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Thursday 7 November 2013

My mum's wedding dress

My parents got married in late August 1995, about eight months before I was born. They didn't want the wedding to be a big deal so they only invited about fifty people - just family and close friends - and kept everything really casual. The ceremony took place in a registry office near the town where my dad grew up, and the reception was back at my grandparents' place. There was BBQ food cooked by my grandad, and alcohol my parents bought in France for a discounted price. The wedding cake was one tiered. There were no hymns or flowers. No professional photographer. They didn't - and still don't - like the idea of having a huge wedding where the stress of planning it overshadows everything else.


This view extends to my mum's wedding dress. When I was younger, I was a bit upset that I would go to my friends' houses and their mums would sometimes bring out their wedding dresses for us to see. They were big and white and extravagant. My friends never saw my mum's wedding dress because she insisted it was nothing special. In the eyes of a seven year old, no, she's right, it's probably nothing worth seeing. No sparkles, no ruffles, no princess-like qualities.


When I was looking for a prom dress last year, she asked if I'd like to try on her wedding dress. I said no because I remembered it as a brown-ish, old lady like affair. I was wrong! I loved it but didn't end up wearing it to prom. I asked her to get it out again recently because I wanted to try it on again and maybe get some photos.





I don't think my crappy webcam really did it justice. It's a gorgeous burgundy colour with bits of gold detailing and little flowers. The material reminds me of chiffon (I'm not sure if it really is) and it fits me perfectly - a bit depressing that I'm the same size my mum was at 31 years old, but I comfort myself with the thought that she dieted for months.. kidding! Anyway, I love it a lot. I think she said it was about £90 from Monsoon which sounds like a bargain to me.


People have said oh I can't believe she wore a RED wedding dress, think of the connotations but I'm glad she did. Red is her favourite colour and she saw a red dress she liked, so she wore it on a special day. And I think she looked pretty beautiful. Go mum.

2 comments:

  1. i really respect it when people just do what they want in spite of social norms or tradition, especially when it's not exactly to make a point, but just following their heart. go kate's mum! :-) the wedding ceremony sounds like it was lovely and the dress is gorgeous on you.
    x

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  2. that is a gorgeous dress! very flattering too. i don't get why people would spend sooo much money on a wedding dress. i get it's "their day" and they may want "to feel like a princess" but you can feel that way even with a "normal" dress.

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