And all of that sewing talent? Skipped completely over me. (I have other, not-so-useful, qualities. lol)

I have LOVED hearing these wedding day stories! They are all so well written! Alyson, I especially liked “veils that stood at attention at the top of my head and wrapped around my face,…”! I know just what you’re talking about!

As for my dress, I had made my sister’s wedding dress, several friends dresses, and several coworkers’ dresses. I took my inspiration from one I saw in Bride’s Magazine and recreated it in heavy cotton Battenberg lace over satin with a detachable satin train embroidered with flowers cut from the lace. Then I sewed thousands of tiny seed pearls on it. I had lots of time—–my husband to be was fighting in Viet Nam for the year before our wedding. It seems ludicrous to me now——he was trying to avoid being killed while I was sewing pearls on a dress. But it kept me busy and from worrying after hearing news reports every night about the thousands of G.I. dying in battle over there. He made it home……more than half of his unit didn’t. I can still remember how happy I was to see him walk off that plane when he got home! I ran to him and threw myself into his arms so hard, his hat when flying and rolled out onto the runway! I wasn’t as heavy then, but given an amount of room to get some momentum going, I was dangerous! A nice passenger getting off the same plane ran and retrieved his hat and shook his hand thanking him for his service! We were married April 6th, (his birthday), 1968 on a 72 hour leave from the army, at my church, with his pastor and my pastor officiating. I wrote the vows. I also made all the bridesmaid’s dresses (a blue one, pink one, mint green one, and yellow one). They were simple A-line dress in a heavy satin with lace bodices. (Rainbow wedding themes were popular back then). And I made my mother’s dress—–a brocade top with a green chiffon skirt. (I feel like one of those fashion reporters from the newspaper! Ha!)

Now, everyone say, “Awww…”

I went to the Bridal dept of a local store and said, “What do ya got?” As it turned out, the bridal consultant on duty that day was brand new (I was her very first bride!)…Janelle was extremely helpful and eager-to-please. If I remember right, I tried on exactly one dress. It was in my size and on sale for 1/3 off. ($210 down to $140) Satin, with lace appliques…long, sheer embroidered sleeves…sheer shoulders and back…a modest train, edged with French lace…V-neck with scalloped edging. But it was the bottom that I fell in love with. The satin skirt, which had an uneven, embroidered edge, stopped right below the knee…underneath that was a curtain of Chantilly lace, peeking out like a petticoat. Gorgeous. And much to my surprise, I looked like a bride! Who’d have thunk that?

Danny wanted me to wear a veil with a blusher, so that he could lift it up when he kissed me. (Who knew the guy was such a romantic? It doesn’t come out very often, believe me!) Janelle found one for me…full length – with a blusher! – with the same lace as the dress. It was perfect…even though it cost nearly as much as the dress! ($125)

Because the dress was JUST long enough (I’m 5’11”), and because Danny is 3″ shorter, I bought a pair of white satin ballet slippers.
Horrible shoes. Killed my feet.

My sister, Carole, and my best friend, Marty, were my bridesmaids. The three of us went to the dress shop…”I need something simple, fast, and cheap!” They had a design that was simple, but pretty…in satin, with a V-neck similar to my dress…slightly poofy shoulders (not Joan Collins-like, thank the Lord). It was called an “Express Dress” and it could be ready in a month. It came in two colors – royal blue or burgundy. So, I asked the girls, “What color do you want to wear?” “The burgundy.” Ok, then. Burgundy, it is.

The guys wore dark gray morning coats, with striped trousers, light gray vests, and striped ascots. The girls carried burgundy roses and white carnations…the guys wore burgundy roses (Danny’s was white). I carried white roses & baby’s breath.

We pulled the whole thing off for about $1000. I was a nervous wreck by the day, though. I was so sure I was forgetting something important. The bridal party was all lined up at the foot of the stairs, waiting to enter the sanctuary…the photographer took the picture…and I panicked. “The blusher! The blusher! We forgot the blusher!” Carole – “Calm down…we’re on it. Get a grip, already.”

So, there I was, standing outside the sanctuary doors with my dad…shaking like a leaf. “Daddy, I don’t know if I can stand up.” “Don’t you worry about it. Your old dad is a pro at this…you just hang on to me. I’ll get you down that aisle.” (Yes, indeed…best dad in the whole world.)

Deep breath…open the doors…one (painful) step at a time… I’m thinking, “Ok…this is going well…” Then – I looked up at Danny. He was CRYING. All bets were off then. That got me started – and I blubbered through the whole thing. People that were there – they still talk about it. That’s what you want, right? Memorable?

Oh, the blusher played another important, nearly disastrous, role. By the point in the ceremony where we lit the unity candle, I was sobbing. I had trouble getting enough breath to blow out the danged candle…so I moved it ever so slightly closer to my face…and nearly caught the blusher on fire. That startled me so much that I screamed. In the video, you can see Carole and Marty shaking from barely-controlled laughter. They were so much help.

Now…aren’t you so glad you asked?

Karen

Someday I will tell my engagement story. It rivals yours,Tori, for pure romance. *eyeroll*

OK…my wedding dress. Well, first let me say that I am so glad I don’t have to pick one out nowadays. There are just TOO MANY CHOICES. Too much everything; styles, fabric, length, beading,glitter! I would paralyze myself with indecision.

I always thought I would get married in the Fall or maybe around Christmas and it would be cozy, with lots of candles and maybe a winter theme…uh,no. May 24th,1986 in Orlando,Florida in the afternoon. More like 95 degree temps. and melting makeup.

So, being a total career girl at the time I only shopped for dresses on my lunch hour. Alone. Remember the 80’s? Everything BIG; hair, shoulder pads, VEILS. Our wedding inspirations were Bo and Hope and Luke and Laura. I’m about 5 foot 2 on a good day and at the time I weighed about 105 lbs. When those (overenthusiastic) bridal consultants put me in the fashions of the day I looked ridiculous. Like a little girl playing dress-up. Leg-of-mutton sleeves with big headers at the shoulders, veils that stood at attention at the top of my head and wrapped around my face, and rolls of shiny fabric that pooled at my feet. I looked like those pictures everybody has of their ancestors weddings. You know, where the bride’s face peers out from the layers of veil and high necked dress and the huge gardenia bush she was given to hold. After a few of these sessions I blurted out “I look like an immigrant!”–not very PC, I know–but the salesperson giggled and said “Yeah,you do.”

So to make a long story even longer: While working out of town I happened to walk into a very small boutique in Brookville on my way back from Gainesville, saw a tea-length,lacy dress on a mannequin, tried it on and ordered it in white. It had a dropped waist, long sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. We added buttons down the back and a hip length veil. I called my mother and sister and said I had bought the dress. Done. I’ll have to find a picture somewhere, especially as we are coming up on our 28th anniversary. Oh yeah! The groom wore the traditional tux. Who cares, right? And I haven’t seen that dress since having it carefully stored that summer. My daughters will never be able to wear it as they are both 6 feet tall so I have no idea why I’m saving it.

But the idea of featuring photos of everyone’s wedding is intriguing- “Timms Through The Decades!”

I love this, though. This dress is in all the photos that I grew up looking at in grandma and grandpa’s house. I think you should get the wedding photos of all of the brothers and sisters and put together a follow-up gallery post.