A few years ago, I had a customer message me about a vintage 1950s ivory-lace wedding dress she saw on my vintage clothing store, Roselein Rarities. She felt she had finally found the dress of her dreams and asked if I would please hold it for her for a few days until payday.
Of course, anytime I'm confronted with a dress-of-my-dreams situation, I do my best to accommodate, and in this particular circumstance, I happened to notice that Amanda lived very close to me in the Sacramento, California, area. I immediately sent her the following message:
"Good morning, Amanda! I am so happy you love this beautiful dress! I have already put a hold on it for you. I have local customers who I deliver to and I would be happy to meet you for a pick up if you'd like.
Here's my odd request/idea: This is my first local wedding dress sale and don't usually have the direct opportunity to photograph the happy customer in their newly purchased garments. Let me know if you're interested in me getting a few pretty shots of you in the dress, either on your wedding day or a mock wedding day, and possibly writing an article about it."
Amanda was delighted with the idea, as she also did some modeling on the side for fun so she felt comfortable in front of a camera. The more we talked, the more perfect the situation became.
We decided to meet that weekend to exchange the dress. Amanda fell immediately in love and I was thrilled to be able to capture this once-in-a-lifetime moment with her.
We arranged to shoot pictures of her in her new-to-her vintage dress on that day, and I brought her a small bouquet of flowers for her pre-bridal pictures.
"I loved it!" said Amanda. "It fit me perfectly so it didn't need to be tailored at all."
"It had so much class and character being handmade—I wish I knew its story!"
I wish I did, too, Amanda. The stories behind vintage pieces are part of why we love them so much—the history, the love that went into creating, the special memories that come with them. I could tell Amanda was a vintage-soul-seeker like I was, and she and I hit it off beautifully.
And was she a perfect fit to model for the shop? Absolutely! I could hardly wait to put her into the vintage pieces I had lined up for her. Yes, we ended up having our first full shoot for the shop that day, too! I brought a collection of boho-style vintage dresses and outfits from the 1960s and 1970s and we switched gears a little.
Amanda had a classic 1950s style and look about her. She brought her favorite shade of red lipstick (a shop staple) and since I had brought mostly things with red, I felt it worked with well with the outfits I selected for her.
We worked very well together and got some eye-catching shots that are still among some of my favorites to this day. (Don't worry, I have models sit/lie on hidden towels to protect the pieces.)
I'm a color-contrast fanatic so whenever I get the opportunity to contrast colors, especially with red, I take it and run. This vintage 1970s formal dress in a bright teal was especially fun to photograph. Paired with a red sun hat, I couldn't get enough of the color scheme.
We shot on-location at a huge concrete building called the Death Star with staircases galore, so I was able to get a downward angle to create one of my most memorable shots on Etsy.
"I loved that dress!" said Amanda. "I loved the color and it was so flowy and fun!"
And who can have a boho shoot without a vintage Gunne Sax dress?!?
Our first shoot was a major success!
Turns out not only was it a match made in heaven for Amanda and her vintage wedding dress, but Amanda and I were a little match of our own!
Who is taking the pictures of Amanda and I together, you ask? My amazing 10-year-old son, Turner, of course! I asked if he wouldn't mind coming with to take some behind-the-scenes pictures and he courteously agreed.
He ended up appreciating Amanda as much as I did, and the three of us went out to lunch afterwards.
Amanda and I planned to meet again the following weekend for another shoot for the shop. And this time Turner volunteered to come. What a guy...
I asked hair and makeup artist, Lisa Greer, to help out to create a dramatic look for a darker, fancier, steampunkier look, and she did an amazing job!
This black 1950s strapless formal dress is one of my other all-time favorites, and Amanda also delighted in its unique, fringe-covered flair.
Paired with the fringe dress, this vintage 1950s black-and-white wool houndstooth cape was to die for and Amanda modeled it perfectly!We had such a fun time with this shoot...so much that we included some handmade vintage-salvaged steampunk accessories borrowed from a friend of mine and went full steampunk for a few shots.
And Turner even got in on the fun!
(On a side note, Turner is currently taking his first photography class in high school!)
Amanda and I went on and had quite a few shoots together in a variety of styles.
She had such an appreciation and love for the pieces, that I couldn't ask for a better person to help represent the shop.
She was always kind and considerate and had a strong admiration for vintage fashion, and Etsy in general.
And, of course, she was super fun to work with...
Which is why I was so sad when my family and I decided to move out of the Sacramento area a few months before her wedding. I asked her if we could do one final shoot.
Since I wouldn't be able to photograph their wedding, I offered to take some pre-wedding/engagement pictures with her and her fiancé, Josh. She suggested that she wear her wedding dress! Of course I was thrilled to be able to see the two of them together with the dress that started it all...and she didn't mind that Josh would see her in it before the wedding.
"When I started looking for a wedding dress on Etsy, I confess, I wasn't actually engaged yet...but I knew he was the one!" laughed Amanda.
They were such a cute, loving couple.
And Amanda even modeled a few more vintage things for me, some while wearing her dress, as Josh watched and waited.
"Shooting with Kyana was a blast," said Amanda, "and I'm super bummed that she moved away!"Amanda and Josh were married that summer and had a beautiful vintage-style wedding.
"My favorite period for vintage items is the 50's into the 60's," Amanda said. "Everything from the fashion to cars, furniture to color pallet—it just gives me life!"
And now there's a new face in the picture! They have a one-year-old daughter named Tessa who is the spitting image of her mother.
And last year, Amanda opened her own vintage shop on Etsy!
"I had been meaning to start my own Etsy store for some time but couldn't muster the courage," she said. "After being totally intimidated by the idea of running my own business, I finally took the plunge. It was the best decision I've ever made! It's SO easy, and there are so many fantastic resources they provide for you. Tutorials and groups on literally everything, and if you can't find what you need there (which isn't likely) you can contact them directly. They make it easy and affordable to have your own business, and want you to succeed. I'm excited about having a business where I can be with my daughter and work in the comfort of my home."
Although Amanda doesn't consider herself a "picture-mom" as she calls it, her daughter Tessa does love to be in front of the camera. "She's such a ham and totally poses for photos any time she sees one!"
One of my favorite things about running my own business is the connections you make, and in the case of Amanda and me, it just couldn't get any better. Thanks to a vintage dress, we have our own little history behind it. I am beyond proud of her and can't wait to see her business grow.
Visit Amanda's shop, Weeds 2 Tweeds Vintage, and enjoy!