Sometimes having a pair of really quite sizeable breasts is not as much fun as you would think. Sure they turn heads. Sure gay men and straight women want to touch them. My view towards my own has softened considerably after successfully breast-feeding three babies. It demonstrated to me they had a purpose beyond recreation & it cured any inhibitions about getting them out. I was far too nosy to miss out on gossip by removing myself somewhere private. I don’t believe the breast-feeding ‘tent’ had been invented. (What the correct name is for the fabric throw that saves modesty and hides the baby?)
One of the most annoying aspects of over-development is the lack of seriously well-fitting clothes. Spare us from the hell that is Pepperberry – Bravissimo’s well intended line of clothing for the busty.
If you met Jayne or I it is fair to assume you would notice our assets. On meeting Jayne for her first ever appointment at Miss Bush I knew how to dress her, I just couldn’t. Sample wedding dresses are simply not made to fit anyone with cup bigger than about an E. Once in the realm of F-H great faith and a great designer have to take over. The apocryphal tale touted about bridalwear shopping is about having ‘the moment’; knowing when you have found ‘the One’. This is becoming almost as insidious a torture as any other phenomena that makes women feel bad about themselves. Punishment pants are my other big bugbear. I fear Spanx are just anti-women or a device to allow bad pattern cutters get away with poor dresses.
Jayne, probably the only bride with the dubious honour of crossing the line from client to friend, therefore had to practise what psychologists call ‘delayed gratification.’ A mature mindset that can can resist the smaller immediate reward for the greater prize. Jayne & her gorgeous Mum, Marion, had to wait for the ‘mirror moment.’ Their faith in Suzanne Neville & I was rewarded by one of the most astounding pieces of couture dressmaking I have seen in 26 years. The magical moment was not on the point of order, it started to emerge at the first toile fitting & the wow happened, as I knew it would, when the dress went on.
There has been much debate about body fascism in bridal shops, too often fragile self-esteem & insensitive staff meet & misunderstand each other. I would like to advocate a philosophy of ‘Practical Gorgeousness.’ In no way would I demean a bride by dictating size or shape but to craft a perfect dress that meets your justifiably high expectations we’ll need to be frank.
Jayne’s wedding also rocks the Radiant Orchid a full year before it is being hailed as the Pantone colour of the year. I have been wanting to blog the photos forever but have been waiting for the lovely Annabel & Franky at Love My Dress to blog them nationally first. See the post HERE.
Also you can read about the wedding via Emma Woodhouse’s extremely touching account on The Wedding Reporter’s blog HERE . I recently got this sent to me as a proper book and it makes you well up. Brides, seriously consider it for your own wedding!
Jayne is an artist, her ceramics business Rainbow Celebrations, originally based in Dublin is now in the UK and judging by the swift selling of her Christmas ceramics at Miss Bush this year is destined to grow into something rather special. Jayne & I have plans afoot – watch this space.
As if relocating your home & business and getting married wasn’t quite enough for one year Jayne & Brian have added Lily to their family. A proper honeymoon baby who had us counting her gestation in days because of complications.
The relationship between a bride, her dress & her stylist is always intimate. It is to the eternal credit of the lovely Redmond family that their warmth and hospitality that this relationship has spilled over from the professional to the private arena. I fell honoured to have met Lily while she was still in Special Care. I love having Brian’s phone number to nuisance call him with IT issues. And I am very, very sorry to have got Jayne as drunk as a skunk on her first night out after giving birth… 😉
Credits
The Dress: Suzanne Neville Couture from Miss Bush Bridal Wear
Photography: Paul Kelly
Venue: Ballintubber Abbey and Ashford Castle
Headpiece: Natasha Jane Headwear
Brides’ shoes: Christian Louboutin
Bridesmaids: Two Birds from Miss Bush Bridal Wear
Flowergirls: Nicki Macfarlane
Flowers: Yes Flowers
Cake: Fortnum and Mason
Wedding Favours: Rainbow Celebrations
Wedding Report – The Wedding Reporter
Emma xxx
Emma Meek, MD of Miss Bush Bridalwear
Miss Bush Bridalwear is Surrey’s leading designer bridal shop
