After Katrina and Giuseppe got engaged we got together to go over wedding plans and expectations. Katrina wondered if I would be able to sew her dress. I had to flat out refuse. The pressure! It was at least not something I could pull off in December. She described what she was thinking and I thought, "Well that doesn't sound too difficult..." Still, no way jose.
However, in the days following I knew what lay ahead of me. I woke up one morning knowing, "I'm going to have to make a wedding dress!" I got on my knees and asked for help.
I told Katrina we could at least go look at fabric. She had in the mean time gone with a friend and tried on wedding dresses, "They are all so ugly mom!" Oh boy.
We both fell in love with some cream knit lace to put over a cream crepe at Jo-Ann Fabric's. As we were looking at it she decided she wanted a collar, pulling up a picture on her phone. HOLD THE PHONE, I have never done a collar! We couldn't find a pattern so I knew I'd be winging it. Gulp.
We bought all they had of the lace and I had to go to the Springville store to buy more. I was going to bring Katrina with me to the second store but Giuseppe had met up with us and I no longer had any of her attention;)
I found a collar online. sort of...
It was actually really helpful one day to have my mom come over and talk about options with me. She brought her machine thinking she would be helping with sewing, but I hadn't even cut out the dress. I was still getting a game plan in my head together. That, and getting up the
nerve.
When I was in Macy's trying to find me a dress for the wedding I saw a tan shirt that had the same lace pattern as Katrina's dress. How different it looked on a shirt!
I would send pictures to Katrina along they way with different options of how she wanted things placed, such as the trim. I texted her for measurements and used Mallerie as a model for some but it was hard not having Kat actually try it on. When she finally did it was so big on her, I had to un-pick like crazy all of my work to bring the waist up an inch.
Matt knew I was about done with the dress when he saw me unpicking. He was so confused. All I could say was, "I'm not taking any questions."
What was the point of making the dress if it wasn't a perfect fit? I am thankful we pretty much hired out the rest of the wedding because this dress consumed my December. Bridals were scheduled for December 28th. The day before, I was sewing on buttons and making a veil. I ended up using some netting we have used in the backyard as mosquito netting. It had yellowed enough to match her dress! The veil was free for that reason, and we spent about $85 on fabric for the dress. A labor of love for my Treenie. It fit her like a glove.
Matt dropped off Ava and I the next day at Temple Square. It hadn't occurred to us before but we were so lucky that it was a Monday because the Temple was closed so there weren't any crowds on the grounds. Oh, and the fact that it was freeeeeezing helped too. I became a coat rack and tissue holder. Katrina and Giuseppe couldn't find a cream shirt that fit him in the days leading up to the photo shoot. She texted, "Can you alter a dress shirt." Katrina........no! I suggested a red shirt and I think it looked great.
I requested that the photographer not put up the bridal shoot on social media till after the wedding.
I did allow this little sneak peak...
