurements and went to Joann's.
I also must give one final shout-out to American Duchess Shoes. Thank you folks so much for what you do! All the research and time you put into the final product! I ordered a pair of Astorias as my wedding shoes and I must say, they were so perfect! And comfortable to boot! I have worn them several times since with historic outfits and gotten so many compliments on them! (in fact in a later post I'll give more details about a trip to Biltmore that I made in them recently.)
And now, the final product. I hope you enjoy these photos, taken by my lovely photographers, Carrie and Erin.
The embroidery pattern has special meaning to the groom and I, and also matched our floral of Cornflowers and Thistles. Note the many seed pearls my mother and I sewed on. (She also helped with the embroidery, God Bless her!!)
Also note the handmade ribbon roses of varying sizes, those were sewn on with only days to spare!!
The cape was a gift from my mother. A vintage find that only needed a change of closure to be perfect! And boy did I need it! Days before the "Stormageddon"
I hope you've enjoyed this look into the details of my dress! There's more to come with the Groom's coat, and the girls dresses, and of course the Big Day itself!
Until Next time!
~Megan
