I’ll just come out and say it. One of the most exciting things about a wedding is the dress. It’s a time for total fantasy- something that only has to last one magical night. It’s an excuse to wear something truly classic and romantic, a chance that rarely comes twice.

Of course there’s also the location, the date, food, guest lists, decor, etc, but those are logistics, and I will pretend they don’t exist for now. For now all I see are creamy ivory silks, florence lace, sheer chiffon and pearl details.

Thanks to pinterest, my ‘style’ board inadvertently leant itself well towards bridal gown inspirations. After pulling may favorite photos and details, I started sketching.

I’m not great at the 2D sort of creative endeavors. I prefer to just start draping fabric and see what happens. It helps to keep an open mind in terms of style when you have as limited technical sewing skills as I. For instance, the sleeves I sketched above can be draped horizontal or vertical, and I’ll probably do whichever is easier and looks better with the fabric I chose.

I’m naturally drawn to a vintage, classic extravagance- a retro mix of flowing, layered details and smart lines. Or to name a designer, Jenny Packman. The design must have sleeves and be flowy. I don’t think I could sew something that was tailored close to the body nor would a corseted sort of gown look good on me. I have also found beading to be quite relaxing and meditative, along with adding an easy sort of sophistication to a piece.

Thankfully I have a lot of time to sit and think, drape and cut. I often like to mentally sketch dresses for no reason at all, so this is a lovely excuse to daydream of silhouettes  and reinvented vintage flairs. I’m not a wedding nut by any means, but fashion- well, that’s just art.