Simple Centerpieces

Economical centerpieces can be tricky -- flowers are expensive (even wholesale), plus they're difficult to keep fresh, and pillar candles and vases aren't exactly cheap, either.



Our solution was a few layers of lavender tissue paper, wine glass luminaries, a few posies, and a single cylinder vase with two pears resting on a bed of Spanish moss. I absolutely love pears (both their taste and their appearance!), and they fit perfectly into the color scheme. Speaking of which, the color scheme was *officially* sage and lavender. But the bridesmaids' dresses were hunter green, and some of the flowers and ribbons were a deep purple. So we were a little flexible with that!

Here's a better view of the general idea -- complete with two of the bridesmaids' bouquets:



Remember those mysterious wine glasses? I used them as luminaries, with a tutorial I found on www.save-on-crafts.com. I used our silhouettes on the invitation and program, and decided to carry the theme through on the luminaries.



For the bridal party table, I indulged my paper-crafting side by making little placecards -- which, incidentally, went entirely unused. I don't think a single member of the bridal party sat down at that table during the entire reception!



But hey -- they'll look great in a scrapbook! *wink*

Veiled in Mystery

Okay, so I wasn't exactly veiled in mystery at the wedding -- but "mysterious" does seem like just the word to suit the creamy, supple silk that I used for the veil.

My "requirements" for a veil were twofold. First, it had to have a blusher. And second, it had to have a general lack of tulle and frou frou. And in the back of my mind was a veil treatment that I'd seen years ago in a Victoria magazine -- satin ribbon to trim the edge.



And thanks to Dharma Trading Co., I was able to accomplish that! I purchased a few yards of their silk gauze -- a filmy, fairy-like fabric with a soft hand and just the right amount of sheerness. And the price is unbeatable!



It's a good thing I had no idea how difficult the gauze would be to work with, or I probably wouldn't have chosen it! *wink* Cutting it to get the correct drape (which I did by rounding the corners) was quite interesting. Hand-hemming the raw edges (thank goodness for a usable selvedge!) was also quite interesting. And so was sewing around the veil (24 feet) three times total to attach 1/8" satin ribbon to the top and bottom edge! All things considered, the veil took just about as much work as the wedding gown did.



But it was well worth it! The gauze is just beautiful, and was perfect for the style of veil I chose (which was a drop veil). And while the gauze had a decided tendency to develop pulls when snagged on any object, the pulls "unpulled" immediately and left no evidence of any damage. I added two clear hair clips, disguised by a headpiece of cording (leftover from the frog closure I made for my dress!), which I braided and accented with tiny Swarovski crystals.



Veiled in mystery? Maybe not. But being veiled in silk is nothing to complain about!

"The Dress" Details

Making my wedding gown was probably the most intimidating part of the wedding planning process -- most intimidating in theory, but in actuality one of the simplest to execute!

Like most girls, I had a "dream dress," based off of a Jessica McClintock ballgown that I'd seen in a Victorian Trading Co. magazine. Then I found a Bliss Victoria wedding book, published during the magazine's heyday in the 90's -- and another dress caught my fancy, this time with a bit of 18th century flair.

And then it hit me. Why not make a Regency dress? I was already planning on using the Regency gown for my bridesmaids, I love the Regency style, and let's face it -- I'm just a little bit fond of Jane Austen! *wink*



I decided to make two pieces; a dress and a "pelisse." With this design, I'd be able to use the dress again in a variety of ways.



I ended up using two patterns to base my design on -- the wonderful Sense and Sensibility Regency Gown pattern (which I used for all of the skirt pieces, as well as my base for designing the pelisse bodice), and McCall's 3571 (which I used for the bodice and sleeves of the under dress).



My requirements? 3/4 length sleeves (my favorite length!); a modest neck/shoulder area; simple, tailored lines. I decided to use dupioni silk for the gown; I love the texture, the drape, everything!

For the underdress, I played with the Sense and Sensibility bodice, but I just couldn't get exactly what I wanted. So I decided to try my McCall's pattern, which I've had much success with in the past.



By tailoring the bodice seams, I was able to get the right look. Since I was wearing a pelisse over it, the lines needed to be smooth and fitted. Providentially, I came across an article some time ago that mentioned using flannel to interline formal gowns -- it adds body,and also hides the seam allowances (which "disappear" into the soft flannel). I tried it for the bodice, and it worked perfectly!



The entire gown is lined in Egyptian cotton -- lining the sleeves made everything simpler (no sleeve hem!). I also avoided my serger for all but one seam edge (on the skirt placket), and stuck to French seams and bound seams. For the sleeves, I modified the McCall's pattern to remove the center seam, and I also changed the shape of the sleeve "hem" to be higher in the front and slope gently down to the back. It not only adds a bit of gracefulness, it also prevents the sleeve from having a cut-off look.



The buttons on the underdress are from my paternal grandmother's stash -- she was an avid seamstress in her lifetime. Having grown up in the Depression, she knew the value of repurposing. I even had a box of used sewing machine needles that she'd saved! At any rate, these beautifully demure mother-of-pearl buttons blend perfectly with the silk.



For the pelisse, I used the Sense and Sensibility pattern as a base. I darted the bodice front (instead of gathers), changed the neckline to a "V," made a 'solid' back, and added a front closure. For the skirt, I added a 1 1/2 foot train to the back, and changed the front to close in the center and cut away to the sides. The idea of a 3/4 length sleeve with a woven oversleeve caught my fancy, and I was able to scrounge up a few very blurry screen caps from the Kate Beckinsdale (or "Brown") version of Emma to help me with my design:



It took several trial runs, but it was worth it! I think the sleeves are my favorite part of the whole dress, actually.





Figuring out a closure for the pelisse proved to be more difficult than I thought! Most clasps are made of metal, and I didn't want to break up the simplicity of the dress with something metallic. During a browse through JoAnn's I discovered some decorative frog closures in black and gold. No white. But they did have white cording, and I'd experimented with the little frog toggles before. So I dug out my vintage Vogue sewing book and set to work!



After the dress was complete, I felt that I wanted to do something more. I loved the dress, but there a total lack of embellishment. So I decided on some simple embroidery for the waistband of the pelisse, using the simplest of embroidery stitches.



This is the second generation of wedding dresses that have been sewn on my paternal grandmother's machine -- she made my mother's wedding dress with her machine, and now I've made mine with it, as well! My beautiful mother still fits in her wedding dress, so we had our photographer take some shots of us together.



The total cost for the dress, notions, veil, and shoes was about $100 -- thanks to JoAnn's 50% off coupons, Dharma Trading Co., and Payless clearance! *wink* I'm so glad I decided to make my own gown; it was a wonderful and (relatively) stress-free experience. The veil, on the other hand... but I think I'll save the veil for a separate post, since this one is already quite full!

Credit for these photographs goes to our wonderful photographer, except for the detail shots of the dress and the design sketches

It's About Time...

I'm finally able to post some pictures of the wedding! We received our CD of pictures in the mail on Friday, and had a grand time browsing through them -- all 1,079 of them! I'll be posting my favorites over the next few weeks.

These may take a while to load, since I've left them a bit bigger than usual so that you can see more details when you click on them.















Tomorrow I hope to post all of the juicy details about "the dress!" Forgive me if I load up my blog with all thing wedding related for the next little while -- I had too much fun planning this wedding to not blog about it! *wink*

Bridal Festivities

About a month ago, the sweet ladies in our church hosted a bridal tea for me -- what a memorable, special day! I'm trying to savor these once-in-a-lifetime moments, these precious times spent with my dear friends and family. Like the devotional that a friend of ours gave at a shower that she hosted for me: knowing that I had heard and studied the traditional Bible verses on marriage many times before, she focused instead on what she had learned from marriage. It was Biblically grounded, practical, and absolutely invaluable!

I'm grateful for the community of Godly women who have supported and encouraged me, who have taught me so much over the years without even knowing it.

One word? Blessed.



Thank you to my sister for the first photo in this post!

A Pink-and-White Beauty

Just down the block from our church is The Pink House, a lovely and elderly Victorian lady. I suppose her name isn't very creative -- but it just seems to fit.



And is she ever pink! She's undergone some interior renovations in the past few years, which have only increased her beauty and made the space more usable for our church.



Now that it's the Christmas season, she's also looking a bit more festive:



I couldn't resist taking some pictures when we stopped by yesterday. We're planning to have the bridal party get ready at the Pink House, which I'm quite excited about!



Today marks exactly one month to that much-awaited, much-prepared-for day. Not that anyone's counting... *wink*

Something Old, Something New

I decided to have a little fun with the remnant of silk I had leftover from "The Dress."



After all, a drawstring bag for jewelry and accessories is practical for the day of the wedding, and it will be perfect for accomodating wedding keepsakes in the future. And did I mention that I've always wanted to try my hand at embroidery?



It's my first real attempt at satin stitch, hence the many mistakes! For the record, it's not a good idea to "learn" embroidery on something that's supposed to be an heirloom...

I was at a loss when it came to the slender bits, since backstitching looked ridiculous. So I pulled out my dilapidated 1960's Vogue sewing book (the only real sewing book I have unpacked right now!) and perused the embroidery section. The solution? The outline stitch. It took me a couple of tries to figure it out from the very basic line drawing and brief instructions. But it was incredibly easy once I got the knack for it. It has a more finished look than the backstitch, and it's much more enjoyable, too!



When my future mother-in-law gave me a lace medallion (beautiful Spanish bobbin lace purchased by my fiance's grandmother), I soon discovered that I had the perfect opportunity to showcase it:



Framed by a circle of outline stitch, and ready to be passed down to future generations:

Still More Silk

Yesterday I summoned up my courage, reviewed my shopping cart one last time, and clicked "Place Order." In the next few days I should find a package in my mailbox from Dharma Trading Company, containing three yards of silk gauze.



Because I still need a veil, after all. I'm not a fan of tulle, and the thought of having a silk veil is just too good to pass up. The sample I got from Dharma is just perfect (though it's difficult to judge how well something will drape from a three inch square!), and at less than $2.50 per yard, the pricetag can't be beat.

I love it when the details fall into place.

Finis

It's officially finished. Last Friday night (at approximately 10:30 p.m.), I put in the last stitches on my wedding gown! But I'm afraid this is all I can show you until after the wedding:



Everything went together smoothly -- there were a few hiccups along the way (well, if you count cutting out the wrong sleeve pattern as a hiccup... *ahem*), but no problems that couldn't be sorted out quickly. The "official" dress went together in ten days -- not counting the several mock-ups that I've made over the past few months!

Friday was quite a marathon sewing day. I think I put in about eight hours (most of which was spent hand sewing), which is probably the most time I put in on any one day. I must say, the gown looks much better in white than it does in purple...

Now I can't wait to actually wear it! I'll be posting pictures and details as soon as possible after the wedding!

The Mystery

Eleven already owned.

Twenty-two just purchased.

Three more to go.



So just how will we use thirty-six thrifted wine glasses in varying shapes and styles come January? You'll have to wait and see! They won't be holding liquid, though...

Silk

I'm cutting into this luscious stuff today -- that is, if I can work up the courage to do it!

Never Say Die

Anyone who happened to read the labels on my last post may have noticed the words "crafts" and "wedding." Because, in fact, the rose pictured was made from crepe paper, and will be used in exactly 5 months and 3 days (not that anyone's counting... *ahem*).



I discovered the art of making crepe paper flowers about a year or two ago, though I don't remember how I stumbled across it! Once the discovery was made, I was wild to try it for myself. The only problem is that crepe paper flowers went out of style several decades ago, leaving very few resources for those who want to save this lost art. (By the way, Martha Stewart has produced several crepe paper flower kits, which are great if you don't want to invest in large amounts of materials)

Fortunately I found a vintage 1930's book:



(complete with cover artwork, in which the lady pictured is using *the same book*, with her own photo on the cover:)



...a website that supplies crepe paper in a rainbow of colors:

D. Blumchen and Co.

(Check out their website for pages of delightful vintageness, from actual vintage flower-making supplies like stamens and leaves, to all sorts of trims, scrap pictures, and holiday decorations! I love this site!)

...and plenty of floral supplies from local craft shops:



The cost is unbelievably low -- a package of crepe paper measures 20 inches by 7 feet, for $1.35. Floral tape and wire is ridiculously cheap, and there are only a few other supplies needed (scissors, spray adhesive, glue stick, etc.). I plan to use flowers only for the bride's and bridesmaids' bouquets, which will keep the total cost well under $30 for four bouquets. I'm loving that.

But far more exciting than the cost is the pleasure of creating a flower from paper. Crepe paper is similar to tissue paper, but it has been "creped," giving it a flower-like texture. The biggest difference, however, is that crepe paper -- Oh, joy! -- stretches. This allows for cupped rose petals, fluted edges, and all sorts of crepe-y fun. It takes a bit of practice, but oh, is it worth it! Best of all, I can finish the flowers ahead of time, and not have to worry about fresh flowers close to the wedding. Plus, they last (practically) forever!

And ever since I found out that Martha Stewart carried crepe paper flowers at her wedding, I've felt a bit more confident. If Martha can do it, then so can I! *smile*

"A Rose By Any Other Name...

...would smell as sweet."

~ William Shakespeare ~

Unexpected Blessings

My last post may have made it sound as though I hate wedding planning! On the contrary, everything is going very smoothly, and I'm enjoying all the creative potential of planning a wedding! I just need a little philosophizing once in a while, to make sure I can keep the right perspective. And by the way -- many thanks for all your comments and suggestions! They are greatly appreciated!

So, with that said, I'm here to post about something that went "wrong!" The colors I chose for the wedding are lavender (My favorite flower/herb/scent!) and green. JoAnn's had lavender dupioni silk, which I decided to use it for the bridesmaids' gowns. I waited for a 50% off coupon and went to purchase it -- at which time I found out they couldn't special order the fabric! I started looking again, and within a few minutes I had found a lovely hunter green matte satin. It is much less expensive than the dupioni, a better fabric to work with, and it's a more "classic" color that will look good on my three bridesmaids -- while still working with my original color scheme. God was so good to lead me to something better than I had orginally planned!



It may have been a small incident -- but it was a good reminder that when situations seem difficult to me, the Lord has something better in store!