The most important dress of your life!

At the age of six I was parading around in the most magnificent wedding dress ever, a 1950s white lace full skirted full length concoction, with silver threads running through the floral design.

Presented to my dressing up box from a friend of my mother.

I asked my mother if we could keep it so I could get married in it, she said I wouldn't want it and

would want a new one of my own. How wrong she was!!!

To this day I have never seen anything quite so beautiful!

Not the actual dress you understand, but the above is from Millcrest Vintage, who have a wonderful online range of wedding gowns. I haven't shopped at Millcrest, but there selection is to die for!

The next time I wore a white gown and veil was a couple of years later, this was a 60s number, again lace. A Confirmation hand me down dress from my mother's cousin.

Looked just like this from Cupids Arrow Etsy!

Then when in 6th form, I played Esmeralda in the Upper VIth leaving concert.

I was already a 17 year old charity shop freak, we didn't call it Vintage then.

I went down to Oxfam in Petergate, York and asked the ladies for a Wedding dress for my school

play, they brought out about 10 from the room upstairs and charged me the princely sum of £1.

Very similar to this from Raleigh Vintage Etsy I wore mine with a thick red ribbon as a belt!

So when it came to 2012 I toyed with the idea of vintage, but sadly I was too fat. I made my own gown and hated it, I had something vile made from China (don't do it, total waste of money) I just wasn't sure where to go next. It certainly wasn't down the Bridal Salon to be squished into something unsuitable!

I decided I wanted a delish Maggie Sottero gown, I began to look on ebay.

I won and received a wonderful frock, but I looked like a sausage in it, I sold it on immediately! 

The shape and style was similar to below.

I had to then think about which shape would suit me the best ? The train or no train debate? The overall look for my body shape. All this whilst watching auctions on a daily basis!!

When I saw MY dress on screen, I knew it was the right one for me, it was a 2009 design and no longer for sale anywhere. Previously owned and worn to an overseas wedding!  There it was in all it's glory!

Total purchase cost for my dress, which included postage, professional dry cleaning and taking up by a professional seamstress was well under budget ! I finished it off with a Lace bolero and a Jenny Packham feather shrug all for £550. I was also guaranteed that no-one would have the same frock!

Click for bigger - to see dress detail.

   

One place I did get a 2nd choice gown from was Precious Collections, by the Outlet on ebay.

I picked up a brand new Sophia Tolli gown for £90, now in the hands of someone I know personally and going to be a hit next summer for sure.  This seller is a gem to deal with and I'd shop there again if I could!