Dream (Gown) Come True

The saga of the dress continues. . .

The dress of Em’s dreams was larger than Em – much larger. Say, five sizes.

Seamstress #1 said the alteration could be done – but not by her – she was a costumer (from Em’s theatre group at college, about 100 miles away). But maybe  seamstress #2 – about 50 more miles away - could do it.

I was beginning to get worried. If seamstress #2 reneged, this must-have gown could have been headed for an eBay auction -not that I have anything against eBay! But that wasn’t the marry-tale ending I wanted for the dress of Em’s dreams. It had too much of a settling-for-second-best feel to it. Fine for, let’s say, a rent-a-car, but not the raiment of the bride.

Seamstress number # 2 recognized what was at stake.  Jenn couldn't wait to get her hands on the gown.

“Sometimes I get an idea and am up at three in the morning, pinning and sewing,” she said as cousin Rachel and I oohed and aahed  at her progress at yesterday’s fitting.  The gown will travel back from Lowell with us in a few weeks. From the looks of its perfect fit on Em, there’s just the hem to do.

Jenn's  middle-of-the-night comment led me to imagine her, in the wee hours of the night, restless, until she gets the picture in her head to appear on the headless mannequin form before her. The vision brought me back to a scene in Disney’s Cinderella, mice and birdies singing in a turret as they assemble Cinderella’s dress for the ball the way Jenn has reassembled Em’s dress for the wedding. Since, for the time being, I’m bound to secrecy on the picture-perfect image of Em’s gown, Cinderella's remake will have to do.

Snip and Tuck

Em’s wedding gown is  almost a wrap.

I’ve marveled at its transformation. At first, a lovely, albeit, large garment that – on a hanger –  mesmerized my daughter. Yet, the gown was a one-of-a kind, the design no longer available. When Emily slipped into the over-sized dress, the shopkeeper gathered the excess material with large clips fastened down its long back zipper. Even with this awkward fit, Em could see the possibilities of this dress - the details of which have been removed from this post to keep the audience guessing!  Trust me, the dress emits the casual elegance that  fits the little-bit-country, little-bit-classy design of the event. A milieu chosen by the future bride and groom.

The first dressmaker to assess the necessary alterations told us - yes, the dress could be refitted, but no- she was not the one to do it. Yet she knew a gal who might give it a try. So we traveled a few hours north to Lowell, MA to meet Jenn, a full-time tailor for Nordstrom’s  who majored in the fine art of textiles the way some people major in the fine art of painting – or writing. She didn’t consider  Em’s over-sized gown too much of a garment  to tackle. Instead she  said, “I can’t wait to get my hands on it.”  That’s exactly what the MOTB needed to hear.

Jenn had “rebuilt” other gowns. The most recent had to be expanded – for a pregnant bride. Compared to that, Em’s would be a cinch – for a girl who sews the way Alicia Keyes sings, that is.  Lots of measuring, ripping of ALL seams, relocating of darts. Like I said, rebuilding.

Now, seven months later, the potential in that first reflection of the dress in the bridal shop mirror has been realized.   The basted seams are now sewn.  I call it the gown that Jenn built.

The Countdown Begins

Mommy and the Bride-to-be

Fifty-two weeks from today Em will marry Ry. This is not new news. They have been engaged for over a year. The ceremony will be four o'clock in the afternoon at the Barn at Wesleyan (booked over a year ago), followed by hordeourrves on the patio and a country buffet in the Barn. There will be mums and sunflowers and sun (we hope), moonlight and hundreds of white bulbs (the electric kind) to enhance the venue.

Em has her dress. Monday we will travel to the Boston area to see hand-basted alterations of the dress on her. Em is a size 2 or 4. She fell in love with a size 14 dress, so we have put great faith into a young seamstress, who works for Nordstroms, who couldn't wait to get her hands on the large dress to fit petite Em. Good sign. Especially since seamstress number one wasn't good enough and seamstress number two was afraid to touch it.

The pressure's on, I'm told, now that we are just one year away, but I'm fine if Em's fine, and she seems like she couldn't be happier, Stay tuned as we set out sights - down the aisle.