stripes + engagement photos

Hi!!!

Long time no speak (write? read??)

The last month has been crazy, turns out I just didn't have the energy to plan our wedding, work and keep up the blog so I apologise for leaving you guys out of the loop.

We've just gotten back from our honeymoon this week, and Eli has been whisked off on a tour with his band so I'm without my trusty photographer for the moment.. which is all good really because it gives me an excuse to play catch up and reminisce about our wedding a little.

At the start of the month we did an "engagement" shoot with our wedding photographer - our friend Aleksandar Jason. I ended up whipping up a dress for the occasion, modifying Simplicity's 1873 from the Cynthia Rowley collection to feature a bateau neckline in this blue and white stripe fabric I found at my local op shop.

I had some issues with gaping at the back of the neckline, which I didn't have time to fix for the shoot so had to cover with a cardigan (I was sewing right up until we left!!), but having since washed the dress that problem has resolved itself so I guess I'll put it down to the fabric stretching slightly as I was sewing and/or the bias binding around the neckline.

It also has the fullest skirt I've ever made - perfect for twirling! It's definitely become my new favourite warm-weather dress.

Here's some photos from the shoot, Eli looked particularly dapper in his blue houndstooth suit from ASOS and matching stripes :)

Hello,

Just a quick post to say I'm still here. Since I've gotten back from Bali (it was amazing!) I've been sick, working a lot, and doing a lot of wedding related crafting...

I also received a very special dress in the mail :)

I'll be back with more outfits as usual as soon as I can!

The dress that was going to be, and then wasn't, and then there was a different one, and that didn't work out so well...

So I bought a dress.

Not just any dress. A pretty, white lace one. "The" dress.

Yep, thats right, after blabbing on for months about how I was going to make my own wedding dress I've gone and purchased a very lovely 1950's lace affair off Etsy, and I'm so glad I did.

I was so set on DIY-ing the crap out of my wedding. I didn't (still don't!) want to spend thousands of dollars on frivolous things for one day. Centrepieces, programs, invitations - psh! Primary school stuff! Dresses for my bridesmaids - that shop wants HOW MUCH?? I can make it for half that! Dress for myself - there's no way I'll be able to find the Dress Of My Dreams in a store or online, only I can make my ultimate gown! It was this kind of DIY-or-die attitude, mixed with, I'll admit, maybe a teensy bit of pinterest-fueled one-upmanship.

Well, after months of anguishing over necklines and skirts and lace styles (which culminated in a mild anxiety attack in a fabric store where I was overwhelmed by choice) I've decided to put my pride aside and admit that I'm a control freak - I need to let go a little.
I realised it's less about finding the Dress Of My Dreams, and more about finding a dress that I am going to feel beautiful and comfortable in. If it gives me both of these feelings, then no matter where it's from or who made it, it will set the tone for the rest of my day. And there are many, MANY beautiful dresses out there that will suffice.

So, I went online, narrowed it down to two choices, one sold so I bought the other. Hoorah! I thought, thats done!
But the next day I got a message from the seller. At some point between listing the dress and selling it to me someone had visited her brick-and-mortar store and tried it on rather roughly, leaving the front shoulder ripped and completely unfixable.

Refund received, back to the drawing board.

I've just purchased another dress. It's vintage, beautiful and will suit and fit me very well. I'll wear my ridiculous cute shoes, a necklace that Eli gave me, do my makeup nice and have my hair done and then I will thoroughly enjoy marrying the Man Of My Dreams. I've got that part of it 100% right for sure.



P.S - I'm still making all my (7) bridesmaids dresses, invites and most of the decorations. Because I'm a crazy, control freak DIY-addict. But I also have my enormous bridal party and wonderful family to be my minions and help me out with stuff, so its going to be ok.