The Knot just did an article on vintage weddings where the bride wears her mother’s dress. The dress I wore in 1974 was worn again by my daughter in 2007. You can see photos, along with other brides who had the same idea.
We took it a step further by memorializing the dual use of the dress by adding personalized labels with the details of both weddings. The article provides a link to show these labels too.
Using this link, scroll down until you see “Charlie”
Normally our wedding gown labels go on the inside of the top (bodice) of the dress or along the inside hem. They provide a photographic opportunity as the bride is getting dressed in her gown or when the skirt is tossed while dancing.
Today a customer took things to the next level and asked me to make a set of wedding labels to be applied to the outside of the wedding gown train to be an integral part of the gown. She wanted them to be large and impressive. We decided to do one label for each letter of the monogram. The labels will be sewn onto the train near the bottom. She chose silver metallic thread for the monogram to go with the rest of the detail on the dress. I hope to get the opportunity to see the dress with its monogram.
Today I made one of these stylized blue satin Charlotte wedding garters for one of my etsy 
customers. I also made a surprise for my partner in my Ragdoll cat breeding adventure. I can’t post a picture of that for fear of spoiling the surprise.
I am so excited to announce the latest new product - an Initial Impressions exclusive. These are crayon keeper aprons that use the new Crayola crayons which are encased in plastic (no more breakage or sharpening).
The aprons themselves have pretty pockets with compartments for each crayon. You choose:
either a navy apron with a colorful pocket that looks like crayons
or an all white apron with a lacy embroidered detail on the pocket.
The white apron makes a great flower girl gift! Let her help with bridal preparations wearing her own bridal white apron.
Yesterday, I went to a sewing conference in Denver and was introduced to a new way to apply Swarovski crystals to fabric. I am contemplating adding this rhinestone application system to Initial Impressions so that I can offer personalized sparkly shirts, hats and more for my bridal customers. This is just another way we try to evolve and expand. We might even do a combination of embroidery and bling. It may be a while, but I am looking into it. I would love to hear your thoughts on this idea.
She loves our embroidered linen pillow and wedding gown labels. Thanks for the vote of confidence! See those and all the other nice wedding items she likes.
Our grosgrain wedding gown labels come with a “pinked” (zig-zagged) edge to prevent fraying. Most people tuck in these edges and apply it to the gown as shown.
Once pinned in location, you can press the edge with your finger or a warm (not hot) iron before doing a whip stitch to sew it into place. In doing the stitching, take a little bite of the lining fabric of the dress (being careful not to catch the front dress fabric in the stitch) and then catch a bite of the label itself. Do this along the edge of the label on both sides. It does not take a lot of stitches to hold the label firmly in place.
I just joined the website Project Wedding (www.projectwedding.com) where various wedding vendors are showcased by category. People who have purchased Initial Impressions items for their wedding can leave comments there about the products offered.
Today I work on some of those cute aprons embroidered with children’s faces and names - such an appropriate Mother’s Day gift for grandmom.
After that, I turn my attention to a group of wedding gown labels for the upcoming June weddings. When I started those labels, I had no idea how huge they would be. Brides Magazine even saw fit to suggest them as the something blue” in one their articles. 
There are so many ways a long pretty ribbon, embroidered with a name or a sentiment can make a special impression at a wedding.
1. A wide ribbon, embroidered with the bride’s and groom’s initials and the date of the wedding can be used as a bouquet wrap. I know from experience that it is easy to secure this wrap with a row of pearl headed corsage pins. It is so easy to do and it looks so elegant.
2. Looping embroidered ribbons with special sentiments embroidered can be suspended from the bridal bouquet for a soft romantic look.
3. A ribbon of any width, also embroidered, tied on the cake knife will be captured by the photographer for very pretty photographs
4. Consider cascading ribbons from the flower girl basket - some embroidered and some plain - very sweet and childlike.
5. An embroidered ribbon tying the headpiece of the flower girl.
6. A tailored embroidered ribbon spanning the ring bearer pillow will be classic without being too frilly.
7. Ribbons to embellish the gift table.
8. Embroidered ribbons to tie the wedding program or to tie on fans for a hot summer day wedding.
I would love to add your ideas to this list!