I remember I was cooking dinner when she called: “There is something that we did. WE’VE GOT ENGAGED!”. I was happy, I knew we would have the party of the year and I hoped that there was a little chance to be a part of choosing the wedding attire. There was still a lot of time and we were laid back, exchanging pictures from Pinterest, looking for the right “Atelier” in Lithuania, etc. “It is a bad thing you’re not here” - she said, “it would be much easier”. I was nowhere near to call myself a master of wedding dressmaking as the only time I was handling something that complicated was my own wedding dress and it was no easy story. “I really like this one” - she sent me an image of Elie Saab Haute Couture dress - the very same image I had in my own“Wedding ideas” folder and it was labeled in red (good one). I knew we had similar taste, but choosing the same image out of millions I found extraordinary. Sheer, heavily embellished long-sleeved top and flowing chiffon bottom - sounds like an “ordinary” (and quite popular nowadays) wedding dress model, that any Atelier will do it for you. I knew they wouldn’t, I knew that lace appliqué was not the same as hand embroidery and that simply - nobody had time for it. I did not know any atelier/studio in Lithuania, that did any tambour beading which was inevitable in order to achieve even a little of “Elie Saab look” she wanted, I had nothing to suggest.

After long discussion, we ended up with an idea that would later be called anything less than crazy, would be kept in secret and our only fan club would be (to everybody’s surprise) our men.

“Ok, if you have absolutely no doubt, I’ll do it”. She had none.

I got excited, challenged and in couple of weeks she was here in Portugal and we sketched her dress. We forgot everything we thought was right in the first place, we forgot Elie, we were draping from scratch and followed her body lines, creating dress that was for her. There was no stress, we laughed a lot as usual, we had some good red wine and felt like being once again “friends in crime” who knew this project will be the best secret we would keep for next few months. She left and I got myself busy.

I got some heavy Italian silk twill in ivory, some fine tulle, some lace, ordered fancy sequins from the same place that Chanel and Christian Dior Haute Couture orders theirs and got some french glass beads, Swarovski crystals, and pearls for even more bling. It had to be right.

We had one fitting in Lithuania when I attended my cousin’s wedding the same summer and that was it, the next one was scheduled couple of days before her actual wedding. I know, crazy. Absolutely “coo coo”.

And so, on 31st of July last year she got married to her soul mate wearing ieva.studio couture.

Sincerely,
Ieva