Sew What?! A 1930's Garden Party Dress

Wedding season has descended upon us and frankly, I couldn't be happier!  No pressure, but anyone out there who is presented with the opportunity to get married and invite me as a guest, is strongly encouraged to do so; I'd be overjoyed to attend.  Call me nutty, but even for someone so very unattached as myself, weddings give my romantic nature a boost and fill me with hope. 

You probably saw that we were fortunate enough to attend our friends' gorgeous Catalina Island wedding last weekend; this weekend, we were treated to yet another wonderful wedding for our pals, Rob and Ashley.

Rob & Ashley

Situated high atop a verdant hill in Glendale, California's renowned Forest Lawn Cemetery (the site of many celebrity nuptials and many celebrity resting places), the Church of the Recessional was ideally apropos for a couple who has long been noted for their Hollywood high style.  Because they are such a fashionable pair, it only seemed fitting that I create yet another dress for Mary that was suitable for the occasion - a church wedding with an afternoon, garden party reception.

Knowing that the prevailing style of the day would be 1930's and that I had a fittingly Depression-era budget ($0.00)/little time (a week)/an unholy amount of unused material (three hoarders' worth), I did a cannonball into my giant mountain of fabric neatly organized stash and selected a few possibilities.

I ended up choosing an all-over floral print fabric that I had earmarked for a 50's-style day dress; I was mildly hesitant to use it as I was afraid it would read as a weird pastiche of conflicting influences.  On the other hand, it went fortuitously well with the heirloom, pansy brooch from our great-grandmother and the stunning, vintage hat.

Mary's vintage hat came from our favorite, local vintage store, Swellegant Vintage.

One of the hat's beautiful bunches of pansies  - Mr. Tiny likes vintage millinery flowers more than he ought to!!!

Mary & Jennifer (last week's bride)
The dress was appropriately ladylike but still held up to all of Mary's shenanigans.

Benny (last week's groom) & Mary
Honestly, they're even more like brother and sister than Mary and I.

We were elated to see our good friends, Lauren (Wearing History
 Patterns and blog) and her husband, Matt (a dapper groomsman).

The dress, with its eight-gored, tulip-shaped skirt, attached capelet, and neckline bow (can
 you tell that I am crazy for bows?) was finished by a self-fabric belt with a green,
 vintage buckle and green, vintage gloves.  The reception was held at the indescribably-beautiful,
home (built in 1907) of friends; if I was a better photographer, I would have captured
more of its endless charms.  Mary inspects the beautiful flowers as designed by LA Deco Flora.

 During the garden party, however,  I was able to capture all of the garden flowers in full bloom.

At the end of a lovely party, the bride bid us goodbye in her custom-made farewell frock.

Congratulations to Rob and Ashley!  We hope that you continue to find all the fun and frolic that life affords you.  Thank you for letting us celebrate your new life together as husband and wife!  And thanks for another great weekend of celebrating the only thing that truly matters, namely L-O-V-E.

"L-O-V-E" - Nat King Cole

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny