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As shared by Amanda Willis Page:
My husband John and I met at work. We are both government contract attorneys and work for the Air Force. John is an active duty member and I am a civilian. We had been working in the same office for a year and a half, but we'd been dating other people and never really considered each other romantically. Then he was sent to Afghanistan and we started emailing one another every day to keep in touch, getting to know each other in the process. I sent him care packages with toys, books, and homemade treats. His officemates overseas called me 'Banana Bread Girl', since I sent so much of it. After he returned, seven months later, we realized we wanted to be together and began 'officially' dating.
On New Year's Eve, we were dancing to Auld Lang Syne amid a sea of celebratory balloons that flooded the floor. That is where John proposed. It was three months to the day since our first date.
Our Wedding Plans:
We wanted our wedding to be very classic. I found a montage of red and white wedding pictures that inspired me and we decided that with John's military involvement, our love of classic Americana, and the fact that our wedding was over Memorial Day Weekend, a patriotic color palette was a natural choice.
So navy was the base, with red and white accents. John's military dress uniform would be his wedding attire and the attendance wore navy as well. My sister and I were going to wear red shoes and red accessories with red roses as our principal flower choice. I planned to walk down the aisle to 'Moon River' and the wedding would take place in the morning, with an afternoon reception and brunch cuisine. So now, I just needed a dress.
The Dress:
I tend to incorporate a lot of vintage and reproduction items into my every day wardrobe and I pin curl my hair regularly, so a dress that was authentic to the past was important to me. I knew about Whirling Turban since 2008, when it was just a store on Ebay. I had no idea, however, that they made wedding dresses until I saw one featured on a Lisa Freemont Street video. I knew that was what I wanted and I knew they took great care to get you the best fit for your dress. But I will admit I was worried,not about ordering my dress online, but about my timeline, which was shorter than most brides'. The staff, however, was more than happy to work with my schedule and help me stay on track. They have a special 'messaging system' they use to communicate, where all of my information is kept up to date and private. My personal customer page. Their responses were prompt and samples were sent of my fabric options in a timely manner. In the end, I decided on the wing bust dress with a full 1950's style skirt.
They provided a very thorough guide on how to take all of my measurements, with instructions and photos. After my measurements were provided, I also provided photos in the undergarments they recommended for the dress and this became my personal dossier for their files and any future dresses I may care to order. After measurements, they sent me a sample loaner bodice for fitting purposes. I also provided photos of myself in the test bodice and Katherine, the designer, was informed of any concerns I had about the fit.
When my dress finally arrived, it fit like a glove. It actually exceeded my expectations and was exactly what I wanted! I couldn't have envisioned anything more perfect for my wedding and I got numerous compliments on my dress. Everyone thought it was so unique and interesting!!
I would recommend Whirling Turban to any bride and am eagerly awaiting the next special occasion that will provide an excuse for me to order another dress!
Thanks again Amanda for all your great input and for including Whirling Turban in your special day! You do us proud!!
xoxo
Ashley
