Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Gown

People have asked for a better picture of my wedding gown, which I described in my post on wedding preparations. So here it is. Share

21 comments:

May said...

Lovely!!!

Enbrethiliel said...

+JMJ+

You look so beautiful, Elena!

Did you carry the rosary down the nave with your bouquet?

elena maria vidal said...

Thank, Matterhorn!

Yes, E., as well as my great grandmother's missal and an Irish linen handkerchief to "catch the tears." And I had a sixpence in my shoe......

Theresa said...

Very beautiful!

Dymphna said...

Oh that's lovely, absolutely lovely. You look like a classic 1930s bride.

elena maria vidal said...

Thank you, Theresa and Dymphna!!!

Agnes B. Bullock said...

Perfection!

Alice Seidel said...

Very pretty! And I love the altar as it should look. I placed a bouquet at the side altar of Our Lady on my wedding day, and she has been with me these many years!

Gareth Russell said...

Absolutely beautiful.

elena maria vidal said...

Thank you, Agnes! Thank you, Alice! After the wedding my husband and I drove up to the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in Emmittsburg, MD and I left my bouquet at the altar in the old chapel there.

elena maria vidal said...

Thank you, Gareth!

Brantigny said...

Majestic, perhaps the daughter of some European Royal Line?

I love the Altar, you are in the presence of Christ. How appropriate.
Richard

EC Gefroh said...

Very, very lovely!

Badger Catholic said...

Beautiful! My wife looked far and wide but could not find one wedding dress/gown with sleeves or shoulders covered. :\

elena maria vidal said...

Richard, thank you. I also asked the nuns to put some of their relics on the altar. Above my head, right in front of the crucifix is a relic of the True Cross.

Thank you, Esther!

Bagder, that is why I was blessed to find a lady who could do patternless sewing. She made the gown based on the picture of a late Victorian bride.

Dymphna said...

Is the monastery still open? I would love to visit that chapel.

elena maria vidal said...

It is a sad story, Dymphna. When there were only three nuns left the Archdiocese of Baltimore closed down the monastery and claimed the property. The adjoining Academy for Girls, where I used to teach, was also taken over by the Archdiocese. How legal this was is debatable, since the property was owned by the Visitation Order. While the takeover was going on, the magnificent chapel was stripped of many of its valuables by Archdiocesan officials, just about anything that was not nailed to the floor, as was witnessed by students, faculty and friends of the nuns. I suppose since the school is still open, the chapel may still be accessible, although I have no idea what condition it is in. It is heartbreaking for all those who were used to worshiping there.

Beautiful Feet said...

Oh! Elena, this takes my breath away! You look beyond beautiful: you look like the Queen of Heaven who has just turned in Loving invitation as if to say: "You, too, can be a bride. I will lead you to the Bridegroom, my son, my Jesus, our king and our god, and yours!" What a beatific vision for all of us! Thank you so much for sharing this.

elena maria vidal said...

How kind of you, Beautiful Feet! I am humbled beyond words!

Unknown said...

What a breathtaking beauty! I tear up looking at that beautiful altar; I remember it so well; and thinking what has become of it, well...

May God bless those nuns, wherever they are today.

elena maria vidal said...

Georgette, I don't think I could ever stand to go there again to see what has happened to the chapel.