The Wedding Dress and Tuxedo Cupcakes

Second to Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve is the most popular engagement day.  It's a new year and a new wave of brides to be.  So much planning, calendaring and decisions to make.  Number one...The Dress!

I have owned my wedding dress for 22 years.  I purchased it way before "Say Yes To The Dress" was even thought of.  Back then, I had never heard of Pnina Tornai, Mark Zunino or even Vera Wang for that matter.  Not that I could have even afforded any of their beautiful pieces.  My parents were so kind to pay for our wedding, so the least I could do was buy my own wedding gown.

For years, I had a vision of what I wanted to look like on my wedding day...as any little girl does.  In the end, I was in a small wedding boutique in Indio, California.  It was not a fancy store, but this dress caught my eye and the price was perfectly in my budget.  The store owner recommended that I try a small hoop skirt underneath the dress to accentuate the layers of chiffon.  I took her advice and once I turned around and looked in the mirror...I said "Yes To The Dress"!  When I got the dress home, I added added pearls and sequin to the collar and bodice to make it a little more fancy.

Today, I have twin daughters who just turned twenty.  They both have very different and distinct taste and styles.  Some day they will also be planning and looking for a wedding gown.  I decided a long time ago that I would not try to put them in my wedding gown.  It is their wedding, their day and it should be their gown, unique to their personality (and hopefully my budget).

When were were packing up hour house last April and May getting ready for our move, I came across my wedding dress.  I have been lugging this thing around for the past 21 years and I really didn't know why.  I didn't want to pack it up again and try to find the perfect storage spot in the new house...for what.  I knew I couldn't sell it, being a non-designer dress.  I didn't want to leave it hanging around.  In the event something were to happen to me, I didn't want my husband trying to sell it either, just to purchase a new 9 Iron golf club (just kidding...inside joke between him and me).

So I did what some people think...is the unthinkable.  I decided to have my wedding gown cut down the middle into two halves.

I recruited my neighbor from our previous house, before we moved.  I would have done it myself, but I just cannot sew (or have a machine).  My mom and grandmother are incredible seamstresses, but instead of learning how to sew, I took the culinary/cooking road.  Had I decided to follow their footsteps, my muffin top, hips and thighs would undoubtedly be in better shape today!

I explained what I wanted done to my neighbor...she was shocked.  She said she couldn't (or wouldn't) do it.  Once I explained in better detail, she understood my vision.  When I picked up my dress(es) from her, she said she cried the entire time she was cutting.

My thought is this, I have divided everything up from my wedding day for each daughter to have and do with, what she wishes.  Each girl will have half of my wedding dress, one shoe, one earring and one glove.  

There are so many incredible ideas that they can use these items for their wedding day.  I have read hundreds and hundreds from having the dress skirt made into their veil, or their children's baptism gown.  They could have an earring set into their bouquet or have the glove wrapped around the handle of their bouquet.  They could cut the beading out of my shoe and use it as an embellishment accent on their gown or veil.  They could cut the upper lace off the gown and have it made into their ring bearer's pillow.  Truly the possibilities are endless!  

My biggest challenge will be to not interfere and let them decide on their own how they want to use everything.  Until then, they have their own white bridal box with everything in it when they are ready for their big day!

My grandmother made this bridal purse for me by hand...shown with my wedding necklace.

These pearls were hand sewn by my mom for by bridal gloves.

Here are the other pieces that were divided for my girls.

I was even bargain shopping for my wedding shoes....$45 from Sears, of all places!

They we're not Jimmy Choo or Christian Louboutin, but really, did anyone care?

So, that's my wedding dress story and its plan for the next generation.  Good thing I didn't have triplets, or I'd really be in a quandary!

Tuxedo Cupcakes

Take your favorite white cake mix recipe and add half a bag of mini chocolate chips.  Bake cupcakes, as directed.  Frost with whipped white frosting and add black and white sprinkles and sparkling candies.  

These won't win the "Wedding Cupcake Wars", but their fun, festive, and very tasty!  

One Year Ago: Potato, Bacon, Mushroom and Gorgonzola Pizzette

Two Years Ago: No Post

Three Years Ago: No Post

Four Years Ago: Crepes

Five Years Ago: S'Mores Dip