I worked my last shift at Passionfoods on Saturday, I received lots of lovely wishes and hugs - and my boss Steven had this to say;
"Just enjoy every moment. Be in the moment. I know you've got all these last little things going around your head, but just enjoy it all."
Great advice at this stage in the game, and I'm reminding myself of it all the time.
It definitely is my mantra for today and I'll tell you why...
On Saturday night I tried on my dress again and practiced dancing in it. I still couldn't work out why I was standing on it all the time. And then we confirmed what Louise had noticed last time, the left side is longer. And not just by a centimetre - more like a couple of inches. It lays on the floor whereas the right side just skims the floor.
We checked it on the hard floor - thinking Mum's nice thick soft carpet was making things worse, only a slight improvement. We unbustled and rebustled higher. And higher. And twisted the skirt the other way. And laid the skirt out flat. And put higher shoes on.
We looked at how it might be fixed, shorten the hem on one side gradually? most of it was behind the lace panel so it wouldn't be so noticeable - but the lace would have to be trimmed as well. Pull it up at the hips? This left the fabric at the front curling instead of draping beautifully.
Worried I was going to put my heel through the dress on the day, and for the sheer principle of the fact this very expensive dress was crooked, we agreed I'd call Brides of Melbourne first thing Sunday and try to get down there as soon as possible.
I began wondering what they'd say. "It's not that noticeable" Can't you change your dance?"
And with a week to go until we fly out I knew there wasn't time to send it to Wendy in QLD for alterations, to receive it in Melbourne before we left. That meant they'd need to alter it onsite. I started having flashbacks of my friend Louise's experience with alterations at the store. Or would they send it to Wendy and have her send it directly to Port Douglas next week? They all sounded like risks I didn't feel like taking.
I woke up on Sunday with that feeling of 'there's something I don't really want to do today'. Brides of Melbourne doesn't open until 11 on Sundays so after enjoying breakfast with David and Andrea I picked up the phone and called them. No Louisa isn't in today. I spoke to Helen and briefly explained the problem - no alterations staff are in today but come in tomorrow after work. She remembered me and remembered that Wendy had done all fittings and alterations for the gown. Helen was very calm and helpful - I'm sure she gets last minute dress issues often.
I'm glad I tried it on again. And I hadn't started dance lessons until after we picked up the dress so I hadn't even contemplated any problems then. Why do we get these 11th hour issues? I kept myself busy for the rest of the day and I was fine, but on the way into work this morning I started to pick at my thumbnail, by 10 am it's all gone and looking kinda out of place among the others that I've been so carefully growing. I'm feeling a bit uneasy and foggy and I think it's going to be a long day. I know everything will be wonderful on the day, and I have no doubt at all that I'll be wearing my beautiful dress, it's just thewondering and worrying that's getting to me. But we all know that there's no point in worrying until there's something to worry about. Right?
I suppose this is the 'hint of drama' I asked for - better now than on the day I'm sure
. Fingers are crossed for a straightforward solution.
