Thursday started out as an okay day. I was running late, but that is not unusual. I was late picking up my babysitter from school, I was late getting to the band booster dinner. It was a lot of fun, though, and it wasn't a lot to stress about.
When I got home, my sitter (who is one of my color guard girls) was talking about prom, so I wanted to show her a dress I have in case she liked it. I noticed there were some drops of water on the sleeve. Hmmm, that's odd, I thought. Then I noticed the other sleeve was very wet. I started to get a little worried. I went into the back of the closet where the dress hung, and pulled out my wedding dress. Half of it was soaked with water, and there was black mold all over a lot of the applique and spots of mold up and down the rest of the dress. In the corner of the closet, coming in from outside, water and mold is running up and down the wall. The other dress seems okay, and an old tux jacket that doesn't fit Ches anymore was a little wet and has a little mold on it.
My beautiful wedding dress is ruined.
I started to cry right away. It's not like I'm ever going to wear that thing again, and I know that. Heck, I'll never even fit in it again (I don't know how in the world I was a size 4/6 in the first place!!). However, I never owned anything so beautiful before or since. I've never worn anything so beautiful. I never FELT so beautiful as I did on my wedding day in that dress. When Ches saw me for the first time, on our wedding day, in that dress, he smiled and said, "Wow!" He has never said that before or since. I will never forget the tone of his voice or the look in his eyes. We were in that pure, young love stage that you can only be in on your wedding day. It was still so fresh and wonderful. My dress is such a symbol to me, and now it is ruined. I don't know if it can be restored. I have to make some phone calls, but what is the chance?
The worst is that a few years ago, while we were gone to Canada for Christmas, the pipes in our little apartment in Idaho froze then burst, flooding the kitchen and living room. Our wedding album was destroyed. The pictures are salvageable, but not great. That is now two things from my wedding, destroyed. It kind of scares me.
I know that I shouldn't feel too bad. There a lot of people who have it worse than me. After all, neither Alyson or my mom even have wedding pictures! However, I love my dress. I had to fight for my dress! My father and stepmother wanted me to borrow a wedding dress!! My dress only cost $500, and my mom was so happy because she wanted me to have whatever dress I wanted, but we didn't exactly have a lot of money. My total wedding only cost $1300, so the dress was definitely on the expensive side for everything else I had. That was the one area where I didn't have to give something up because of cost or because relatives said, "Oh, you don't really need such-and-such!" My wedding dress was the first dress I tried on, and I knew it was perfect right away.
Now I just have a couple of unprofessional photos that don't do the dress justice to look at. Ches was right 7 years ago when he said I should get bridal pictures done. And now it will never happen. Yes, I am very sad.
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8 comments:
aw, sariah, that makes my heart ache for you. :(
i'm a strong believer in symbolism, but not... necessarily in the way that is obvious. maybe the symbolism here is... "these are reflections that fade, and ruin with time- but what you have outside of the reflections... that's the real deal right there."
which doesn't mean this doesn't suck. it does. and i hate that it has happened.
No wonder you were asking me if I had any pictures from your wedding.
I have one from when we were practicing how to do your hair and you have the veil on, but that's it.
You might ask Dad and Lela. I think they may have some.
And by the way, you were absolutly gorgious in your wedding dress. Mom always says you looked like a princess, and you did.
I am so sorry that happened, Sariah. I'd be crying, too.
For something that means so much to you, there must be a way to get it restored. Then, hopefully, you can get it boxed up in those presentation window boxes. And if you are able to do that, then you can put the presentation box in a sealed watertight storage box.
I hope you are able to collect enough photos of your wedding to put a new album together.
Oh I am so sad for you! I'm sure there's some professional out there who can help you.
Sariah, I'm still weeping for you, ever since you called about this. By the By, Dad found an envelope of our wedding pictures--so we do have some! I'm sure that some of us have a photo or two that you can have returned. Did you send Grandma pics? I have all hers.
The symbolism: Your love and marriage can survive all outside
oh, something--I can't think of the word I wanted. You can understand me anyway? Right? Of course, right.
Oh Sariah, I am so sorry that happened. My dress is just hanging in the back of my closet too. I often check it to make sure its okay just because its so vulnerable back there in the closet. I think the symbolism follows what fourth fret and your mom said. Even though the pictures and your dress got ruined, it isn't your marriage. That will continue on and outlast everything else. Thats my thought on it.
P.S. I'll send you the pictures I took at your wedding.
Sariah, I happen to be a photo restoration specialist... I have seen miracles work on photo's that I thought were lost forever. I may be able to help. Do you still have the water damaged pictures?
Thanks guys. The pictures are really in not that bad of condition, so no one needs to send me any. Plus, I have all the negatives. I'm more sad that the album was ruined because I spent time finding the perfect album and putting it together.
Still don't know anything about the dress yet. It's just nice to know that my marriage, which is WAY more valuable, is stronger than my dress.
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