Here's a spin-off from the wedding dress addicts main thread.  

There are a lot of us who happened onto the forum AFTER we got our e-rings and were married.  (yes, there are some of us out here that qualify for the dumb bunny award, as we didn't know about David and DBL back when....)

I found that when I went cruising thru the past, I fell in love with my old gown all over again and want to share some of the exquisite details with you wedding dress buffs.  ( I hope GG will show us details from both her 'old' blue gown as well as this new killer white mermaid style when she gets back from her honeymoon.)  

So I found one old photo, which I posted on the main thread...


I'm going to upload some details and put them her so everyone can see the exquisite hand work on this dress.  or maybe not - just yet.  I seem to have misplaced my old Nikon again, so until I can locate it and download the shots I took last night, it will just have to wait.

Oh, Squigs!  That lace is gorgeous!  I wanna see some closeup detail!

Looks like your gown was modeled along the same lines as mine, only mine is an original period piece, a Victorian tea gown.  Back in the day, it was too large for me, but I refused to have it altered and just wore it loose.

Details, ad nauseum....
 
In order to show the detailing, I've put black blouses, jackets, whatever  under the gown.  The muslin is the same used in christening gowns - very fine and almost tranparent.  You'll see the 'new' silk lace collar did not stand up to the ravages of time any better than I have. LOL

1.  the front

2.  detail of neckline - front

3.  sleeve - front

4.  front skirt detail

5.  front kick pleat- bottom


6.  the back

7.  back detail - including darned area

8.  back where it could be clipped for a very small bustle


 
Gotta love all the pintucks mixed in with cutwork and embroidery.

9.  petticoat - more pintucks and handmade eyelet lace

10. pettiocat detail showing some of the earliest machine made lace for edging


The original collar and the hand decorated shoes one of my bridge partners did for me


I never carried a prayerbook, but always a hankie.  This one is also one of my grandmother's.  I used it during every performance I ever gave as a pianist, and both weddings.  Still in wonderful shape, despite my frequent sweaty palms.


Lastly, my great aunt, now long passed, was adept at the almost lost art of quilling.  She made this with my first wedding announcement and framed it in a shadow box as a wedding gift...  amazing, no?
 

Ah2, I love your dress.  So wonderful.  I would've done vintage but I didn't have the ability to find one.  My mom's dress was a beautiful Alfred Angelo that she picked after it was on Bride's (or whatever big magazine from back then), but it was too small.  Wonder if it'd fit now...

Shiba, lovely dress.  What does the front look like?  Your grandmother sounds wonderful.  I had a cousin make mine for me and I like the special touches it had.

Well here is mine.  The lighting isn't the best but I was trying to keep kid and cats away.

Here it is all packaged up




The veil (also hand made)




The front of the dress






We spent a lot of time researching the clothing of the time to get it as close as possible to what they would've done.  Veil included. So we chose buttons down the sleeves




Now for the lace








The train started rather high on the dress.  It was kind of made from lots of fabric that was "pleated" towards the top and then it flowed out like you could see in the photo I posted before.  It was very lovely and I felt it kind of hid my figure




And as best as I could get of the whole dress from the back

Oh, that is just divine, Squigs.  I'd be so reluctant to part with such a creation.  What a lovely thing to allow someone else the pleasure of wearing such a unique and beautiful gown.

And you were spot on - on the pleating across the back for fullness into the train.  You can see all the pleats that mine has from the raised waist in the back.  Mine has a weird set of hooks and eyes down the back, rather like a bolt of lightning, in order to hide the closure below the waist.  I always thought that was rather unique.


Shiba, any way to see the front of that gown?  The back looks glorious.  Very modern and architechtural at the bodice and yet soft and flowing for the remainder.

Some beautiful gowns and some stunning needlework on show here.

Simple and very elegant from the front, shiba.  I wasn't sure if that was a lace edging or beading.  I like the beading idea, especially with the  handkerchief effect down the back.  Gives it s a very subtle edge.

My dad or grandfather apparently stepped on my mom's more than once.  My sister's was stepped on as well.  Mine was a bit too short to worry about.  It could happen, but it was really more of a long sweep train or a shorter chapel train.  Easy to go around LOL

I love lace too and I was so thrilled when family showed it to me.  I don't know if it suits my personality or not, but I love it.

The front of your gown was beautiful.  I love classic looks like that.  If I were to do it over again I would have had a fit like that.

I am not interested in going to my dad's sometime and digging out my mom's gown again.  I am curious how it would ft now.  I wonder if I could find a photo of it since it was on a magazine back in the day.