Wednesday 9 November 2011

Corsetry Video

Corsetry basics using a dressmaker - please let me know what you think, including constructive criticism!

This is the first video in a series I plan to make - though many I wont post until after the wedding including most of the wedding dress making videos. I do plan to post on bridesmaid dress making though.  



For my wedding dress I'm having:


Layers from outer to inner: (prices not including VAT and postage where applicable)

Lace - Nylon with Flounce, White, Litmans £2.45 pm (150cm wide) 
Main Fabric - Ahimsa Peace Silk, Bright Gold, Offset Warehouse £10.25 pm (45" wide /114cm)
Interlining - Hemp/Silk Charmeuse, Sand, Offset Warehouse £12.70 p/yard (56" wide /142cm)
Coutil - White, Fabric Land £6.25 pm (144cm wide, search under 'linings')
Lining - Organic Bamboo Silk, Natural, Organic Textile Company £6.95 pm (110cm wide)

I've ordered far too much fabric because I want to be confident that I'll have enough (including if I make mistakes). 
Some of the fabrics look COMPLETELY DIFFERENT online than they do in real life - thats why you really MUST order swatches and make up a sample board if you can - I'll post about my swatch 'forest' in an upcoming post!

Tuesday 27 September 2011

Some clarifications

As I wrote down my list I thought I'd come back later and clarify a few things...

We decided on a christmas wedding because far distant families can come at non-summer prices, because lots of decorations come free, and we even get added seasonal perks like a free dj with the venue.

Bridesmaids will all be in different style dresses in different shades of blue and green. All will be similar length and same fabrics.

I'm hoping to eventually upload a series on youTube about how I made things - especially the bridesmaid dresses and my wedding dress.

I've already chosen fabrics, my dress will have a lot of eco-friendly fabric but some fabrics I was stuck with more traditional choices due to function and colours. A more focused post (with pictures!) later.

We're going to be making various jams, chutneys, preserves, relishes and sauces for our favours and packaging them in recycled glass jars. We're saving up jars already and will be making them all next year. We're also planning to decorate incorporating name cards so that gets a ✓ too!

Monday 26 September 2011

The List

I think we might see this list again and again, but updated!

** THE LIST **

Set date 21 Dec 2012
Set rough budget *cough* about the average price of a wedding in the UK :(
Pick church Odiham Church
Pick Venue Farnham Castle
Book church
Book venue
Choose bridesmaids ✓ Ruth (sister), Ellen & Alex (Uni friends)
Choose best man ✓ Mark (school friend)
Choose flowergirl(s) ✓ Stella (Uni friend) helping Jessica (school friends' daughter)
Choose ringbearer ✓ Aaron (brother)
Choose ushers ✓ Paddy & Mike (school friends)
Choose sword party ✓ Not yet revealed. NB. Sword party for military wedding - see this video for an example
Choose colours ✓ Blue and Green. Thats a silver blue and a sage green. Both quite muted!
Decide on flowers ✓ Anemones, Sea Holly, Eucalyptus
Find a UK-grown florist ✓ But not yet decided prices!
Decide dress design
Go dress shopping
Modify dress design
Decide bridesmaid styles
Get about 1000 fabric swatches
Decide on all dress fabrics
Make toiles - 2/6
Order fabrics
Make dresses 0/6 (separate lists)
Make guest list(s)
Decide save-the-date design
Decide invitation design
Make save-the-dates
Make invitations
Decide on wedding favours
Decide on bridal party gifts
Decide church service designs
Make church services
Decide table names and name card designs
Make table names and name cards
Decide seating plan
Make seating plan
Choose a band
Choose a DJ ✓ included in venue
Choose menu
Choose a photographer
Choose table decorations ✓ included in venue (christmas decorations)
Choose church decorations ✓ included in church (christmas decorations)
Make wedding website on gettingmarried.co.uk

Sunday 25 September 2011

The Homemade Wedding

Welcome to 'The Homemade Wedding' - We're engaged!! Back in May this year (2011) my boyfriend popped the question. I'm a crafter through and through and immediately set the ball rolling to create The Homemade Wedding of our (my) dreams!

I've set up this blog to be separate from my other sites so that I can show photos of progress without my fiancé seeing THE DRESS. THE DRESS being one of the key parts of the homemade wedding.

Homemade wish list for the homemade wedding:
  • a wedding dress
  • bridesmaids/flower girl dresses
  • save-the-date and invitations
  • favours
  • bridal party thank you gifts
  • church service cards, name cards, table names, table plan

We're also wishing for:
  • UK grown flowers
  • as little waste, and as much re-use as possible
  • eco-options where viable
I've already started on this journey, I'm hoping I can get some sanity by blogging my way through, maybe make some friends, and hopefully inspire and/or help people looking to do something similar in the future.