Couture ... and all that ....

Found a sweet sounding dressmaker via the internet, in Bandra. V and I went to check her out (helps if he comes along, to help manage any potential 'white skin syndrome' - ie the miraculous ability for any goods or services in India to double in price when the negotiatee is a foreigner). She showed us into her lovely, albeit dusty Bandra drawing room, all musty smelling faded grandeur, and proudly showed her the albums of her 'creations'. Hundreds and hundreds of the sweetest catholic girls, squeezed into yards of shiny, frilly, lacy, beribboned, sequinned ... monstrosities. I know its difficult when you are getting married in a country which frowns on off the shoulder, but overdoing the frippery is not the answer. Anyway, we politely turned our back on that option and then the internet threw up up another option ... a really funky chick who just gets it (and can produce my dress, bridesmaids dresses and all). So I picked the design, asked a little nervously about the cost and was very relieved to find that the wedding gown will cost me less than a handbag in England. Or not far off, at least. 

Next stop, fabric shop .... acres of gorgeous material - silk and chiffon and selected the most beautiful regal purple shades for the bridesmaids dresses .... have sent a bunch of designs to the girlies and asked them to choose and send their measurements .... and the price of said gorgeous fabric ....??? Roughly 1.50 pounds a metre .... gotta love India.