Prince Edward Island - Melissa & John Michael

It's New Year's Eve...time for one last holiday treat before we return to reality!  I've been saving these pictures for just such an occasion--they're so delicious that you can't help but feel full of joy when you look at them. Melissa and John Michael's gorgeous vintage-inspired wedding on Prince Edward Island was so dreamy, colorful, and full of delightful detail--unique, personal and just gorgeous.  Promise me you'll look through all of this bright golden glory, and you'll be happy that you did.

Melissa chose a different set of vintage buttons for each of her maids' Emmeline dresses, and each set of buttons had a special meaning for the girl who wore it--how brilliant is that?

Each girl chose her own belt or sash to add even more personal detail (and va-va-voom!)

Breakfast with the bridesmaids--too adorable!

 

I love everything about Melissa & John Michael's wedding...I love how personal it is, I love the colors, I love the vintage inspiration and all the thought that this beautiful couple put into their special day.  It was an honor to play a small part in this gorgeous event.  Congratulations, lovebirds! :-)

First wedding of the season!

My absolute favorite thing about making dresses for people is seeing the people wearing them!  And that's especially true when it comes to wedding dresses.  Every bride imbues what I make with her own personal style and special touches--I just love to see how it all comes together!  And then when I get pics of the happy couple, it's just like the best thing ever. :-)

Look at how adorable these two are!  Danica, the lovely bride, added her own touch to the bridal Emmeline by changing the sleeves to cap sleeves, and then totally played up the retro-fabulous style by adding a gorgeous black lace sash, the perfect black shrug and a glamorous black floral fascinator.  Too perfect for words!  Thank you to Danica and her handsome new hubster for sharing these fantastic pics.  Congratulations and best wishes to you both! :-)

Eye candy: Lovely Clusters

A fellow Etsian, Elizabeth of iviemade, alerted me to a fabulous blog/website called Lovely Clusters that features curated collections from Etsy artists and allows its readers to create their own "lovely clusters" - akin to the treasuries on Etsy.  When you visit the site and view the clusters, you can click through to the artists' Etsy sites--very cool! Check out the one Elizabeth put together--yep, that's my Emmeline dress in there. :-)

 Thank you so much to Elizabeth for putting me in the know about this fab site!

Sweet Emmeline

The Emmeline dress has been one of my most popular and most requested designs. It all started with a light, sweet vintage-inspired dress in navy blue cotton batiste. Feminine yet tailored, with a sweet and subtle vintage allure, the Emmeline dress would have been a young lady's favorite summer dress back in the late 1930's or early 1940's: pretty and proper enough to wear to church, but with a face-framing neckline and nipped-in waist perfect for an evening with your sweetheart. Puffed sleeves, loop-over button closures, dainty mother-of-pearl buttons and a gathered ruffle at the neckline add retro charm.

As I began making the Emmeline dress for my clients, the design evolved and was refined: I added princess seaming to the bodice as an extra figure-flattering detail; I increased the number of dainty little buttons and a placket for modesty; AND I added pockets! I began making the dress in cotton poplin instead of batiste because I liked the crisp look of the poplin; the poplin is also opaque, so lining the bodice was no longer necessary. Less bulk=tinier waist=gorgeous retro hourglass silhouette!

As the weather began getting colder, I was completely enamored with warm, rich fabrics--particularly this lovely charcoal gray flannel suiting fabric. It seemed perfect for a warmer fall/winter version of the Emmeline! You can see the princess seaming detail in this photo, along with the gathered elbow-length sleeves. Vintage silver-toned filigree buttons add a perfect touch of fancy.

And finally--at last! The latest edition of our lovely Emmeline in crisp, diamond white bridal-weight cotton sateen. A softly pleated ruffle at the neckline frames the face beautifully, while the short puffed sleeves and gorgeous (and completely functional!) loop-over fabric covered buttons lend vintage charm. The nipped in waist, princess seaming and full gathered skirt fit and flatter in all the right places--perfect for combining a gorgeous hourglass silhouette with maximum comfort. The best part? Emmeline has side on-seam pockets! Absolutely perfect for outdoor weddings and for the bride with retro flair, I'll be offering the bridal Emmeline ivory and cream sateen as well. I'm so excited about this newest Emmeline that I'm thinking of making one for my wedding in May!