the one that got away

Se soigner au naturel avec les herbes médicinales

Major thankies for the blog article.Really thank you! Much obliged.

Awesome post.Really looking forward to read more. Will read on…

I love your writing

Thank you Nicole! I’m adding them both to the list – I suppose I need to try on some longer dresses to officially rule them out.
That dress is a real beauty, but I think it does need to be white… not for any virtuous reasons, but just so I match the flowers! Haha! xxx

That’s the highest praise ever! Thanks Sarah 😀

I LOVE that you were braver than I was, and followed the dress dream. I think it’s brilliant, and a tiny bit hilarious, and one day when you do get married, you totally need to announce to everyone that you did it after the ceremony. It’ll be too late for him to run away then! 😉 xxx

Oh Sara, your blog is my new favourite blog! (Given the amount I read, that is high praise indeed!) I really do love it.

I did exactly this, but I bought the vintage dress. To this day it’s hidden at the back of my wardrobe covered in plastic. I’ve not tried it on, my bf has no idea it exists and I may not even wear it should we every marry. But, I do quite like the fact I was an utter nutcase for a day and did something so ridiculous it had to be my little secret. No one knows, except you… and the internet.

Alice Temperley is a good one to look out for (John Lewis stock the Somerset range which can have a similar vibe). Theres a good dress shop in the next village over (so not far from you) called Blush Bridal Boutique but I suspect its all longer dresses.

Also, if you aren’t stuck on white/ivory – http://www.farfetch.com/uk/alice-by-temperley-surya-dress-item-10184643.aspx – theres one on ebay but the images here are better.

Many years ago I tried on a dream of a wedding dress …layers of broderie anglais and lace (Laura Ashley in the actual seventies!). I loved it but let it get away. Somehow I wasn’t ready for it, even though I was engaged and officially dress hunting. In the end my wedding dress was made for me by my lovely aunt. Somehow I needed my dress to grow and evolve over time, not just land in my life straight out of the shop. After the wedding I dyed it green, wore it once for some posh do, then it somehow vanished. I never thought till now, Sara, that it was the second dress that got away. But of course the man didn’t, and ended up being R’s dad…

Great tip Cathryn – thank you! Will go take a looksy 🙂

ohhh emerald green silk! That’s already the nicest dress ever and I haven’t even seen it. So sad for you and your one that got away, and hoping it returns to you via ebay someday.
I’m glad it’s not just me, at least. Thanks Charlotte x

Thanks Emma! I think similar and customised might be the way to go. It seems like a total copy would just leave me wanting the original even more, y’know?
Is Jo Milburn the one off Gypsy Weddings? *insert cheeky monkey emoji here*

Can’t believe I haven’t heard of Minna before – thank you Anna! Off to do some serious lusting 😀

Oh but this sounds awesome! You should look back and think how freaking cool and laid back you are! Although a photo redo sounds like a great excuse for cake and dresses. Maybe a vow renewal? 😉 x

yipee! Love a good secret wedding pinterest! 😀

thank you! Will check Minna out! & I am sure you’re right, it would have been totally wrong. It’s just that I never got to find out… *sobs*

Haha thanks. And the saddest, right? I’m hoping to adapt it for the stage.

Ahh! That’s the kind of comment that has me beaming 🙂 SO nice to know people get it. Thank you for getting it 🙂 xxx

I loved this so much, I read it aloud to my husband! Hehe I’m an English major, so my brain was loving every last word and bit of trickery from the start. Your title alluding to “R,” but really being the dress. “This is the problem with the one that got away; they are made entirely perfect by all that’s left unexplored.” Brilliant. You are a dream. And, so is this dress––I am sorry to say. I shall keep my strongest eye out for you.

That’s the best story I’ve heard in a long time.

Oh yeah and I recommend minna too☺

It’s a sign… It just wasn’t the one for you.

Besides my experience from working in a bridal dress shop the dress you think you want ends up very rarely ever being ‘the one!’
“It’s too slim here, too full here the necklines all wrong and actually this colour washes me out.”

Just added you to my super secret weddings board on pinterest 😉

I feel your pain. Although I never had a dream dress in mind. But I got married in a frilly shirt and slacks. I look back and wish I would’ve bought a frilly, Lacey dress. At least the pictures would’ve looked better. (Lol) At this point I’d settle for a fairy tutu and maybe a quick redo on the photos just to have pretty mementos to stare at.

I got my wedding dress from Minna and the whole experience was a joy (lovely people, gorgeous studio, ethically sourced materials, beautiful dress). They have a line of ready to wear dresses, at a range of prices, and also custom make dresses so might be able to re-make the one that got away? http://www.minna.co.uk/

Don’t fear! There are so many dress makers that either make one from scratch for you to match something like the picture. Alternatively you can find something with a similar shape as a base and get it customised. Try FCNK or Brummy seamstress Jo Milburn. It’s very beautiful x

UGH! Oh Sara, I feel your pain! I’m still thinking about an emerald green silk dress that I totally couldn’t afford at the time (it was £300 – on sale). To this day I am absolutely kicking myself that I didn’t just buy it on my credit card. It is on my eBay watch list but it has only come up once, and I missed out.

I totally love the dress in the photo that you’ve used. You’ll find another one that you love just as much I’m sure. But it will forever be the one that got away.
xxx C

What? What?? The more I think about this the more hilarious and ridiculous it becomes. Who does that?!
& I’m assuming you bought your dress from a shop of dresses that were fancy, not a shop selling clown costumes and fairy tutus… teehee! x

Oh no, you must learn! I don’t advocate playing games, but letting yor secret wedding plans show too soon is a terrible idea… x

Ah, sad times! Do you have an alert set up for the cape on eBay? I’ve managed to get a few lost gems that way!
I’ve thought about a reproduction, but I don’t think it would be the same. I’d still be thinking about the original, you know? Think I just need to find an entirely new and better dress 🙂

Dig for Victory (Brighton-based dressmaker) do beautiful vintage style dresses cut from 1950s patterns. And definitely not at break-the-bank prices either xx

At least you managed to play it cool with R. I need lessons in that!

You’ll find something better and perfect xx

Find a better one! Make an appointment at a fancy frock shop and try on ALL THE DRESSES!

(Remember to wear (UK) pants. I was once at a fancy dress shop where they commented that some tryer-onners arrive without underwear. How is this okay??)

This happened to me with a cape. It wasn’t vintage (from Zara) but I fell for it hard. At a time when I could in no way justify the expense.
I still look for it now on eBay.
Maybe you could get someone to make a copy if the dress for you?