Wedding dress show makes for royally good time

The bridal gowns displayed at Fourth Street United Methodist Church didn’t cost nearly half a million dollars.

They didn’t glide down
herve leger dress the aisle at Westminster Abbey. They didn’t turn anybody into a princess — at least not for longer than a day.

But they still held plenty of meaning for the ladies of the church, especially when modeled by the daughters or friends of the original owners in a royal wedding-themed fashion show this week. The event crowned this year’s annual mother-daughter banquet, said organizer Giuliana Eggert, a member of the church’s Hannah Circle women’s group.

“I first got the idea when my daughter’s friend Stephanie was married in January. Then, when (the British royal family) announced that Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding would be held April 29, I thought it would be a perfect theme for the banquet because we always hold it the Tuesday before Mother’s Day,” Eggert said.

After a dinner cooked and served by the husbands and fathers of Hannah Circle members, participants admired a selection of mostly antique bridal and bridesmaid gowns in the church lobby. All originally worn by members of the 110-year-old church, they ranged from a very slender 1930s gown to a bouffant creation less than 10 years old.

“It’s fun to see my dress out here,” said Maureen Cahill as she took a photo of the gown she wore in 1972 to marry her husband at the church. “When they asked people to loan their gowns for this, I got mine out and tried it on — but of course it didn’t fit.”

Holly Halverson drew admiringHerve Leger one shoulder ColorBlock grey and black and envious comments from friends because she was one of only three models in the fashion show to wear her own gown.

“Can you believe Holly’s been married for eight years and has three children?” Karen Middleton exclaimed.

Halverson said she enjoyed her walk down the aisle in the lace-covered gown and hat.

“I was on a beach (in an outdoor ceremony) the last time I wore it, so this was definitely different,” she said.

Amanda Gilbert modeled the gown owned by her mother, Laurel; Lindsay Kunold modeled a red-trimmed white gown owned by her sister, Michelle; and Driana Cotto modeled both Eggert’s gown and the gown her own mother, Tanya, wore at her wedding.

Several church members sang songs performed at their own weddings or at the royal wedding as the models walked the aisles. Cindy Pittsford, wearing her wedding gown, serenaded her mother, who was wearing
hermes birkin handbag her mother-of-the-bride gown along with a hat she made to honor the British custom of wearing hats at weddings.

Middleton said the fashion show inspired her to plan a vow renewal ceremony for her 20th anniversary in 2014.

“I got married in a T-shirt and cut-off sweatpants on my husband’s lunch break from work. We were going to have a courthouse ceremony, but when we stopped in to get the license and the clerk said we could get married right then for an extra $20, we did,” she said. “Now I want a gown and flowers and music and a church ceremony.”