By the time the second daughter married, my mother could no loner sew her dress. We shopped at a bridal shop and bought one that cost more than we originally planned but was the perfect dress for her. Check carefully before you buy into a wedding shops “package.” Their shoes were more expensive than the shoe store. The dry cleaning offer was $30 off of a $150 price. They did provide a hoop petticoat (which we already had). Be very aware that alterations can cost almost as much as the dress depending on what needs to be done. If the hem needs to be shortened, the dress may have to be taken apart at the waist and this is very expensive. An alternative is higher heels or more layers of petticoat. Be sure the dress fits comfortably, especially through the bodice if the bride is unaccustomed to wearing formal wear. Have her practice walking, dancing, going up or down stairs in it.

There were four bride’s maids, two of whom were the bride’s sisters. We took them shopping to a bridal shop to get an idea what would look best and meet their tastes, sizes and shapes. Bride’s maid dresses in bridal shops ranged from seventy-five to several hundred dollars. Catalogue shopping provides a less expensive alternative. We chose dark green velvet and found dresses in a winter department store catalogue. In a pre-season sale, the dresses were thirty-two dollars each. I sewed a rhinestone trim along the neckline to add sparkle and they wore black heels instead of the one-use only dyed to match.