Babies to Brides

One of the fun things about designing a wedding gown, is to look at the past and toward the future.  I love to incorporate sentimental items into the gown (see previous post), but I like brides to think about the future of their gown.  Not every daughter is going to want to wear her mom's dress (like we all think they will).  It's very fitting to use a portion of the wedding gown, or re-style the wedding gown into a design appropriate for the trend at the time of use.  Many gowns are timeless in style (i.e. Grace Kelly, Princess Kate), but they must fit the personality of the bride to be perfect for her day. 

Think about other ways to make your dress an heirloom.....perhaps someday you'll want a beautiful Christening gown for your child (or grandchild).  A wedding gown is the perfect way to get heirloom quality to pass down from generation to generation.  Styling a Christening gown from a wedding dress is a creative way to recycle, reuse and re-purpose. 

The picture I've posted today is a new dress made for a dear friend and her first baby girl.  The fabric and lace are all new, but I'm hoping someday she'll ask me to use some of this little baby dress in the design of her wedding gown.  It may just be a bow or embellishment somewhere on the dress, or maybe the lace and fabric will be used to make the garter.  Regardless, it is a keepsake that she can use as it is, or re-create it into something else to be passed along in her family.  I can't wait to see photos of this sweet baby in her dress.

Even though neither one of my daughters will wear my wedding gown, I think that we will be sharing pieces of our weddings with each other - sister to sister, mom to daughter, aunt to child.  It's giving tangible evidence to the love that we share for each other.  Something to touch, hold, see, and most of all, feel.

Something Old, Something New.....

As the tradition goes, every bride should have "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue".  Many brides gather these items for their wedding day without knowing the origin of this saying.  It is believed to be an old English saying, probably from the Victorian era.  The items are meant to be good luck tokens for the bride.  Something old represents continuity with the brides' family and her past.  Something new represents optimism and hope for a new life ahead.  The borrowed item, usually from a happily married friend or family member, symbolizes her good fortunes carrying over to the bride.  It can also be a reminder that the couple can depend on friends and family members.

The color blue has been connected to weddings for centuries.  It can symbolize love, modesty, fidelity and purity.  Often ignored is the last line to this quaint saying "and a sixpence in her shoe".  I would have had a major blister had I put a coin in my shoe!  This represents wealth and financial security.  Many companies sell keepsake sixpence coins for weddings.

When I design a gown, I love to incorporate some of these items into the dress.  When my daughter Emily was married, I sewed pieces from her prom dresses into her gown.  Blue tulle from her freshman year, an antique buckle from her sophomore year, a piece of silk from her junior year with her new married monogram and the wedding date stitched into the gown (see photo).  Each of these items had special meaning for Emily and made her dress even more personalized.  Maybe for you it's using lace from  a baby bonnet you wore, or a grandmother's handkerchief that can be put into the gown somewhere.  Maybe it's a part of your mom's dress that can be used in the design of your new gown.  Let your creativity go wild.....it makes for an heirloom to be passed from generation to generation, and traditions for your new family to start.