It's been two months since our daughter's beautiful wedding.Time enough for new life chapters to settle into placeand time to reflect on such a grand Life Moment.
I will admitsome parts of the wedding were really hard for me.
And I have never in my life
been more grateful for a well chosen outfit!
On the wedding day my husband, oldest son and Iwhirled around the venue
from the very moment we were able to get insetting up all of the installations we had designed.I am really great at that busy workwhen I'm nervous!
And we couldn't have been happier
how all the wedding planning came together!
It was when it was time to go back to the hotel to changeI felt like I was going to loose itas infaint or simply not be able to show up.
I had hard, painful nerves building for at least a week before the weddingwondering if this whole idea of 'giving away' my beloved daughterto what felt like to another familywith a whole different namewas something I could really do.
Looking back nowmost of my dread was fear based.How would Ellis's marriage change our relationship.What would that change feel like.
But I can say now nothing much has changed really(other that that whole name thing).
We are still as closeandnow she really is a full grown adultandI couldn't be more proud of her!
And the flip side of 'giving away our daughter'
is now we have gained a most wonderful son!
I couldn't be more proud of Elliot
and
the man of integrity he truly is through and through.
I am so proud of myself for not loosing it
at all during the wedding.
Because
boy there were some moments I sure could have.
But I was able to pull myself togetherand be the loving family matriarch that I had always wanted to be.
And I owe so much to the outfit I had chosen.
Slater had even told me
after the set up
when fear was setting in …"to go change … I'd feel better".Wise young man … who knows me well.
I did changeand I could feelpersonal power flow back into my heart.
It felt almost magical.
Like putting on 'these' clothes and crown
enabled me to
reach deeper into my soul
and
pull out
all the love, strength and confidence
that true loving intention can summon.
Because I wanted to show up as the very best versionof myself … not just for myselfbut for my entire familyfriendsand every single person who took the time out of their lifeto celebratethe coming together as a new familyof Ellis and Elliot.
And to be quite honestnothing helped me pull it together like Crowning Myself.
Sometimes we must dig deep insideto pull out our very best selfespecially in the midst of fear and nerves.
I will always rememberwhen my makeup was finishedandeveryone had left the room
I took a step backand looked into the full length mirror at my own reflectionand after moments earlier in the day spent in what felt like paralyzing fearor the cliffs of hysterics
I took a deep breathand realized I got this!
All my pieces that I had chosen came togetherin a way that felt halfway like magical armorand the other half like Cinderella at the ball.
I had agonized over what I would actually wear as Mother of the Bridefor almost a year.
When the moment actually cameit was all worth it!My pieces empowered meto bethe version of myself I wanted to be.
My Mother of the Bride Ensemble
that daystarted with great foundation choices!
Underpinningsthat truly offered supportboth literally and figuratively!
My waist cincher was a perfect physical reminderto stand up tall and strong!
The ball skirt slipadded just the amount of fullness and flow when walkingmaking each step feel important.
Pockets in a ball skirt were a must for me.
There is something about having pockets
when I'm nervous that feels calming.
Pockets also were the perfect place to keep my phone
which I used all the time to capture
personal moments
I wanted to have forever.
When I was researching Mother Of The BrideI couldn't find the advice I was looking for.
Like how if your having a tough timewith this whole life transition
of marrying off your daughterdo you not only get through the day wellbut summon upall the love in your heartyou want to bring to the occasion.
For memy clothes and accessorieshelped immensely.
I chose them with not only the occasion in mindbut with respect for self as well.
So much of being Mother Of The Brideis all aboutbeing there for your girl.
And
I have found the very best way to be there for others is to make sure you first take great care of yourself.
The pieces that I worewere a great step in the process.
I was also so very lucky to have my son by my side the entire dayas well as friends who had come to support mesupporting my girl.
It really does take a village!One with beautiful ripple effects!
The whole wedding ended up going so fastjust like I had heard it would.
I was so grateful to have been given great advice before handby otherMother Of The Brides …
To make sure to take timeto just take in the moments …
and boy did I.
And it was our fantastic photographer ElysefromPlum and Oakwho captured moments that will live in my heart forever!
Elyse also submitted Ellis and Elliot's wedding tothe ever popular wedding blogGreen Wedding Shoes
and I couldn't be more excited to announcethey will be publishing our weddingon their site in the middle of August!!
I remember when Ellis and I were just beginningthe wedding planning
being published in
Green Wedding Shoes was a distant dream of ours!And now it's here!
It was such a joy to meto help Ellis' wedding style vision come to life!I couldn't be more proud for it to be shared on such a fantastic platform!
Now that the wedding is firmly behind usmy husband and Ihave settled most lovely into our empty nestand new lifestyle.
If you are a regular reader of my blogyou know that transition to empty nesthas been one I have struggled withgrieving as each of my children have moved onto lives of their own.
(If you want to read more of the journey
to the wedding day
all of the links are under Ellis' Wedding
on side bar of my blog).
But now
I finally feel I have crossed to this new side and chapterand can see the beauty and promisenot only for todaybut for new and beautiful chapters on the horizon.
I will always be grateful for my Mother of the Bride clothesandhow they enabled me to love on all the people in my lifeat the wedding
in such a grand life moments.
Trust metaking the time and opportunity to 'Crown Yourself'can have beautiful rippling effectsand sometimes when you need it most!
I bought my dress from Beholdenwhich is Anthropologie's Wedding Brand.
A site we visited and ordered from often
planning the wedding.
I paired it with my vintage lace Yves Saint Laurant blouseI sewed from a pattern over thirty years ago.For some reason having a piece that was truly minethat I had such a personal history with was calming
and
had me feeling
like me
in a role that was a new!
I added a belt from Anthropologieand finished off my ensemble with avelvet flower crownof my own design.
Not only did my outfit make me feel confident and happyit complimented my daughter's beautiful Vera Wang dressand the venue itself.
And it even was a blast on the dance floor!
Now that I am on the been there done that side of being
Mother Of The Bride
My biggest advice on what to wear is tofind something that makes you feel goodspeaks to your souland enables you to tap into your very best selfso that you may pour love onto all of those around youon that big daythat celebrates Love.
And
Crown Yourself
It doesn't even have to be a literal crown
but have something that reminds you of
all you have done
enabling your beloved daughter
to join her life with her beloved
in a Grand Life Moment.
As mothers
we all know just how much love we
pour into our children.
If anything in life
ever deserved
A Crown
this is it!
As always my friends
I wish you love and joyas you style your life
linking with
Not Dressed As Lamb