Today's Lesson: Bridal Tulle

Welcome to the second in a series of History Channel inspired posts about bridal fabrics!  

There are many different types of tulle, for many different purposes. To give you an idea, one Italian company develops more than 100 types of tulle. And that's just ONE of the many fabric manufacturers out there! Many companies have designed their own, so for the simplest of fabrics, there are TONS of options! Naturally, we are not going to dig into all the different types and designs. We shall {surprise, surprise!} focus on bridal. And more specifically the most popular bridal fabrics.

Today, we are going to briefly examine the most traditional design of which you are likely the most familiar.  It is simply called Tulle or Bridal Tulle.  This is the cascading, delicate fabric that whispers to me from across rooms making everything else fade away. Even on a mannequin, I will not rest until I've had a closer look!  But for the record, I will say "excuse me" as I make my way across the room and will only push if you don't make an effort to let me through ;) ...

Above is a picture from our collection of a tulle veil and beneath it an image I grabbed from Wikipedia detailing the structure of the fabric's fibers.  Bridal tulle can be very delicate as there's not much actual fabric.  However, the fabric can also withstand far more than you might expect thanks to the intertwining of the fibers.  

Embellish has certainly ruined our fair share of wedding veils due to the delicateness of the fabric {especially in the early days!} but we have also learned to respect the fabric and understand its strength. As you'd expect, ruined veils do not make the light of day!  Even if you're finished with a veil, you're starting over.  There is no "fixin" this type of fabric.

Tulle is usually made of silk or synthetic fibers.  Embellish uses synthetic fibers {unless otherwise requested} as it is more economical for the bride and still gorgeous!

To end on a fun note... I recently read an interview in Garden & Gun magazine of Robert Harling, the author of Steel Magnolias.  In the interview, he shares his observations of women: "My extraordinary life experiences with my sister and mother showed me that the women I’ve known are indeed gorgeous, but their lives can be fragile. But if you look underneath, you realize they possess a tensile strength stronger than anything I could ever muster."

So what did we learn today?  That Tulle and women are gorgeous, fragile, and strong! 

Where??? Tulle, France, of course!

Welcome to the first in a series of History Channel inspired posts! 

The one thing every veil has in common, regardless of the size, shape, embellishments, attachments, etc, is the tulle.  And actually, some veils aren't even made of tulle.  Last year, I attached a comb to a spectacular piece of Belgium lace for one of my brides.  It was stunning!  But typically, a wedding veil includes tulle, somehow, somewhere, on the piece.

The first thing I learned about tulle is that it came from and is named after Tulle, France.  I like to think that Tulle, France is a sleepy little town in rural France where grandmothers sit around in rockers making tulle.  But exactly how sleepy is up for debate.  I mean, they did create the most important fabric of my life.  Tulle, France has a population of about 19,000, so it is no booming metropolis, but you won't miss it if you blink while driving through either.

I'm pulling my facts from Wikipedia, which is probably the cardinal sin in research, but this is free, so why would you complain?  ;)

This "sleepy little town" almost sounds like a fairy tale.  Quoted from Wikipedia: "The Romans established a temple to honor Tutela, goddess of protection of property and persons. The name of the city comes from this goddess. She was honoured here because it was a ford over the Corrèze where passed a very old road between Brittany and the Mediterranean sea. In the seventh century was built a monastery dedicated to St. Michael. The local population settled around the buildings. The first monastery, destroyed by the Viking invasions in 846, was rebuilt but disappeared in the eleventh century."

Now I love Jesus and won't be changing this anytime soon, but... Tutela, the "goddess of protection of property and persons" almost fits - is marriage not a vow to protect?  To protect the other's heart, passions, life, love, dreams, goals, and loved ones. As many a couples have repeated during many a ceremonies "I, (Bride/Groom), take you (Groom/Bride), to be my (wife/husband), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part." Sounds a lot like protection to me.

Tulle, France.  Photo from igougo.com

Next blog topic: more on tulle, the fabric.

Disclaimer: this blog (or its contents) is in no way affiliated with the History Channel or any of its partners, programs, etc.

VOW-wee!

We cannot wait to check out VOW, Atlanta Mart's New World of Bridal!  In their most delicious of words: "Announcing… The industry's new destination and premier platform for the most sought after brands in bridal and social occasion."  

First we shall scope it out and then if we see what we like, we will find out what we must do in order to participate...

Getting goose bumps yet?!?!  We are!  :)

VOW at America's Mart

Captivating & Wild at Heart

I can't say it enough - I just loooooooooooove sneak peaks.  We are working with a bride now, a very dear lady, who has sent us pics of her dress and other details of the wedding that we may be able to help out with.  The best was that she sent us pics of the dress from the designer and then a few pics of herself IN the dress.  She was absolutely magnificent!!!  I am convinced more and more each day that unconditional love brings out the best in us.  Women were made to be cherished and a woman will never look more beautiful than when she feels the most cherished.  As a very insightful book pointed out (and I'm paraphrasing): Isn't that why brides look more magnificent than ever on their wedding day, when they were chosen above all others to be cherished and celebrated?!

Now, for this next part, please keep in mind that I am not a book critic...

I recently read the book Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul by John and Stasi Eldredge.  And now I'm reading Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul by John Eldredge.  If you want to understand yourself or your significant other, I recommend these two books.  I've been told since I was a child that I was made in the image of God.  Something that I thought I understood, but these books dive deep into the heart of God, man, and woman.  How we were made intricately, with different aspects of God's character.  And most stunningly, how society has lost sight of that.  We try to turn men and women into who they are "supposed to be" instead of who God made them to be.  There is a very distinct difference and it is easy to get them confused.

A friend recently told me that reading Captivating validated her, her thoughts, her feelings, her actions.  Personally, I felt like I was reading about myself.  The cover might as well have said: "Here's why Carolyn Gregory does what she does, especially when she's completely unreasonable!"  Some chapters pierced clean through my heart, and sometimes the knife twisted.  It was not an easy read; but it was incredible.  And I understand more about myself now than I ever thought I would.

Ladies, you have been made by an incredible God who cherishes you... and He wouldn't have it any other way.

Happy 2nd Anniversary, Embellish!!

I did a little research and apparently the traditional 2nd year anniversary gift is cotton. This seemed strange to me as cotton doesn't seem romantic. I mean, I put on cotton everyday without thinking anything of it. Nobody pulls out a cotton t-shirt, embraces, squeezes, whispers sweet nothings, or daydreams about it. Of course, not every moment of a relationship is romantic either. Some moments are about pure endurance.

 Ever thought of why clothes are out of cotton? I hadn't until now ...

"As a material, cotton is both durable and versatile. These are both important qualities in a successful marriage. Cotton has also been known as a symbol of great prosperity."

Okay, okay, cotton it is... Happy 2nd Anniversary, Embellish!  May you have the continued durability and versatility of cotton. Oh, and prosperity too! 

Bride + Groom Photos ... ?

This past weekend, while out shopping, I stumbled across a bride & groom photo shoot out on some train tracks.  I wish I had snapped a quick pic of the love train, but alas, I didn't.  I was just off the historic square in Franklin, Tennessee, on a rustier road. I LOOOOOOOOVE the combination of old/rusty adjacent to stunning beauty.  So I have no doubt that those photos will be absolutely breathtaking!!  

Bridal portraits (separate from the Big Day) seem to be less prevalent than they once were.  Will the bride + groom portraits take their place?  Hmmmmm ... a trend I'll be keeping my eyes on.

And now I'd like to take a little poll: where did you or will you have bride & groom photos taken??  A bowling alley, perhaps?

Photography by: Miller + Miller

Museum of Life

There are museums for all kinds of things: science, art, history, heritage, etc.  I must admit that I have come across some rather random {and sketch} museums recently.  Which got me thinking: what about a wedding museum.  Is there a wedding museum out there?  Why or why not?  

I'd argue that there are billions of wedding museums...
Every time I walk into a married person's home, I enter the museum of {insert last name here}.  Pictures on the wall commemorating that special day.  A book, perhaps, perches the coffee table, begging to be perused.  The wedding topper, chest bowed, on the mantle.  Leftover koozies in the pantry shout reminders of that special Day of Love.  The plate, donning the new initial and signed by all the guests, hangs in a prominent spot in the house.  The sweet, country, wooden sign once directing guests now peeks out from the flower bed.   And each serves as a dedication to the Wedding Day.

But why stop there?  Our homes museum our entire lives: the childrens books our mothers saved for us, grandpa's antique bike, home videos, grandma's paintings, photographs of all sorts of loved ones, gifts given from the heart, the books we read, the movies we watch, the brands we love, the fabric we chose, the toys yet to put away, the blankie abandoned on the floor {still dirty}, the crayon drawings on the freshly painted wall, the knick-knacks we collect, the saved words people have written ... Each a dedication to the Life one has lived.  

As I type this, something tells me I may never enter another {insert last name here} Museum the same again.  As my high school Spanish teacher once said, "You never enter a museum without looking up, down, and all around - you don't want to miss anything!"  So next time I come to your Museum, I will be sure to look up, down, and all around, soaking up the wonder that you have shared and displayed, beckoning visitors into your Museum of Life.

Disclaimer: a house should never be as clean as a museum ... the more lived in the better!