My husband, Bruce, and I are celebrating our 50th Wedding Anniversary this year on the Feast Day of St Andrew the Apostle.
After my own wedding, I wrapped my wedding gown and veil in plenty of blue tissue paper as this would prevent it from discolouring. I then packed it in my honeymoon suitcase. I used the beautiful veil to make a net for our first baby’s crib the following year.
When our youngest daughter became engaged I asked if she would like me to make her wedding veil using the Chantilly lace boarder from my wedding gown. She was delighted!
It was a ‘true vintage’ wedding gown now, being 50 years old, in perfect condition and still pure white.
I began the painstaking task of unpicking all the beautiful, cotton Chantilly lace boarder from the very full skirt. This was done over a period of weeks, a very slow process but such a joy knowing it would make a beautiful wedding veil for my daughter, Naomi.
Naomi decided on a long, mantilla style veil. She worked with her Dad to design the pattern. We visited Jenny, at Saigon Fabrics, who was so very helpful and offered great advice suggesting Italian Tulle which was a very soft and floaty tulle. It draped beautifully. We purchased four metres and there was just enough of the Chantilly lace to go around the edge.
With it all pinned together Naomi and I began hand sewing the lace onto the tulle. Several sessions of hand sewing together.
Naomi’s wedding gown was made by Teresa, a dressmaker recommended by a friend. Her dress was a wrap-style design, made with hammered silk. Naomi also used the lace cuffs from my wedding gown for her own.
Such a beautiful mantilla wedding veil, memories of making it together and now an heirloom.
Church: St Augustine's, Balmain, Sydney
Photographer: Ed Summerhays
