Tulle, 4: Me, 1

Well, it turns out that shorter veils are my style, but just not with this dress. I made and tried on three veils last night, and I liked them all. I just didn't like them when I got my dress home today, put it on, and tried each veil in turn. Luckily, the last thing I made last night was a fascinator--which is kind of like a brooch for the hair. To make mine, I picked up a large toupee clip, made a webbing in between its two bars out of tulle strips, then started sewing and gluing items to it. First I made a puffy circle out of French netting, and sewed that on. Then, in back of the netting, I glued a halo of white feathers. One one side of the fascinator, I attached 3 coq feathers so symmetry wouldn't render my fascinator less so. Then I made some loop bunches out of ostrich feather and when I had seven bunches, I glued them in a circle on top of the netting. Then in the center, I sewed on a few pearls and crystal beads, and glued on two antique mother of pearl buttons. To top it off, I glued on a pewter bee. Sounds like a hot mess, doesn't it? But it's not; it's the perfect finishing touch to my wedding outfit. I have done it! I have shunned the veil.

Tulle 1. Me, 0.

OK, today I constructed a two-layer, waist-length bridal veil with a rolled hem. I gathered it nicely and tacked it to a comb. Then I put it on. I've read that a woman doesn't feel like a bride until she puts on her veil. Well, I didn't feel like a bride. I felt like a big ol' fraud. Also like a big billowy fog monster. It turns out traditional bridal veils are Not My Thing. I guess I'm just too much of a tomboy, even now. So, it's back to the drawing board. Tomorrow I'll construct birdcage-style veils: one out of regular bridal illusion netting and another using French netting and some beads and feathers and whatnot. If the birdcage veil experiment fails, then I'll simply go veil-free.

Another thing: our photographer called today and said she'd broken her foot surfing and so could not shoot our wedding. However, she lined up one of the best photographers in San Francisco to cover for her, so we're not too troubled despite having really looked forward to having her do the shooting. Anyway, I'm hoping to talk with the sub photog soon.

Lastly: I found someone to give my wedding gown to after I'm done with it. I can't see keeping it, since having a daughter is pretty unlikely for me, and even if I were to have a daughter, if she were a daughter of mine she'd be horrified at having to figure out how to tell her dotty old mom that she won't be wearing her old yellowed gown at her wedding. On top of that, we have no storage for big bulky pieces of clothing we'll never wear again. So I'll be giving my gown away. The woman I offered it to is so thrilled that she pledged to pass it along after her own wedding. This makes me smile every time I think about it.

Veiling the issue

I have to admit: I fear the tulle. I've had all the makings of two kinds of bridal veils in this house for more than a month. And yet, I tackle every other job first. I've made the goodie bags for the out-of-towners. I've assembled my half of the. I've tinkered with jewelry components. I've glanced apprehensively at my cut-out and basted veil tulle. Feh. I've got to start on it. It's a two-layer, elbow-length veil with satin-cord edging. In case I don't like it, I also bought some French netting and some cool feathers to make a birdcage-style veil. It's this weekend or nothing, because whatever's not done after the end of the day Monday will have to remain undone. Unless, of course, I forget something critical. But if I haven't made a veil by then, then veil-free I will be on wedding day.

Details

Today was program-cover day. I made the template for the covers yesterday, copying a passport cover, adding an inside pocket, and elongating it to 11" vertical. It's basically the size of half an 8.5x11" sheet bifolded vertically. Then I traced the template onto 15 sheets of brown card stock, four up on a page. Today I cut them out and scored all the fold lines, and tomorrow I'll glue up the inside pockets and round the corners on each. Then I'll proof the program pages (editorial and format), print them out, cut them, hole-punch them and attach them to the cover. Last step: print out driving and parking directions (wedding to reception) and slip them into the pockets. Then it's on to making my veil. On Wednesday after I take my dress back to the tailor, I'll pick up the table map from the restaurant and work on the seating chart and table rosters. I've been making up our iPod song list over the last couple of weeks and we'll get that final in the next week, also. I was down with food poisoning the last couple of days, which slowed my progress considerably. But I woke up today feeling healthy (just in time for our annual Super Bowl bash), so I need to rev back into high gear. Can't let momentum lag, because I have the rest of life (which includes fiction writing) to attend to as well.

Oh, Lordy. Almost there.

There are twenty-two days to go, and I was really stressed out this week. But tonight we went to our restaurant reception site and had dinner and picked our menu and somehow that just made me relax. The manager brought us various wines to try and I think it added up to seven full glasses. We got a little tipsy and were happy we were within walking distance of home. The restaurant setup precludes escort cards for each guest, so yahoo, one less project to do. This, too, helps with my peace of mind. I've finished beading my wrap. I still have to make my veil. I'm making my veil because I'm too damned stubborn to pay $100 or more retail for $7 worth of netting and a 25-cent comb. I have netting, I have combs, I have satin cording and I even have some crystal beads. So after this weekend perhaps I will have my veil. If not, then certainly by the end of the coming week. I do believe I'll have some time in which to tuck in some fiction writing.