Shirley on June 27, 1970

I’ve always loved my wedding dress – cream lace designed in 1970 by Rudolphe in Yorkville. When I finally went to pick up the finished creation, the veil was missing. The girls in the shop said, “Veil? What veil? You didn’t order a veil.”

I was so upset. Rudolphe came out of his office and said a bride shouldn’t be crying so soon before her wedding. He proceeded to design the most beautiful veil for me on the spot – using cut-outs of the same lace material sewn with seed pearls for my hair.

My wedding dress – symbol of love, hope, promise, tradition and family – evokes cherished memories of such an exciting time in my life. It was a dream of a day, surrounded by all of our loving family and friends, so supportive and full of good wishes holding the promise of a bright, family future.

The love has come full circle now. A piece of my dress was sewn to a piece of my mother-in-law’s dress (something old), embroidered in “something blue” with family names we’ve shared, was fastened inside my daughter Deena’s dress on her wedding day, carrying forward all the love our hearts could hold.