Well, my wedding day wardrobe is coming together. I've been looking around for the right accessoires for my dress, and I think I've found just whatI was looking for. Hooray! I've been working with Etsy shop Cynthia Couture. She does absolutely gorgeous jewlery most of which can be customized in a variety of ways.
I ended up getting the Maggie Sottero Isadora dress. It's got a great va-va-voom old school Hollywood meets Queen Victoria feel. So, um, I guess I'm going for a sexy Queen Victoria? Anyway, here's the dress. Mine is ivory (Maggie Sottero calls it 'alabaster').
I'm wearing wearing awesome red heels and replacing the corset lacing with red laces. The shoes I found at David's Bridal (style is Mirabelle). They're actually quite comfy and easy to walk in. The best part? They come in wide width. Score! The picture below seems washed out. They're more of a deep red in real life (David's Bridal calls it 'apple'). Also, I was able to buy some ribbon from David's in the same color. That's going to become the corset lacing.
This is the jewlery I've come up with. I'll start with the earrings, because it has the right color, and you'll have to use your imagination on the rest of the pieces. I just love that deep red color! Apparently, this is called 'Siam Red'. Oooh, sparkly!
I like the style of this neckalce, but I wasn't in love with the metal bits. It's got the dram I was looking for without going to over the top, and it's got a great Victorian feel. I really like the pearl swag, but I'd like some more color.
I liked the metal fittings on this necklace better, but not so much the style. It was just too much, with the larger pearls and extra strands. Plus, it was super expensive. Love the metal bits, though!
The solution? Combine the two necklaces! My necklace will be the same style as the first, but with the metal bits of the second. It will have the crystal drops that the second necklace does, but in red, like the earrings. Plus, to bring a little more color to the necklace, the little sparkly rhinestones around the pearl will be in red, as well.
To finish it, off, I also got this bracelet. Again, the stones will be in that deep red. The chain strap part is going to be replaced with pearls. I think it will go together nicely. I'm a big lady, and I have pretty beeft wrists. The standard size of this bracelet is 6-1/2", which just wasn't going to fit. I measured my wrist, and with the measuring tape snug, it was 7". Luckily, the jewelry maker can easily lengthen the strap. Hooray! Anyone buying jewelry online, make sure you measure.
While I'm I'm at it, this is the veil I bought. It's another Etsy find, from Ultimate Bridal Veils. Mine is in ivory, with the same red embroidery. I was originally going to find some red lace that would match what's on the dress. I decided that wasn't going to happen, so instead I went with something that wasn't supposed to look like the dress. It's elbow length, because the back ofthe dress is too pretty to cover up. I've been considering adding some pearls or red stones to bling it up, but I think I may just let it be. I don't want to compete too much with the dress.
And finally, I've been seriously considering a tiara, because, what the hell, I want to feel like a queen. Someone on Ebay is selling this David's bridal tiara, used, for a pretty reasonable price. It must be discontinued or something, because David's didn't have much for colored accessories when I was looking. I'm not sure if this would be too much, but it's got pearls and that apple red color. I'm going to wear my hair in some kind of up do, mainly because wearing it down annoys me. There's quite a bit of time left in the auction, so I can think about it. Honestly, though, it's a low enough price that it won't be a disaster if I buy it and then decide against the tiara. I just hate wasting money.
What do you think? Too many accessories? Awesome choices? I'm a little nervous about looking too over the top. On the other hand, I don't get a lot of opportunities to dress all fancy and I want to do it up. To put things in a little perspective, I'll be getting married in late September in Vermont, with an outdoor reception.
I'll definitely have to play dress up when everything arrives. That's going to be awhile. The jewelry won't be here for at least a few weeks and the dress won't be in until the beginning of July.