1840s Theme Wedding - The Details

For me, the accessories really made this dress come together.  I made an orange blossom hair piece from a kit I ordered and attached a mid-19th century embroidered bonnet veil that I bought off ebay.  I had to soak the veil in Biz a number of times to bring it's beauty back.  

View of orange blossoms

It was a labor of love to get it this white!

I had a pair of custom made silk satin slippers made by Robert Land and then decorated the edges with pleated ribbon.

Robert Land Slippers

Oh yeah, and I also made our wedding cake from an 1840s recipe the day before the wedding!  (Not for the faint of heart).

Everyone raved about the cake.  Some people had a third piece!

We rented out a Gothic Revival bed & breakfast for the weekend for the wedding and reception that was built in 1854, which the town of Ferndale was named after.

The Shaw House, 1854.

And to top it all off, my engagement/wedding ring is from the 1840s.  We might be a little obsessed with this decade...

It's prettier in person, trust me.

1840s Theme Wedding - The Dress

Our wedding theme was the 1840s since Ian and I first met at a Gold Rush living history event, so we thought it would be a great idea.  The first dress I drew inspiration was from the Tasha Tudor collection.  I copied the pleated bertha with 9 pleats on the front and back, as well as the shaped piped lozenges to cover the seams.  The second dress I took inspiration from the long sleeves and the skirt pleating that meets in the front.  I loved the idea of a pelerine but it wasn't suitable for a summer garden wedding.

Tasha Tudor dress

1840s Satin Wedding Dress with Swans Down Pelerine

My 1840s Wedding Dress

Close up of pleated bertha

The material is a hard backed 100% silk duchess ivory satin that I bought from a shop in the LA Garment District.  The bodice pattern went through so many changes that I don't even remember what I used as a starting point! For the skirt support I wore my corded petticoat, a tucked petticoat, and a plain petticoat (all with yoked waistbands).  

Mr. Rochester and his Mustard Seed

Up next...accessories!