All she wanted was a red wedding dress. Is that too much to ask?

[MrsBowles]

So my long-time friend and neighbor, after a couple of decades being a kick-ass single mom, finally found the true love of her life. Yeah!! And so began all of the hub-bub around the wedding plans, etc.

One day I asked her how her dress shopping was going. She was a bit discouraged because she wanted to wear red and I mean RED !!! So I offered to make her her dream dress. FUN!

She had found a dress she loved, style, fit, everything, except the color. I went with her to the shop, took measurement, made sketches, blah, blah, blah, but in the end she decided to buy it because t wasn't that expensive. I was really happy about that because it made the tricky bits of fit so much easier.

It took a few weeks to find just the right fabric but when we did, in one of my favorite moments of the whole process, her adorable Peruvian fiance proclaimed, in his charming accent, that it was "so elegant!" Mission accomplished.

So I got to take the dress apart, taking copious notes as I went, which I used in reverse when I put it back together.

So, here's the "before" (my daughter is just holding it against her body)... it's full length with a mermaidy flare at the bottom:


I took it apart and used the pieces as the pattern:


No fitting necessary  

The bride sees the front bodice for the first time:


Here's the whole bodice outside and inside. I just used the interior corsetry from the original dress:




All done!


And some shots from the happy day. I'm looking forward to seeing the official photographer's shots, too.






I'm so happy that she loved it and that I was able to help her have exactly what she wanted.
It was a great day! CONGRATULATIONS HELEN AND JUAN CARLOS <3 <3 <3

[BoyceMachine]

What a fantastic dress.  Your friend looks so beautiful.  You MUST be so proud of it.

[TheMistressT]

Wow!  That bodice is amazing!  It seems like just the right red for her coloring, too.  She's positively radiant.  It's such a sweet love story and such a generous and loving gift you gave!

[Ludi]

Wow, it's so beautiful in red!  Your friend looks stunning.

[beth8144]

Wow you did such a great job. And so cute. and sexy. Great friend you are to make such a wonderful dress for her.

[pollyprissypants]

You made a beautiful dress. I'm loving the fact that she wore red for her wedding! She looks amazing, wonderful job!

[claydaze]

Great story! Great pictures! And, most of all, a great (and really beautiful) wedding dress!  GREAT JOB!

[Belladune]

Well done!!  So glad your friend found love!  And a generous friend who obviously loves her too!  Gorgeous dress!

[Grave_13]

Stunning, great work!

[mandodeb]

Amazing dress - amazing you!  Love the details in the bodice, and the color is fabulous!  Well done!

[MrsBowles]

Thank you Thank you Thank you everybody!!! You are all so sweet

[Stars_Fire_17]

gorgeous

[CraftyCunt]

I love the dress and think you did an amazing job on it! I do, however, live superstitiously to an extent and seeing this dress took me back to my wedding and I remembered there was a poem I read before really picking anything for my wedding out yet:

Married in White, you have chosen right,
Married in Blue, your love will always be true,
Married in Pearl, you will live in a whirl,
Married in Brown, you will live in town,
Married in Red, you will wish yourself dead,
Married in Yellow, ashamed of your fellow,
Married in Green, ashamed to be seen,
Married in Pink, your spirit will sink,
Married in Grey, you will go far away,
Married in Black, you will wish yourself back.

I certainly hope this doesn't fall true for her! My first wedding I was married in pink and boy did it sink! lol!

[katie-bee]

hee, I think they say "married in red, you'll wish yourself dead" for no more reason than the rhyme.  My good friend married in a white dress with a big-old-shock-of-red trim and train and it was GORGEOUS and she's at two years of happy marriage.

and...I LOVE how the dress turned out.  I'm always hesitant with colored dresses (I wore black and white to EVERY high school dance until senior prom), but this one just looks perfect, particularly on the bride.

[Fontiua]

Wow! all i have to say WOW

[Artanis]

The dress is real gorgeous, and although I know that I'll never wear red to my wedding, I'm glad your friend got what she wanted.

[BigMamaBird]

You did a terrific job!  What a great story too!

[kjlutz]

Wow what a fantastic dress.  Great job using the interior bits from the original dress.
I love the fabric too.  I also got married in red and had my dress custom made (they don't seem to sell red wedding dresses...)

[cigarettesandvalentines]

really beautiful! she looks great, and really pulls off the red!

[raennn]

Absolutely beautiful! Don't they wear red in Asian weddings? I've married before and really never cared about having a wedding ( and didn't enjoy it) but now that I'm really in love I want to have one my way, including a turquoise dress for me So I love seeing hers! Thanks for sharing!

[najaorama]

Amazing job. She looks so happy...and beautiful.

[michelleandbean]

That is an amazing dress. I love that she wanted a red wedding dress.

[MrsBowles]

Thanks again, everybody

Absolutely beautiful! Don't they wear red in Asian weddings? I've married before and really never cared about having a wedding ( and didn't enjoy it) but now that I'm really in love I want to have one my way, including a turquoise dress for me So I love seeing hers! Thanks for sharing!

Congratulations to you raennn. Turquoise will look beautiful at such a festive occasion. If you make your own I hope you post pictures, too!