Junior Rasmussen
Many brides choose to repurpose their mother's wedding dress as a way to incorporate family traditions into their special day. While some brides opt to wear their mother's dress as is, others may prefer to refashion it to better suit their personal style and body type. Repurposing the dress allows brides to create something unique and modern while still honouring their mother's love and sacrifice over the years. Brides can work with experienced seamstresses and tailors to alter the dress or use its fabric to create new garments and accessories, such as a bridal veil, garter, handkerchief, or bouquet wrap.
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What You'll Learn
Altering the dress to create a modern look
Altering your mother's wedding dress is a popular trend that many brides are following, allowing them to breathe new life into the dress while incorporating family traditions into their special day. Here are some ways to create a modern look:
Rework the Hemline
If you want to preserve your mother's dress but make it more youthful and sexy, consider reworking the hemline. You can swap a long train for a short one, creating a mini dress that's perfect for comfort and movability on the dance floor. If a mini dress isn't your style, you can also try a high-low hemline, which involves removing fabric from the front while keeping a longer skirt in the back for a playful look.
Remove the Sleeves
Another way to modernise your mother's wedding dress is to remove the sleeves to create an off-the-shoulder or strapless neckline. This alteration can give the dress a more contemporary and sleek appearance.
Transform It into a Different Garment
You can also transform your mother's wedding dress into a completely different type of garment, such as a pantsuit or jacket. A pantsuit, for example, offers a sleek and sophisticated look, with a blazer and trousers, that's perfect for courthouse ceremonies or rooftop weddings. It can also be customised to your preferred style, whether it's a looser or fitted design, or a structured or casual silhouette.
Add Modern Details
Modernise your mother's wedding dress by adding contemporary details. You can incorporate crystals, beaded lace, or other embellishments that reflect current trends. This will give the dress a fresh and updated appearance while retaining its sentimental value.
Alter the Silhouette
Consider altering the silhouette of the dress to achieve a more modern shape. This may involve changing the back, neckline, or waist to create a style that better reflects your vision and personal taste. While these alterations may be more extensive, they can transform the overall look and feel of the dress.
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Using the fabric for accessories
Using the fabric of your mother's wedding dress to create accessories is a great way to incorporate family traditions and nostalgia into your wedding day. Here are some ideas to create accessories using the fabric:
Bridal Gloves
If your mother's wedding dress features intricate lace or satin fabric, consider transforming the fabric into elegant bridal gloves. This accessory will complement your wedding gown, adding a touch of vintage glamour to your overall look.
Bridal Clutch
Excess fabric from your mother's wedding dress can be used to create a bespoke bridal clutch. Detach lace, beading, or other embellishments from the dress and attach them to a simple clutch, creating a unique accessory that you can cherish and use for years to come.
Veil
Add a sentimental touch to your wedding ensemble by incorporating the fabric from your mother's wedding dress into your veil. Whether it's a simple touch of lace or a more prominent feature, this accessory will make your look even more special.
Robe
Create a cosy robe to wear while you're getting ready for your big day. This is an excellent option if your mother's wedding dress is made of silk or satin fabric. You can also wear the robe over your shoulders during the reception if the venue is air-conditioned.
Bouquet Wrap
Wrap swatches of fabric from your mother's wedding dress around the stems of your bridal bouquet. This simple yet meaningful detail will add a touch of sentimentality to your wedding flowers.
Hair Accessories
Use the fabric to create hair accessories, such as textile rosettes or headbands. These accessories can be incorporated into your wedding hairstyle or even worn by your bridesmaids, adding a subtle touch of family tradition to your bridal party's look.
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Creating a bridal veil
Materials:
Before starting, ensure you have the necessary materials. You will need a comb, fabric from your mother's wedding dress, and any additional decorations such as lace, beads, or artificial flowers. If you plan to use glue for any part of the process, consider using E6000, a strong adhesive that works well with fabric and decorations.
Measuring and Cutting:
Begin by measuring the desired length of your veil. Start from the top of your head and measure down to the point where you want the veil to fall, such as your shoulder, elbow, or waist. Cut the fabric from your mother's wedding dress to this length. If you want a blusher veil, cut the fabric in a circle to ensure it drapes smoothly without gaps at the sides of your face.
Sewing the Fabric:
Fold the fabric in half widthwise, also known as "hamburger style." Most veils have two layers of fabric, with one layer slightly longer than the other. Pin the fabric to mark the desired shape. For a cascading veil, gather the centre third of the fabric along the fold. Sew two rows of stitches across the edge of the fabric that will be the top of your veil.
Attaching the Comb:
Pull the bobbin threads to gather the fabric until it matches the length of the comb you will be using. Stitch the bunched-up section of the fabric to the comb, securing it in place. If you prefer a smoother look with even edges, gather only a small portion of the fabric into the comb, similar to a Mantilla veil style.
Adding Decorations:
If you wish to add decorations, do so now. Sew or glue decorations such as lace, beads, or artificial flowers onto the veil, taking your time to ensure they are securely attached. Consider adding lace edging, satin edging, pearls, jewels, or any other embellishments that suit your style.
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Making a custom wedding garter
There are many ways to refashion your mother's wedding dress, and one creative way is to make a custom wedding garter. This is a thoughtful way to repurpose your mother's wedding dress and have your mother close to your heart on your wedding day.
To make a custom wedding garter, you will need to purchase some items, including fabric, embellishments, and a glue gun or sewing kit. Since each bride's leg is different, each garter will also be a different size. Measure the bride's leg and cut a strip of fabric that is about 3" wide and 1.5 times the length of the leg measurement. Fold the fabric with the right sides together and sew a simple straight stitch along the long edge. Then, cut two pieces of tulle slightly longer and wider than the fabric and sew them together, sandwiching the fabric between them.
You can also add embellishments to your garter, such as rhinestones, pearls, or lace appliques. If you're using lace from your mother's wedding dress, cut out lace flower pieces and sew or glue them onto the tulle. You can also add a satin bow or other family details to make it more personal.
If you're making a tossing garter, you can use simpler materials like satin ribbon with a small bow. You can also add a personal touch by hand-stamping the bride's new last name and the wedding date onto a piece of fabric or metal tag and attaching it to the garter.
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Transforming it into a flower girl outfit
Transforming your mother's wedding dress into a flower girl outfit is a great way to incorporate family traditions into your wedding day. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Alter the Dress
If you're set on the flower girl wearing your mother's wedding dress, you could consider altering it to fit their size. This could involve shortening the length, removing any sleeves, or cutting off the train to create a mini or high-low hemline. These changes will modernise the dress and make it more suitable for a child.
Create a Custom Flower Girl Look
If the dress requires more extensive alterations, you could enlist the help of a skilled seamstress to transform it into a unique flower girl outfit. You can pick and choose your favourite details from your mother's dress and incorporate them into the new design. For example, you could use the fabric to create a flower crown or hair accessory for the flower girl.
Add Accessories
Another option is to use the fabric from your mother's wedding dress to create accessories for the flower girl. This could include a silk bow for their waist, a flower crown, or a pair of ballet slippers or Mary Janes. You could even add a small flower to their hairstyle to match the bridal bouquet.
Incorporate Heirloom Details
If your mother's dress features lace, consider incorporating it into the flower girl's outfit as a special touch. You could also use the fabric to create a custom handkerchief for the flower girl to carry or add it to their bouquet as a wrap. These heirloom details will add a sentimental value to the flower girl's outfit.
Mix and Match
You don't have to use only your mother's wedding dress for the flower girl's outfit. You can mix and match it with other fabrics or colours. For example, you could pair a silk purple bow at the waist with a small pink flower in their hair, creating a unique and adorable look.
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Frequently asked questions
If you want to give your mother's wedding dress a more modern look, you can re-work the hemline, swapping a long train for a shorter one. You can also remove the sleeves to create an off-the-shoulder or strapless neckline.
You can use the fabric from your mother's wedding dress to create accessories such as a veil, a bridal bouquet wrap, a clutch, or a hair accessory.
Yes, you can transform your mother's wedding dress into a completely different type of garment, such as a party dress for your rehearsal dinner or reception, a jacket or a pantsuit.
If you want to wear your mother's wedding dress as your own, you can work with a specialist seamstress or tailor to make alterations. Depending on the condition and fit of the dress, this could be as simple as shortening the length and removing the sleeves, or it might require more extensive changes to the silhouette and style.
You can use your mother's wedding dress to create a custom wedding garter, a ring pillow, a handkerchief, or a patch for the inside of your wedding dress.
