I got permission yesterday, so here is a little photo journal of our wedding dress hunt on Saturday with my sister.
Actually, since I have a lot of pictures to show, and since my bandwidth is through the roof because an apparently highly travelled pattern website has linked me, and I’ve been getting a ton of hits from it for a few weeks now, I’ll show you the chosen dress, and include a link at the bottom of the post if you want to see some of the others I really liked.
First, here’s an unfortunate shot of my sister standing in front of 12 of the 16 huge boxes of dresses we went through.
and here is her friend Melissa, me in the middle, and my sister in front of one of the two or three large racks of hanging dresses we went through.
Lots of dresses. Fortunately, my sister’s friend and her mother-in-law are bridal pros, and made very quick work of it. And the winner is…
The lighting in the house we were in wasn’t great for pictures, so I’ll just have to tell you that what really stands out about this dress, aside from the fact that it looks like it was made for my sister’s body and is a natural extension of her skin, is the spectacular way the crystals sparkle.
You’ll just have to believe me, and in August when I’m flaunting wedding pictures, you’ll get a better look. She’s having a day wedding at a beautiful golf resort outside of Portland.
I’m happy with how high the dress sits in the front. It really annoys me when a bride looks like she’s serving herself up, spilling out of her wedding dress. It seems wildly inappropriate to me.
Just because you’re in WHITE, doesn’t mean you don’t look like a floozy.
Fortunately, my sister feels the same, so I didn’t have to bite my tongue which, as I’m sure you know by now, does not come natural to me.
Now, to tie this into knitting….
I’d always assumed I’d knit a beautiful bridal shawl for my sister when and if she ever married, and my mom, likewise.
In looking at this dress, and considering the crystals, (which won’t be kind to the laceweight merino I’m used to dealing with), what in the heck can I knit for her that will match the style?
I’m coming up with a big “nothing”.
January 18th, 2006 at 3:13 am
It’s perfect! She’s gorgeous. What fun!
January 18th, 2006 at 3:13 am
I love the one she picked!
January 18th, 2006 at 3:17 am
It’s a gorgeous dress. She looks fabulous!
January 18th, 2006 at 3:27 am
She looks gorgeous in all of them. What a lovely bride she’s going to be!
January 18th, 2006 at 3:38 am
I like the one she picked best, too. I agree about wedding dresses that are too low-cut. This one is perfect, and the ribbon lacing in the back is stunning.
I have no idea as to a shawl pattern. That’s going to be hard. Maybe merino isn’t the way to go, though. Perhaps something with a bit more of a sheen, like a fine mercerized cotton or something like that.
January 18th, 2006 at 3:49 am
Beautiful! I’m a big fan of the lace up top. Both my sister and sil had them – no alterations, custom fit even if your weight changes after ordering.
January 18th, 2006 at 4:35 am
Oh wow…that is just gorgeous! Your sister looks so beautiful. I love the lace-up part and the crystals are just so pretty. Perfect choice!
January 18th, 2006 at 5:43 am
gorgeous! You can so tell you and your sister are sister, you look so much alike!
January 18th, 2006 at 6:10 am
How about something in Kidsilk Night, which is Kidsilk Haze with sparkles? It comes in a whiteish color.
January 18th, 2006 at 6:10 am
What a gorgeous dress! I agree that the beads and shawl are going to be going at each other the whole time, but it begs for a shawl!
The wedding is in August, what about a shawl out of white Euroflax linen? Once washed it’s really soft. It’d be perfect for the temperature. And maybe it wouldn’t get caught on the beads as easily?
If you are looking for a shawl with a wedding theme to it (and enough charts to cross your eyes) check out the Spider Queen Stole. There is a great story that goes with it, I can’t find it online, but I’ll keep looking.
shawl: http://www.blackberry-ridge.com/spdrquen.htm
January 18th, 2006 at 7:04 am
I was curious too- I found a brief retelling of the Spider Queen story on another blog:
http://womanofmanyfaces.typepad.com/woman_of_many_faces/2005/06/the_spider_quee.html
January 18th, 2006 at 7:07 am
Your sister looks beautiful in the dress that she has chosen. I like that one the best as well. She will make a stunnning bride on her big day.
January 18th, 2006 at 8:15 am
What a gorgeous dress! I definitely like that one the best – the lace up in the back is stunning and it fits your sister beautifully. Where in the world did you go that required you to look through a bunch of boxes? Part of me wishes I had rented my wedding dress… it wasn’t an expensive buy, but impractical (I’m not sentimental about that sort of thing) and it’s not like I’ll ever wear it again (though I’d love to relive that day a thousand times…) – or even fit into it again for that matter… I’m tempted to cut it up for another quilting project!
January 18th, 2006 at 8:17 am
Oh, I almost forgot – what about a high-back shrug of some sort? It would be a shame to cover that beautiful lace-up and sparkles. I assume you’ll knit her a garter as well?
January 18th, 2006 at 9:07 am
How about “I do” from Knitty, in kidsilk with crystal beads?
January 18th, 2006 at 9:16 am
i love that dress!! it’s gorgeous. and your sister is very pretty. 🙂
January 18th, 2006 at 11:30 am
Oh, that’s just beautiful. Really.
January 18th, 2006 at 10:50 pm
My friend Dani made a gorgeous shawl for tropical wedding. You think it looks good on the website it is even better in person. The little beads make it sparkle.
January 19th, 2006 at 12:04 am
Soooo pretty! Laura thank you so much for sharing the pictures. Please thank your sister for giving permission. She looks beautiful. It’s so much fun to get a little peek into the wedding planning process. I have no suggestions for the shawl that have not been shared already. I was thinking lightweight cotton with a high back.
January 19th, 2006 at 3:22 am
Ooooh is that a Maggie Sottero wedding dress?
Your sister looks fabulous! I had a corset back dress (mine was converted to one) as well and I loved it.
Wee! Wedding planning!
January 19th, 2006 at 5:24 am
I have no idea who made it, actually. I didn’t look.
January 22nd, 2006 at 12:56 am
Wow! What a classy bride and dress. I agree about the chest part. She wears it beautifully.
Carla
January 22nd, 2006 at 2:19 pm
The dress is perfect.
What about knitting something like a small purse for the dollar dance or making her head piece? Or I think I saw a pattern for a garter somewhere.
I am sure you will think of something perfiect!
Congrats!