Counting our Blessings ~ Say YES to the Dress

Wow. This weekend just past, Ed and I got to be with both our kids AND we got to help Amanda select a wedding gown! How cool is that??!!

I really loved getting to do this. As per our Pre-shopping instructions - we brought upbeat attitude, enthusiasm, (and debit card.)

We have learned a lot. Wedding gowns are strange creations. Attach the word "wedding" or "bridal" to anything and you can just mark it up about 300%; Ratchet up the emotional component about 600%. Having the clerk pull you aside and ask "What is your budget number?" is a bit disconcerting, to say the least. Of course, learning that the absolutely huge number you had in mind is the lowest price gown they carry - well, that's just weird. But, having a smart, tenacious bride with a degree in finance really helps! Little did I realize how tough this day could be.

Gowns must weigh 20 lbs. I'm not sure, of course, but they just looked heavy when the girl brought them to the dressing room. All the clerks had great looking arms - guess they do not have to do bicep curls.

Appointments are required for this kind of shopping. These aren't the kind of places you just walk into, like J.C. Penny. So, I'm not accustomed to shopping like this. However, I understand now why that is necessary. You need the relatively undivided attention of the clerk, if only to move the gowns into and out of your dressing room. But, they do much more than that. They consider price and the desired style and design attributes the bride needs. And, they are patient people. Which, I think, helps a lot. They walk the tightrope of not offering feedback unless requested. They allow the bride to think about each dress and consider.

Personally, I think it would help greatly if they had dresses in a wide variety of sizes, instead of just mostly a size 8, with a few 10's thrown in. These stores seem ready to deal with the size issues, as they all had some kind of cheesecloth or piece of fabric to button, pin or clip into the back of the "too small" dresses - so the bride could see how each dress might look on her. I could see this technique was universally used and came in mighty handy. Apparently, although models might be a size 8, most brides seem to be more realistic women with actual hips and breasts. Amazing.

Our resourceful Joey found a great shop using his smart phone. With his help, we were able to add a 3rd appointment to our day. (Although we all had some reservations about whether we could accommodate a 3rd appointment.) This shop was more intimate and had a nicer variety of sizes, and also had a great variety of styles and designs. We were working with the owner herself, and it was soon clear that she knew her stock, knew the manufacturers, and knew what could be ordered and what might be possible. She also had a good eye for what looks good. It was fun to work with her, in spite of our tiredness at the end of a long day. I think we were lucky to have her helping us.

It was here we found just the right dress for our bride! Of course, I can't post the photo or talk about it, but I'm really happy. Amanda is beautiful and its fun to get a special dress for this happy special occasion.
Now, I'll have to find just the right "Mother of the Bride" dress. Oh dear.
Ed and Joey are lucky, a nice dark suit will do for them.

2011 ~ Ketchikan, Alaska

The images of these totems are from Totem Bight State Park in Ketchikan, Alaska.

This is another wonderful example of the work resulting from the CCC program in the United States during the pre-WWII years. Totems are actually large cedar monuments, created by natives. After Alaska began to see changes due to the decline of bartering as a system of economics, and an increase in non-native settlements, the old totems were abandoned in the villages, where they soon became forgotten and began to deteriorate. The CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) came into play in the late 1930's to employ older native skilled carvers. These carvers were able to teach the art of totem carving to young artists and to recreate or repair some of the old totems, hence preserving part of the culture.

Not an idol, but a silent storyteller.

Kadjuk Bird Pole:
This Tlingit pole was copied from Cat Island. A similar pole can also be found in Ketchikan. The fabled Kadjuk bird sits on the top of the pole. The undecorated portion of the pole symbolizes the lofty habitat of the bird and the high esteem in which the crest is held.

Raven is the next figure, with his breast forming the headdress of his wife, Fog Woman, wearing the labret in her lower lip. In her hands she holds two salmon, which she produced, the first in the world. The two large faces at the base represent the two slaves of Raven.

There are about 14 totems here and a clan house has been built, resembling those built in the early 19th century in the Tlingit villages.

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This is Creek Street in Ketchikan. Along this little picturesque street are several shoppes and interesting bistros. It is a lovely boardwalk.


Imagine our delight in stumbling upon this funicolare or "incline" (like the Duquesne Incline in Pittsburgh) right in Ketchikan. This one is the Ketchikan Alaska Funicular Rail Car - and it goes to the Cape Fox lodge, so there are really nice places to stay in Ketchikan.

We didn't have time to ride this one, it was time to run back to get onboard our ship for departure! Didn't want to be left behind!