This week I stumbled upon @alias_josie on Instagram AKA Christina. Christina had made a short video about the story of her wedding dress. I thought it was wonderful and asked her if I could share her wedding dress story via the Cambridge Vintage Bridal blog to inspire others...
Christina says:
“My grandma made this wedding dress for my mom in 1974 for her wedding. My grandma passed away in 1994 - so obviously she would not be able to be at my wedding. I decided I wanted to do something special with my mom - so I asked her for the dress her mom made...”
And here is the dress, photographed in 1974:
Here is Christina in the very same dress...
”I did a little searching online and tried on a few dresses in bridal shops to decide what style I wanted to go with. Then with some fabric, beads and lace in hand, I took my inspiration photos and spent a week with my mom - redesigning the dress”.
“1st my mom removed the long sleeves and high neck, 2nd she cut a slit down the front and sewed in a sheer chest cover. She then folded the back into a V, creating an open back. She then added a lace overlay over the whole dress. We added thick lace cap sleeves and hanging beads for decoration. Removable Wings were also added. Similar to the inspiration dress“.
Here is Christina and her mom on the big day in the FINISHED heirloom wedding dress:
And here are those EPIC detachable wings:
It has to be said, the dress looks amazing and Christina’s mom is definitely a whizz with fabric and crafty cuts.
Love these two shots of the dress with a 45 year gap between them. On the left is Christina's mom and her parents (Christina's grandparents) and on the right, Christina and her parents.
I wanted to share this story because a lot of brides come to my studio or get in touch via Etsy and are uncertain about how to go about customising a vintage wedding dress. Christina did her research and found an inspiration dress to base her redesign upon.
So, I guess what I am trying to say is, don’t be afraid of customising a vintage gown and modernising it. As with everything in life, preparation is the key, so do your research and work with someone who happens to be a ninja with stitching! They can make your dress and you can be involved in the creative process if that’s your dream.
Let‘s just marvel at Christina’s big day, the setting, the bridesmaids and groomsmen, that light, THE DRESS!
Congrats guys and thanks so much for letting me share your photos AND hopefully inspire future brides to confidently get redesigning vintage wedding dresses!
If you are looking for a Photographer in California, get in touch with Christina at Alias Josie Boudoir Photography
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