TGR Original: Rachel’s One of a Kind Wedding
Rachel had a vintage wedding veil she wanted to incorporate into her wedding day, but it was yellow and over 100 years old. While Rachel planned her fun, unique wedding she trusted her vintage veil to the Certified Wedding Gown Specialists at Treasured Garment Restoration. Read more about Rachel’s wedding journey below!
When was your wedding and where did it take place?
We got married September 1, 2019 at the Science Museum of Minnesota in St Paul. It was a Pokémon-themed wedding!
How did you decide to get your dress made and by whom?
I hate waste, so the idea of a traditional wedding dress that costs thousands of dollars to be worn once, then put in a box, never to see the light of day again is abhorrent to me. Instead, my partner and I decided to get “gijinka” cosplay outfits made of our favorite Pokémon. That way, we can wear our suit & dress to nerd conventions for many years to come. I approached Snow Cosplays specifically because I’ve admired her work at CONvergence. Both the seamstress and her wife are plus-size cosplayers, and Jessica frequently turns various intellectual properties into dresses: BriChibi Cosplay has been seen in Wonder Woman, Mario, and Buzz Lightyear ballgowns; to name a few. So, when I decided turn a Pokémon into a plus-sized wedding gown, she was the obvious choice. (My partner’s suit was made by KMK Designs.)
What is your absolute favorite memory from your wedding day?
Most of my good memories are from the party. We designed a badge game, like how you have to earn gym badges in a main series Pokémon game, for people to go around and enjoy the whole party. If you earned eight badges, then you could request a kiss or something else from us (instead of clinking glasses). Everyone got really into it, and we ran out of several of the badges. I’m also very proud of how the centerpieces looked. We spent a lot of time on those.
Why did you decide to get your antique veil restored?
My veil was my great-great-grandmother’s and it survived the Holocaust. In an era of US politics where antisemitism is at a peak, it’s so important to me to display pride and take joy in my heritage. When my great-aunt told me she had this veil, there was no question of whether or not I’d wear it. Of course I was going to wear it. I didn’t intend to get the veil “restored,” per se, as Aunt Ruthie was very insistent that I shouldn’t do anything to it – I just wanted it clean, since it had a few stains on it. But I guess a cleaning isn’t that simple for a 100+ year-old heirloom! The veil underwent a beautiful vintage restoration.
Why did you bring your wedding veil to Treasured Garment Restoration?
I use St. Croix Cleaners’ delivery service for dry cleaning for my dry-cleaning, and I’d seen ads for TGR in my inbox and on their website. Since you’ve taken such good care of my modern clothes, I figured you’d do just as nicely with my heirloom.
Treasured Garment Restoration is a nationally recognized member of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists. This means we clean each bridal gown and garment individually with care. Learn more about wedding gown cleaning and preservation options at TreasuredGarmentRestoration.com.
Photography Credit : Luke Nygaard, Nygaard Photography