Thursday 21 June 2007

Wedding Dress

"It's arr-i-i-ved," A high pitched female voice sang down the phone. "It's Shirley from Belles and Beaux. Kathryn's wedding gown is in."
"Oh! Great," I sighed, relieved to know it was ready for the first fitting. Recalling what a vision Kathryn had looked when we'd first ordered it, a lump came in my throat.

It was a few weeks after the engagement party last September when we went looking for the dress. It was the first dress she tried on. It looked amazing. "But you can't buy the first dress you try," I said, and she agreed. For the next three days we toured every shop in the area, but nothing compared to that dress. On one of our excursions Lizzy came with us. Ever the romantic, Lizzy begged Kathryn to try on one of those Cinderella style dresses with yards of sticky out net in the skirt. "It's beautiful," Kathryn said twirling around the fitting room spreading the voluminous skirts. "But it's just not me."
Exhausted, we returned to Belles and Beaux for another try on of her original choice. "This is the one," Kathryn said, her smile radiating confidence. "It's got the wow factor!"
She'd never looked more beautiful. "That's the one," I said, with a tear in my eye.

"She's coming home next weekend with the two bridesmaids to sort out their dresses," I told Shirley.
"That's good timing. She'll need to bring in all her accessories, jewellery, and whatever underwear she's going to have, if any," she reminded me.
"It's such a slim fitting dress," I said "she won't need much."
"With her figure, she doesn't need a laced up basque to hold her in, that's for sure. What time do you want the appointment for?"
"We've got the hairdressers at 1.00. Say 11.00am. I'll let them have a lie in."
"After she's tried the gown on, we'll store it for you, at no extra cost to yourselves."
"Oh, good," I said, aware that some dress shops charge a monthly fee for storeage.
"And the remaining balance needs to be paid at that first fitting," Shirley added matter of factly.
"Of course," I said.
"She'll need to come back a fortnight before the wedding to re-try the gown in case she's lost or gained any weight."
"Her weight stays pretty much the same."
"They usually lose weight," she said.
"With the stress?"
"Let's say excitement, rather than stress, shall we?"

Copyright © 2007 Barbara Attwood

2 comments:

Sue O. (aka Joannie, SS) said...

I don't think there is a more emotional moment than seeing a daughter in a wedding gown. I may have come as close to it as I ever will at my daughter's college graduation. She is a fashion design major and she turned her graduation cap and gown into a blue and gold couture outfit, a backless halter dress complete with gloves and a net for her cap. I didn't cry until I saw her come down the aisle of the church where it was held, poised as you please in her original design.

Unknown said...

Pretty amazing post! I am getting married and I was just looking around for a good wedding dress idea, and I crashed onto this post. It was sweet and very interesting. And now I can go back to looking for my wedding gown and one of the finest event venue for the wedding ceremony.

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