Wedding clothes as art?

Question

In the book Owlsight, Mercedes Lackey includes a Bonding ceremony (marriage) in which both bride and groom wear elaborate embroyered robes over simpler dress and these robes, it says, are displayed on walls as art and worn on anniversaries.
What do you think of this as an alternative to only dressing nicely (my choice) or to a hugely expensive white dress that is never worn again ("my daughter will wear it" she says, having refused to wear her mother's or grandmothers' dress.)?
A robe, cape, or shawl which might show family history, crests, living locations, interests of the person (or couple) or art based on their aspirations?

Thank you for all your answers. It one I find most fascinating so far (not best) is the one that starts "Why would you make your daughter...", since I have no daughter and did not mention one. Also, the objections offerred about cost and taking time are void because white wedding dresses can cost thousands of dollars and weddings are planned months and months in advance. I was curious, which is why I asked. Both my wives (9 years & 22+ years) opted for buying nice dresses they could wear again and a JP wedding and a reception provided by friends.

Answer 1

It's certainly an option, and one that might well be fun. On the other hand, I don't think it's likely to become popular overnight.

But if it works for you and your intended, then why not? It's actually kind of a cool idea.

Me? I wouldn't have missed my gown. I have no illusions about passing it on to anyone. For one thing, I never had children. For another, I'm a very uniquely shaped individual, so it's pretty much a given it's not going to fit too many people. Still, it did show my interests (I made the lace that adorned it, it's based on an historical style that I love [Regency period...and I love the clothing of that period and Jane Austen novels all to pieces and back again], and my family history [worn with my mother's Dress MacDonald arisaide in honor of my Scottish heritage], so in a way I did what you're talking about. I just made the whole outfit an expression of my life, my interests, my aspirations, and my history. It is possible to do with a wedding gown...it's just not as likely to be a mass-produced one.

Oh, and it won second prize at the County Fair that summer. I still think it should have won first place.

Answer 2

Hi,
All things considered [having been married 2x]
there was no way I could afford a fancy dress and still pay for everything. I made my second wedding dress [nice one] but by the time came around for my daughter to get it - it was out of style and she didn't appreciate the fact that is was a "tradition". The adage of "something new,something old, something borrowed and something blue" may have carried more meaning to the individual bride or groom at the time of marriage than it would be to a child of either sex. A piece of jewelry, hankie or other trinket along with a picture of the bride & groom
after 50 years of marriage, has more meaning to some young people today than some expensive dress that is handed down. Many people still have bibles with family trees in them that are handed down to up coming generations.
You have to get "real"- a fairytale wedding & honeymoon on one hand or down payment on
a house or something both want. Now times do not leave much room for the pleasant things in life.

Answer 3

I don't like saving a robe to be used as art, being a minimalist. I prefer the idea of wearing nice clothes that can be worn again. At my daughter's wedding, all the men in the wedding party wore black suits rather than rented tuxes. Some wore new, some already had them. The bride's maids wore dresses that were the same color and fabric, but different styles. They came from a Macy's clearance rack. My daughter's dress was originally a white, beaded prom dress that we got for $12 from a J.C. Penney clearance rack. When the groom's mother heard this she insisted on buying my daughter another dress for $400. My daughter wasn't thrilled, but wore it to keep the peace. She has already donated it to a thrift store. The $12 dress was worn by my other daughter to her prom the next year. BTW, although the wedding was inexpensive, I got a lot of compliments on how elegant it was.

If you're balking at paying a huge amount for a wedding dress, you can always set a dollar limit and let your daughter pay the difference.

Answer 4

I'll take the traditional dress, thank you.

And it doesn't have to be hugely expensive. You can find beautiful dresses for less than it would cost for your elaborate embroidered robes. The robes sound a little strange anyways. I don't really need to display my aspirations on my wedding dress. Plus, my family doesn't have a crest...I think that was done away with some time ago. And I really don't need a map of Ohio on my back or my family tree.

Answer 5

I'm an artist and even thats a little out there for me.

I have no expectations that my daughter will wear my dress, nor will it be terribly expensive (less than 500). However, I LIKE the traditional wedding dress for the simple fact that it is traditional. Underneath I will have a bright purple crinole and some special stockings. I will probably joke around and enter my reception temporarily wearing bubba teeth. I am not a completely traditional bride but it is comforting to share in some customs passed down for generations by succesful couples before me.

Answer 6

unless i am an elf from Lord of the Rings, i am not wearing a cape with my family shield on it. to be honest, i do not even know what mine is. i think a lot people don't know. i would not fake caring about the crest to wear it in some pretend remembrance of the past.

"A village's wizard leaves on a quest, leaving Keisha, a young woman with the gift of healing but very little training, to take over for him. When he returns with a warning of imminent danger, Keisha finds herself at the center of the controversy."

yeah, that book is set in the time of witchcraft and dragons. unless someone wants to get married to a medieval theme, i think um NO! (the owl looks huge and scary on the cover).

either way i do not see a wedding dress or this cape thing ever being worn again so you might as well pick the dress, something people aren't going to laugh at you for.

Answer 7

I have always loved that wedding scene. I often recommend the readings here in the weddings section. I actually really love the idea of an outer garment that can later be displayed as art. Unfortunately there aren't too many artisans that can make that type of garment and wouldn't even know where to begin looking for it.

Answer 8

Why make your daughter do something that is totally out of the norm to satisfy you? This is an odd idea and I doubt many women would want this. It just doesnt sit well with me at all. Also, don't you think that this type of garment would be expensive also? It would have to be something done strictly for your daughter as I doubt you can find it anywhere else. Also, the detail you are describing takes time and thats equals money also.

Answer 9

I think it sounds nice, but for me nothing could ever take the place of a wedding gown, I loved mine even though I only wore it once and I have since decided to make a lovely pillow out of my train and cut out two pieces of fabric for my daughters to carry as hankies on their wedding days. So even though I will never wear it again, I will enjoy it and so will my daughters.

Answer 10

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