A Non-Vanilla, Love-Filled, 1950’s Delight

June 21, 2010

An excitable email from a newly married reader always brightens my day and LeeAnn’s may have been one of the most excitable I’ve received in a while! I just had to share the story behind her and husband David’s gorgeous 1950’s influenced wedding with you today.

“After gorging my eyes on a ga-jillion bridal mags and internet images,  I felt I was living a white-out groundhog day” LeeAnn began. “I quickly became downhearted about organising my own BIG DAY, the no-fun casting my eye over “traditional” gowns (this one? no, that one? no, repeat), the vanilla-ness of invites, pink-and-white themes to the power of 42,000! Where did the love go?”
 
“I think it was a Wednesday and my heart stood still….stopped, popped, blew up and nearly burst with love at the teeniest tiniest little picture of a 50’s style wedding dress!  The simplicity, the classic lines, the Frou-Frou…No other designer, strapless, flowing, ruched, lace, beaded, train or no train gown was going to be the winner! This was IT for me! Even better than this, the prospect of “ankle-age” (showing off one’s ankles) and the Shoes! The Shoes! (Oh! Heart! Don’t fail me now!) Enter, stage left, Lisa of Dragonfly Dress Design in Glasgow, who put my ponderings to paper and really really listened to all my wishin’ and hopin’ that I could pull off such a beautifully timeless gown, perhaps, perhaps, perhaps? And so began my love affair with tulle…the gown she handmade for me, words just cant explain how awesome I felt wearing it, and I just adored the teeny little birdcage veil she also worked her magic on.  What a woman!”
 
“Soon came the realisation that a bridal gown like this went hand-in-hand with songs of yesteryear that I love, Dion’s ‘Runaround Sue’ and Little Anthony’s ‘Tears on my Pillow’ being two of my all time Top 10.  They may not be specifically linked with the 50’s, but the images they evoke in my mind when I hear them and singalong, I think I had a major Light-bulb moment when I pictured myself in my dress. The Jigsaw came together relatively easy after that. David was cool with all I suggested and put forward (I did give him some input, honest), the look of horror on parents and grandparents faces when I explained I was doing something “a wee bit different” to the norm.  It actually became a delight to seek out the alternative.”

Thanks to LeeAnn & David for sharing their awesome wedding with us today
 

Credit: Paula Veverka Photography
Venue: St Andrew’s in the Square, Glasgow
Ceremony: Leslie Mitchell, Humanist Society of Scotland (KVETCH-tastic) 
Car: Baby blue American Pontiac owned by a friend of a friend
Dress:  Handmade by Lisa at Dragonfly Dress Design, The Hidden Lane, Glasgow
Shoes: Lana by Benjamin Adams
Birdcage Veil: Dragonfly Dress Design, The Hidden Lane, Glasgow
Accessories: Accessorize
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Vivien of Holloway
Hair & Make Up: Lisa McKay
Cakes: Karen Smith (Friend of Bride)
Bouquet: Posing Petals (Glasgow)
Invitations: Poobies.com
Favours: John Lewis
Props: Cox & Cox