Weddings are a big deal, one of the biggest in your life, so choosing the right dress is vitally important. When my husband and I first got married we were young and potless. Although our wedding was small and perfectly formed it was on a very tight budget, about a thousand pounds in total, even for those days it was minuscule. It was a wonderful day but it wasn't the fairy tale wedding I'd dreamt of since childhood, we chose to have a marriage rather than a wedding day and that was fine by me, that said I always wanted to renew our vows one day when the time was right but Mr. D wasn't keen, not even slightly.
Anyway, while I was laying in my hospital bed after my AP resection and oophorectomy, following my chemotherapy and radiotherapy I think he felt sorry for the pitiful little wreck that I was and bless his heart, he got down on one knee and asked me to remarry him. As poorly as I was I nearly snapped his arm off with excitement and I didn't look back, I willed myself better and within a fortnight he was wheeling me round Lakeside shopping center for a dress for our big day part deux!!
He's a clever bugger that man of mine, he knows how to motivate me!
Choosing my dress for the day was a little tricky for many and various reasons, not just the fact that I now had a colostomy to contend with and to allow room for but it was a wedding renewal rather than a wedding and I was 38 rather than the 22 I was when we first got married.
I had never been wedding dress shopping before, the dress I wore for our wedding was bought from Monsoon two days before the wedding, so going in to the shop and trying dress after dress was a real thrill for me (yes I know, I should get out more often).
A stoma compatible dress was clearly the main focus, but it had to be in keeping with the day too. I was surprised how many of the dresses actually worked with the stoma, (if it was up to me we'd all be wearing wedding dresses every day.) do try not to go in with a dress in mind from my experience and that of friends subsequently the dress in your head isn't always the one that looks the best on you. Thinking that it would be best to cover the stoma I had a big meringue in my head but it drowned me in ruffles, it looked like it was attacking me rather than me wearing it, less is more as they say.
What I also wanted from my dress was re usability. I had intended to have it cut down and made into an evening dress but I never got round to it but as you can see from the photo below I did reuse it.
I eventually chose two dresses, one to wear in the morning after my hair and make up were done and another one for the ceremony . The day dress was a gorgeous pleated, chiffon number, which was so comfy, and then the main event dress was a soft silver colour with gentle gathers to the side, the detail on the back was gorgeous, accentuate the positive came to mind whilst trying it on.
*FYI after our blessing (which by the way was everything I dreamed of and more, I couldn't of imagined it being such a meaningful and joyous day) I had the dress professionally dry cleaned and wrapped. After I wore it for the night when I reused it, I gently hand washed it in the bath and then put it on a gentle spin in the washing machine, it came out perfectly fine, I'm not suggesting anyone else should try this, it was a little nerve wracking, but my dress came out fine.
If you are in a position to be wedding dress shopping, congratulations! More importantly, have a wonderful time, not just on the day but the entire build up. If things don't go perfectly to plan, don't sweat it, life isn't perfect, it would be rather dull if it was. Enjoy!
DRESS from Maggie Sottero, Shoes from Dune
DRESS from Lungta De Fancy
Best up cycling I've ever done!
And a more traditional reuse of a dress.