Mrs. Sutherland from Glamour Girl Bridal and Formals, on Graham Avenue in Winnipeg, Canada, (no longer in business) wrote the following about my wedding gown:
The bride chose for her wedding day a gown of imported silk organza and re-embroidered Alençon lace. The gown is beautifully enhanced with miniature pearl beading. The gown, in Empire style, has a princess collar and long slim sleeves with a petal point finish at the wrists. The skirt flows in soft lines to the back to form a full chapel train. Scalloped beaded lace trims the collared bodice, sleeves, front of the skirt and train. Her veil of silk illusion in chapel length is edged with the Alençon lace and drifted from a head piece of matching lace trimmed with pearl beading.
Therefore, I have been looking for a photograph online of my wedding gown worn in the late 1970s. The closest I have come is the one you see here. The sleeve finish was different on mine. Rather than a cuff, mine had what was called a "petal point" sleeve - a double-scallop border/edge, which I believe looked more elegant than the cuff on this one. The A-line style was the same but it is difficult to assess from online photographs how the lace differed. The neckline was similar. I found this version, dated as late 1960s/early 70s, on Etsy. Mine was purchased in the late 70s so it was probably a popular classic style that lasted a little longer than usual contemporary bridal trends. It's selling there for $527.30. My parents, who ran an upholstery shop and were of modest means, paid $351.75 for my gown.
My mother and I spent a cold February Saturday in Winnipeg shopping and it was the dress I said was "the one" in the first bridal shop window we encountered. And she agreed! The floral Alençon lace (described as a re-embroidered chantilly lace) is imported from France featuring beading which shapes beautifully and if I had to do it over again, I would choose a dress made of the same lace.
If I were getting married today, I would probably choose something that showed off the back more like this one from Marilyn's Bridal in Aukland, NZ.
The collar of Kate Middleton's gown appeals to me.
Or better still, a bateau-style neckline. This gown was featured in the Mori Lee 2015 Collection.
The collar of Kate Middleton's gown appeals to me.
Or better still, a bateau-style neckline. This gown was featured in the Mori Lee 2015 Collection.
I've been to a lot of weddings in my lifetime and there is only one bridal gown I can say stood out. It was amazing and when I saw it I thought, I would have loved to have gotten married in the same one Carly chose. I wish I had photos! In this case, electronic files disappeared when my husband's first IPad bit the dust. (We lost 3 years of our photograph archived lives on an airplane headed to Vancouver. When we got to the Apple dealership, during this pre-Cloud era, we received the bad news. Nothing was retrievable!)
As I'm thinking about what I should do with this dress — no kids, all my nieces are married, and their children are a long way from being married, and who wants their great-aunt's dress anyway? I'm thinking to have my gown remade into a cocktail-length dress. The dress is a size 2 (now I live in a comfortable size 6 and sometimes 8) but a good tailor should be able to manage. I have a friend who can advise me and maybe even oversee the project. My plan is that I will eventually wear it on our 50th. My husband and I have full intentions of being around for that event!
Re-construction — it's a thought . . . I'll keep you posted.
Your gown sounds like it was enchanting! All that lace and beading...lovely! Mine was a bit avant guard, surprise surprise, but it suited me, the times, and the whole situation.You must understand that my dad wore a black brocade tuxedo jacket with a red velour open at the neck shirt! Aha, that was the way of it!! If I was given a redo I would do exactly the same thing, without a doubt! And I also must say that the most beautiful dress, and bride for that matter, was Carly's. So simple and elegant. Absolute perfection!! Thank you so much for mentioning it.
ReplyDeleteAs a side note, I am sorry you have lost almost three years of photos. I am not a fan of these digital times. In days gone by, I know, aging myself, you could take out an album and look at all the phots and laugh or cry or comment on the styles of the day. Now the photos ae tucked away in someones computer, phone, or the cloud, and retrieval is not so simple.
The 50th! Can't wait!! <3
Do you still have your wedding dress? I wonder how many people out there still do? And I wonder what those who don't have done with them.
DeleteNo, I do not have my dress anymore. I donated it to a place that makes gowns for babies who have not survivied birth; ie stillborn, too premature, death shortly after birth. Carly still has hers, and has often spoken of re-construction as well. I hope not, because it is still so perfect!
DeleteI have never heard of this benevolent service that addresses such a heartbreaking cause. What a blessing!
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