Today I’m Loving: Vintage Wedding Gowns

So let’s say you are like me and you love vintage clothing.  The history, the care, the preservation, it’s all so special!  And let’s say you are also a budget-conscious bride.  Worried?  You shouldn’t be- this dilemma is easily resolved!  Here’s my quick list of great places to look for incredible vintage gowns at reasonable prices (all but one of the gowns below are under $1000).  I know, I know, these dresses are generally teenie tiny (JEALOUS of the girl who could wear one of these sans starvation!!), but I’ve heard through the grapevine that seamstresses are quite capable of making dresses like this larger- and they can do things with some of the less than desirable sleeves you sometimes see- so it’s worth the effort.  All images below link to their retail source.  Happy hunting!

Ruby Lane

Ruby Lane is one of my favorite places to shop for antiques- I have scored everything from the perfect 1933 Chicago World’s Fair souvenirs for my dad’s birthday, to hats from the 1950’s and books from the 1920’s.  So it comes as no surprise to me that many of the Ruby Lane vendors are carrying wedding gowns.  Just look at this gorgeous gown which hails from the 1940’s and is only $145.  I bet it looks a lot better on a real person than on a shapeless dress form.  Not to mention, the antique lace alone has to be worth that price!

Click through to check out the stunning detachable train!

Posh Girl Vintage

The name says it all- this online retailer’s collection of fabulous white dresses will blow you away.  Like the dress below, a 1950’s eyelet confection which is begging someone to wear it in their backyard wedding!  Just make sure you watch the website often and buy quickly if you love something because these lovelys seem to sell FAST!

1950's White Eyelet Organza Long Dress only $323!!

The Frock

You are going to melt when you see the goodness over at The Frock.  A well-edited collection of high-style, high-quality vintage gowns that will knock your socks off!  If you’ve got the cash, they’ve got the goods.  For example…

This Harlowe Era Fantasy gown is from 1930 and will set you back $4700 big ones. But oh my.

Cherished Bride

Much like the Frock but at lower price points, Cherished Bride has incredible offerings, all in ready to wear condition!  Right now, I’m drooling over this 1930’s masterpiece of structured, art deco magic.

And at $750, I think most people I know will be drooling too.

Etsy

Last but not least, every girl’s go-to resource for all things fabulous- etsy!  In particular, I recommend you check out Timeless Vixen Vintage if you want to drool some more.  I’m not even going to waste any more time discussing– I’m getting to the good stuff– just click the images for links to the store!

There are about 8,000 things I love about this dress. Including the price: $325

Sweet pink perfection, and only $660

In the words of Rachel Zoe, I DIE. I DIE. $325

Such a shame I can't wear white to someone else's wedding- I don't know where else I would wear this. But I heart it. $410

Tiffany Blue Dress Finds

Here at The One! we always enjoy getting reader questions, especially about cute clothing!  So today I have one to share that’s been lots of fun to research:

Help!  My cousin/bff is getting married in July and I am an “honorary bridesmaid”  (special, but don’t get to actually be a bridesmaid!)  I need a dress– I’m thinking cotton, summery (it will be North Carolina and hott!) and maybe tiffany blue.   Any suggestions?

Yes, we do have suggestions!  Tiffany blue is not an easy color to find, so actually, one of the best places to shop for such a dress is, probably, bridesmaids stores.  But here’s some other cute options that would at least coordinate with Tiffany blue that we found to consider!

Nervous about rocking such a strong color all-over?  Consider a pattern instead of a solid- this can be a great way to introduce a second color you love too- and especially flatter your skin tone!  Also, don’t forget that you can always buy an inexpensive dress and spend a little money on alterations to make it perfect– sometimes the total cost of a cute Target find with some alterations is still much, much less than the cost of a department store dress, and because it fits properly, actually looks better!  Happy shopping!  (All images link to their source)

Both from the Merona collection at Target! Left: Bridget Shift Dress in Green Floral. Right: Karissa Shirt Dress (both $39.99!)

David's Bridal: Cotton Sateen Strapless Dress ($135)

American Eagle: Bubble Print Tank Dress ($34.50) (no, you don't have to be 16 to shop there, the sizing is reasonable!)

Urban Outfitters: Kimchi Blue Zip Pleat Ruffle Dress ($58)

Ann Taylor: Silk V-Neck Dress ($215) (Ann also sells a very similar dress with a scoop neckline in the same color)

Anthropologie: Caballo Falls Dress ($168)

Nordstrom: Trixxi One Shoulder Dress ($68)

BCBG: Front-Twisted Printed Dress ($148)

Get Me To The Church On Time!

It was time to get to the church!  (All photos in this post courtesy of Jessica Morrisy or from family and friends!)

Well, by some miracle even though we were all running late, and even though it had just started to snow, our group still made it to the church and our ceremony started on time!  I like to take the credit for this, since everyone was shuttled to the church on our ultra-glam school bus!  Ok, maybe it wasn’t that glam, but what it lacked in glamour, it made up for in cuteness!

Of course, as much as I wanted to join everyone, J. and I also wanted to keep with tradition and wait until the ceremony to see each other.  So I went to the ceremony with my sister and dad, who had pre-parked our getaway car in front of the church.  Isn’t it gorgeous?  I didn’t want a traditional white car (not that there’s anything wrong with them but I wanted something a little more interesting) and since antique cars are totally my father’s “thing” we decided on his 1937 Packard limo.  My dad trailered this car all the way from Ohio just so we could have it there!  I especially love how this car has been a member of our family for a while now– and has driven around some famous people!

When I got to the church, I was shuttled into a top secret preschool classroom to wait with my ladies, but soon after, my bridesmaids were whisked off to line up for the ceremony.  At this point, all I felt were butterflies and excitement!

And with that, the prelude began!  J.’s parents and then my mother and stepfather made their walks down the aisle and lit the candle to Bach’s Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring.  It was gorgeous!

And check out that gorgeous unity candle I made!  It wasn’t a huge element of the wedding, but I was glad I had found an inexpensive way to make it personal.  And I love the contrast of the mossy base with the smooth wood of the altar!

And then, the men lined up for the processional (Water Music, Air, by Handel- one of my all time favorites)!

J.’s two close cousins laid down the aisle runner at this point.  Remember that project? Well, given the snow outside, I was sure glad I’d listened to my mother and made one!

And with that, my girls did their thing.

And my flower girl did her thing too!  I can’t wait to share with you more of the video recaps, because what this photo doesn’t tell you, is how she was throwing the petals high in the air like fireworks!

Remember my DIY poms?  La-la-love them.

But where was the ring bearer you ask?  I think he was a little intimidated by all the people- he just didn’t have it in him that day.  Which I understand and respect.  I wish I had the fortitude to say “no” sometimes when I need to!  And anyhow, he was so cute it did not matter a bit!!

And then… the big moment!  Time for my grand entrance!  To Trumpet Voluntary by Clarke.  I wish I could find the words to express the way the organ sounded- the whole room was vibrant with song, and the moment felt exactly as it should have!  It didn’t take long for J. and I to lock eyes, and it was perfect perfect perfect.

Up next, the ceremony!!

And how did we get here?  Checking In;  Practice Makes Perfect: The Rehearsal!; The Rehearsal Dinner!; The Rehearsal Dinner Slide Show; Girls Gone Wild!; Got Mah Hairs Did; The Guys Get Groomed; The Girls Get Glammed!

Vendor Review: Miss Now Mrs

I went and did it.  I spent $30 on an online-based name-change program because I was worried changing my name would turn into a typical North-Jersey experience replete with stereotypical desk ladies with their bad dye jobs and worse moods, telling me I’d have to wait in two hour lines because I filled out the wrong form, etc., etc.  So when I saw that there was a service that would at least ease the process of getting the forms right I signed right up.  And having spent the money, I think it’s worth giving you the benefit of my experience on this one.

Bottom line: you don’t need this but it’s a nice convenience if you have $30 to spend.

How it works:

The name of the service I used is Miss Now Mrs but I know there are others out there too.  Basically, all you have to do is pay them and then you’re in.  Using their online questionnaire, you fill in some blanks.  Using that information, the service generates forms and letters for you to help you change your name.  For example, it gives you the form for the Social Security office, tells you what to bring with you when you go, and links to the US Social Security website to help you locate the correct office to go to.

Pros:

- You answer some questions and the service fills out all the forms for you- which the people at my Social Security Office really appreciated- legible forms are happy forms!

- You know the form you are using is current and that you’re using the correct form so there is no drama when you get to the place you’re going.

- The program tells you where to bring the form, and what else to bring with you.

- It gives you a checklist of parties you may need to notify and drafts letters you can send them- from your student loan lender to your professional licensing board.  (I found this very helpful.)

- The company claims they save an average of 13 hours per person on this process.  I think that’s reasonable, when you consider the amount of time one might spend online locating the proper forms, figuring out what to bring with them, and filling the forms out.

- You can give this service as a gift.  I would so much rather have gotten this as a gift than a couple of other things we got, har har

Cons:

- If you know someone who has ever changed their name, you can easily find out what you need to do without needing a software-based checklist, simply by asking them.  Let’s face it, this is not rocket science.

- You only really get the benefit of less hassle when it comes to your new Social Security card (and maybe passport).  The rest can often be handled with a phone call, email or simple fax.

- Having the forms only gets you halfway there.  Companies still want to see that marriage certificate and new social security card.

- By the time you enter all the information into the service regarding banks and such for the form letters, you might as well have just drafted the letter yourself.  Very little time is saved on that step.

- Some of the forms are not accurate- for example, I could not use their form for the New Jersey DMV.  When you buy the program, their waiver says that they don’t have to give you the most updated form- and in at least this case, they didn’t.  But they say they will “undertake commercially reasonable efforts” to give you the right one, and they claim to have a 6 month money back satisfaction guarantee, so it seems like the risk isn’t too great.

Summary:

At the end of the day I decided I could afford to spend $30 for a reduction in hassle with respect to my name change.  That doesn’t mean changing my name has been hassle-free.  Au contraire.  It is a huge hassle every step of the way.  I can’t tell you how much MORE I’d pay if I could just hire someone to handle it for me.  If you’d rather spend your $30 on a pedicure, I’d see the merits of that too.

From Project Runway to Project Wedding

Who loves watching Project Runway?!  Ohhh me me me!!  If you watched last season, then you know of Carol Hannah- she made the final three and in my personal opinion, should have won… she is a-maaaaz-ing.  And guess what else?  She now has a live etsy store AND a bridal etsy store!  With great fashion finds if you’re looking for wedding attire- either as a bride, bridesmaid, or simply a guest.  And in a whole host of great colors.  I know, I’ve mentioned all this before.  But it is too awesome not to talk about again.

Here are some of my favorites.  All images are from Carol Hannah’s etsy store- go check them out in person for more information!

Calhoun Street dress

Hasell Street gown

Queen Street dress

Spring Street short dress- so cute!

Pinckney dress

And last but not least, the Wentworth Street gown... LOVE LOVE LOVE!

What do we think ladies?  Love a lot or love the most?!

Update on Gilt Groupe’s Wedding Weekend

If you read The One! already, then you know from yesterday’s post that Gilt Groupe has collaborated with Martha Stewart weddings (my all-time favorites, working together!  yesssssss) to bring you an incredible sale this weekend- it’s called Wedding Weekend, and I think it’s a definite must-see for anyone who loves weddings!  But today I am extra excited because I have even more goodness for you.  Yes, it’s true, we scored PREVIEWS of some of the stunning gowns (and shoes!) you can find at the sale, straight from the source!  Thanks to the fine folks over at Gilt for sending these to us!!  Grab a tissue because you’re about to drool… and sign up for Gilt today, if you haven’t already, so you’ll be ready on March 12 when the sale starts!!

Gown by Carolina Herrera: Original Retail: $5790, Gilt: $1999

Carolina back view

Carolina overlay (sigh!)

Another perfect gown from Carolina Herrera: Original Retail: $4990, Gilt: $1599

Carolina back view

Carolina detail

From Thread Made To Order, Silk Faille Strapless Notched Bust Liddy Dress: Original Retail: $305, Gilt: $228.75

Thread back view

Thread detail

Vera Wang Lavender Label, Bias Satin Draped Neckline Gown: Original Retail: $655.50, Gilt: $196.65

Vera back view

Vera detail (how I love thee)

The icing on the cake! Sergio Rossi: Original Retail: $770, Gilt: $128

Sergio looks good coming or going

This shot makes me so psyched for summer shoes again!

What other cyber-sales have you visited for wedding deals?  Or non-wedding deals for that matter?  After all, a girl doesn’t have to wait for her wedding to get glam!

Sale Alert: Gilt Groupe Partners with Martha!

I have excellent news for you today if you are planning a wedding and have a “champagne taste but beer budget” problem (or just like a good bargain).  Gilt Groupe is partnering with Martha Stewart Weddings this weekend, March 12-14, starting at noon ET!  I have been a big fan of Gilt Groupe for a while now, because I always score great deals there.  But now, gowns by designers like Carolina Herrera and Alexander McQueen will also be for sale there… not to mention bridesmaids dresses from Amasale and Vera Wang Lavender!  If only I had known about this sale a year ago!  Ah well, my loss is your gain!  I would love to hear if any of you score a great find at this sale!  If you’re not a member of Gilt already, click here to sign up- even if you’re not looking for wedding duds, you’re likely to score some great deals!

The Girls Get Glammed!

Warning: photo heavy post ahead.  Not sure if you’ll appreciate it or not, so just a heads up now!  And of course, all the a-maz-ing images below are from Jessica Morrisy!

To make up for all the photos, I’ll try to keep my narrative to a minimum.  Really, all that needs to be said is that when I returned from the salon, most of my ladies were already dressed, and they looked outrageously stunning.  I immediately started to get misty when I saw them, they were so beautiful!  And then, I saw my flowers, and was so relieved that they weren’t ugly!  It was, after all, my biggest irrational wedding fear (I’m pretty sure every bride has one).

When I walked in the door, my bridesmaids got me a mimosa right away, followed by a Power Bar (I forgot to eat!  which NEVER happens…), while my mother and sisters finished themselves getting ready.  To pass the time, I visited with my cousins and danced with my flower girl… and then it was my turn to get dressed!  And yes, there were more tears, but we enjoyed every moment.  It was perfection!

Sadly, we were running behind schedule pretty badly at this point, so we had to hustle to get portraits done.  But you really can’t tell in the photos.  Reason #10,000 why I heart Jessica!

See, there, I kept the words brief.  Enjoy!

And how did we get here?  Checking In;  Practice Makes Perfect: The Rehearsal!; The Rehearsal Dinner!; The Rehearsal Dinner Slide Show; Girls Gone Wild!; Got Mah Hairs Did; The Guys Get Groomed

Creative Approaches to The Breaking of the Glass

The breaking of the glass is an important tradition at Jewish wedding ceremonies.  Traditionally, the groom smashes a glass with his foot at the conclusion of the ceremony.  There are two main schools of thought about the meaning of this tradition.  One interpretation is that the broken glass symbolizes “forever” – that the marriage will last as long as the glass is broken.  Another interpretation is that Jews need to remember those who are suffering even during the most joyous occasions, and to remember the destruction of the second temple.  Rather than delve more into the background of this tradition, I would recommend The New Jewish Wedding by Anita Diamant to anyone who is interested.

The New Jewish Wedding by Anita Diamant

Regardless of its meaning, the breaking of the glass is certainly one of the more “popular” traditions at Jewish ceremonies.  I have heard many terrible stories about errors occurring during the execution of this tradition.  There are stories about the glass not breaking, leading to a lot of embarrassment for the groom and some rumors of bad luck.  There are stories about the glass tearing through the groom’s shoe, leading to a night at the Emergency Room.  The list goes on.  I wanted to avoid this at all costs.  Hence, I did a little research.

The best idea is to not rely on the catering facility to provide the glass.  While your caterer should be able to provide a drinking glass wrapped in a cloth napkin, the glass is often too thick, and not easily breakable.  The most common recommendation I received was to bring a light bulb for the groom to break instead.  Light bulbs break very easily, and make a great “popping” sound.  It’s an easy, low-cost idea.

But of course, I continued the search to find something a little more special.  I came across Shardz, a company that sells products at most Judaica stores.  Shardz sells “wedding glass” in every color, so you can coordinate the glass color to match your wedding. While their price is a little expensive for a thin glass (approximately $30), I thought it was worth it. 

Look at these great colors!

The glass that I ordered came in a lovely satin pouch.  The most wonderful part of using Shardz is that your broken wedding glass can be made into a wonderful memento of your wedding.  After your wedding, you mail the broken wedding glass (in a sealed, ziploc bag) back to the company.  Shardz will turn put your wedding glass into a mezzuzah, kiddush cup, candle sticks, picture frame or menorah.  I’m very pleased that I can incorporate the remnants of this Jewish wedding tradition into a Judaica item for my home.

Mezzuzah made from Shardz

I ordered my Shardz from www.galleryjudaica.com.  Shardz is not the only company that sells this.  www.Judaism.com sells “groom’s glass” from various artists.  I’m sure you can find even more options with a little web browsing.  What creative ideas do you have for this great tradition?

Avoiding the Middle School Sway

When I first told J. that I wanted to take dancing lessons for our wedding, this basically sums up the image I had in my head.

click image for source...

Only kidding.  I love me some Jennifer Gray and Patrick Swayze, but what I really was hoping was to simply avoid reliving the middle school sway during our first dance.  You know the one.

click image for source

J. on the other hand, reacted negatively to the idea at first.  He wanted the moment of our first dance to be personal and romantic, and was afraid of showboating.  I maintained that showboating was highly appropriate given that it was, um, our wedding.  But since he wasn’t feeling it, I didn’t really push it.  I just focused on the fact that my dad and I were taking dance lessons (something I was already psyched about) and figured J. and I would be fine.

This may be what J. wanted to avoid (click for source)

So imagine how happy I was when J. surprised me on my 30th birthday with… dancing lessons!  We went to Arthur Murray in Ridgewood, New Jersey, where we took a private lesson taught by a very pleasant and patient teacher.  And we were both shocked by how much easier it was than we thought it would be.  For me, dancing isn’t too hard because I took years of lessons growing up.  But when J., who has no dancing background, also figured it out quickly, we were especially happy!  J. has always been an accomplished athlete (having wrested in high school and college, and he holds a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) so I guess the same technique for memorizing moves and combinations there was helping him remember the moves with dancing.  And when all was said and done, not only did we have better stage presence, we also had a really nice time!

I highly recommend these dancing lessons to everyone!  I think what made our experience so successful was the following:

- We kept it simple with just three dance steps and a turn which could be done in any order we wanted, so long as we communicated.  That was nice because it left lots of wiggle room when we got to the dance floor, and also helped us hide mistakes– and the ability to hide mistakes was good for the nerves!

-At the end of our dance we did a dip.  One – and only one- signature move that required some practice and concentration.  We did not let things get over-complicated and it worked out well for us.

- We took two lessons and then practiced for 5 minutes a night at home, just to any music that happened to be on the radio.  J. would try to trick me, so that I’d really pay attention to his movement and allow him to lead.  And when all else failed, he’d just tell me “ok I’m about to do a turn.”  Being able to talk may not fly in ballroom competition, but people at the wedding just thought we were whispering sweet nothings into one another’s ears.

- Having the dance to concentrate on also helped take some of the pressure off of us- I know, it is ironic that doing something like that actually made it easier to have so many eyes on us.  But when you’re thinking about all the dance moves, it leaves less time to think about the fact that so many people are watching, or how nervous you are.  And after some practicing, it wasn’t even very hard, which meant there was still space in our brains to absorb the magic of the moment.

- We had fun with it at home!  We goofed off and laughed a lot, and it became it’s own memory.

At the end of the day, our dance wasn’t at all showboat-y.  It was simple, romantic, and to top it all off, looked nice in photos.  J. and I still talk about how much we enjoyed it!  I’m still working on recaps with pro pics but in the mean time, check out these lovely first dance shots taken by friends and family!  Are you sold yet?  Would you try dance lessons?

And by the way, if you are thinking of taking lessons and live in NYC, NJ, or Long Island, be sure to check out today’s Groupon: $45 for four weeks of lessons at Dance with Me!

Starting out and working through the nervousness...

Starting to relax and enjoy the moment!

"ok now I'm going to turn you..."

The big finish!