HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Has it been that many years since Edgar and I said, "I do" inside a castle?   Today is my own wedding anniversary, a chance to look back on so much that's happened and by way of pictures share all the joy and hopefully a little inspiration with you. I have to say our love and commitment is stronger today than it ever has been, probably because of all we've been through.  I do remember wanting a wedding with lots of kids like Europeans have.   In Europe, kids make up the wedding party almost entirely ranging in age anywhere from  3 to 13.  For me children also represent fertility and continuance of life. Their dresses were silk taffeta, organza and Chantilly laces and my page was dressed in a kilt with a tartan matching my groom's family. All these dresses were an absolute joy to design.
    As a bridal designer you can't imagine how jazzed I was to get engaged.  The first thing I did of course was mentally design my dress.  My then fiancee had one request: He wanted to wear full Scottish regalia including kilt, jacket, sporn, tartan, the works.  It didn't take long for the dress above to evolve in my head.  Once it did I made a beeline to Britex Fabrics in San Francisco,so stoked was I to get on with the creative process of fashioning myself as a bride.   What Toys R Us would be to a kid, Britex Fabrics is to the designer: An emporium chock full of extraordinary fabrics sourced from all over the world. Back to my dress, the lace was imported from Paris and most of the silk florals you see were found in the bridal notions department; the rest were hand-rolled silk dupioni.  Not bad for one day's shopping . . . 

 Every story has a happy ending or in this case, beginning . . . . . . .
My flower girl, Sierra eventually got together with my nephew, Nathan.  They met at the wedding and ironically ended up going to the same high school.  They've been together ever since and last December had their first child, Liam pictured below.    Who'a guessed?

Gowns by Amy-Jo Tatum

Most Photos by Hope Stewart Photography (retired)

Cake by Shannan Hobbs

All the flowers were from our own family gardens