Handmade Wedding Wear

No, I'm not getting married. Nor am I making somebody's wedding dress [now that would be the gift of a lifetime! It might also just be the stress-case of a lifetime, too]

But, like many of my friends tiptoeing into their mid-late 20s, I've suddenly looked up and found weddings penciled into quite a few weekends in my calendar. And, as somebody whose handmade garments are slowly (and happily) taking over her wardrobe, the question inevitably rises - what can you make to wear to a wedding?


Since the weather in California in the Fall can be quite variable - sometimes we have a scorching Indian Summer in October, sometimes it is just gray and overcast - a shrug seemed like a good bet for transition wear. And since Rita has also found herself with quite a heavy wedding season on her hands (although hers is much more booked than mine is!), we thought a mini knit along would be a fun way to celebrate my return to the Bay Area (and, hopefully, many fruitful crafting sessions together to come!)


Fiber #17: Rhubarb.

This is the Dream in Color shrug knit up in Malabrigo Silky Merino, colorway Burgundy. Although frankly it looks a bit watery to be a true Burgundy, I thought Rhubarb seemed like a more appropriate name. I did make several modifications which you can find on my Ravelry page, but I think this is the type of garment that could easily be dressed up for a wedding or dressed down for daily wear. The silk gives it a really gorgeous sheen, and the yarn is incredibly soft.

Dressed down, I'm pretty sure you could pair it with something neutral like brown or camel (which apparently is in this season? I haven't stepped into a clothing store in awhile so I have no idea what's selling right now, is it true what they say?), it would go well with a soft gray or a charcoal gray ... black of course ... and I could definitely see it with many shades of green. Or maybe my latest skirt. Possibilities abound!


But my second question - what to wear under the shrug? This gray dress is the current likeliest candidate [and I am experiencing a bout of funemployment so buying an expensive dress is out of the question] ... but it feels a little ... severe ... for a wedding, no? I have black flowered tights to wear with it, but I think a wedding calls for something more.

What do we think of adding a bit of lace to the neckline? Would white be weird? Would black be weirder? Should I try for a tonal thing to match the shrug and look for a pinkish trim of some sort to spice up the dress? Adding pink would decrease the overall, post-wedding versatility of the dress though, whereas some sort of neutral trim would at least keep it a neutrals-on-neutrals dress. Hm ... ponderings, ponderings -- what would you do?


Edited to add:

Just wanted to give Rita mega props for gifting me with this amazing yarn! It totally makes the shrug!!!

And thanks for all the feedback so far. I'm loving these thoughts and am mulling with great delight. I should have mentioned that it is an outdoors, early afternoon wedding followed by a reception that I have no idea where it is being held, I somehow misplaced the invite when I moved (but hopefully one of my friends can point me in the right direction).