Free A Vintage Wedding by Katie Fforde Page A

ornaments, odd vases and souvenirs from gymkhanas and holiday destinations. ‘But then I really like vintage things. Now let’s see this dress.’
    ‘It’s actually in here,’ said April, leading Beth to another room. ‘I just needed to get my hair clip. The dress looks a bit better with my hair up.’
    The dress was hanging over the back of a chair. April had obviously put it there when she heard Beth arrive. Beth picked it up. She couldn’t tell what period it was, although she assumed it must be eighties. It was like a coat, with covered buttons all down the front, a high neck, narrow waist and leg-of-mutton sleeves ending with a frill at the wrist. There was a frill at the neck and a sash that could have been done up at the front or the back, Beth couldn’t tell.
    ‘This is amazing!’ Beth would have said something nice, out of politeness, but she really meant it. ‘Have you seen that programme when the bride has to decide whether to have a new dress or wear her mother’s? The ones I’ve seen have always had awful dresses but this is really special.’
    ‘I know it is,’ said April glumly. ‘I remember my mum telling me how expensive it was – but I can’t fit into it.’
    The buttons were already undone. ‘Let’s see. I’m sure Lindy could alter this and it’s so lovely. It won’t look like it was your mother’s, just fabulously vintage.’
    ‘I like the idea of having a vintage wedding,’ said April. ‘It sounds elegant. A wedding on the cheap doesn’t sound nearly so good.’
    ‘Mm,’ said Beth, helping April get the dress over her shoulders. ‘We’re thinking of calling ourselves Vintage Weddings – our little business that sorts out weddings for people.’
    ‘What do you provide, exactly?’ asked April, in the dress now, but with none of the buttons done up.
    ‘We haven’t worked out the details yet – you’ll be our first client – but I promise we’ll be amazing value for money and get you a wedding for less than you could do it without us.’ Beth realised this was a massive assumption but why would anyone use them if it wasn’t true?
    She looked at April and took hold of the sides of the dress. They didn’t meet over her stomach.
    ‘I’m so fat!’ said April.
    ‘No you’re not, at all. You’re healthy and people were thinner in the eighties.’ She considered. ‘This is such a lovely dress we must get you into it. I’m sure Lindy could do wonders with it. It needs a panel or something added to the middle. It fits OK on the arms and shoulders.’
    ‘I would love to wear it. Dad would be so pleased. And not just because it’ll be cheap.’ April paused. ‘How much would a new dress be?’
    Beth, who had done quite a lot of research before she came, said, ‘Average is a thousand, but of course lots and lots of dresses are much cheaper. What’s your budget?’
    ‘I don’t exactly have a budget but Tristram and I are going to share the cost with Dad and Tristram’s parents. None of us has much money though, so it has to be really cheap.’
    ‘Well, Lindy could alter this for you for far less than the cheapest dress and it’ll be fabulous. And I’m not sure the cheapest dress would be all that nice. This is such gorgeous material.’
    ‘There’s some more of it in the attic. Offcuts,’ said April.
    ‘Perfect! Well, that’s one big tick. Shall we go and sort out what else we might be able to help you with?’ Beth felt really excited. Although she enjoyed creating websites – something she learnt during her much despised university career – it was much more fun to deal with real human beings.
    After fiddling with the dress, the spare material and other bits and pieces, April led them downstairs. Here they sat at the kitchen table sipping tea. April had a folder decorated with ponies that Beth really hoped was an old one. She didn’t want their first client to still be pony-obsessed in her mid-twenties.
    ‘I really want to arrive by pony and trap,’