Choosing a wedding gown by William Mulready 1786-1863, from the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. The painting was inspired by the opening sentences of Oliver Goldsmith's novel The Vicar of Wakefield: "I had scarce taken orders a year before I began to think seriously of matrimony and chose my wife, as she did her wedding gown, not for a fine glossy surface, but for such qualities as would wear well." Mulready had already provided a frontispiece for an 1843 edition of the novel - the composition on which this painting is based. Mulready's painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1846, where it was a great success. The painting was donated to the V&A by the industrialist and collector John Sheepshanks (1787-1863), who owned 31 of Mulready's paintings.
Speaking of weddings, my daughter Jordana and her boyfriend Keith have become engaged! As they seem very happy together, David and I are pleased for them. They will plan a wedding, after Jordana's graduation this spring and after both Jordana and Keith begin new jobs in a new city. As Jordana is a talented seamstress, she will probably design her own wedding gown. Lots of exciting changes on the horizon for 2008 and beyond...
Update 11 p.m. Just spoke to Jordana in Cincinnati and she managed to charm the airline personnel at Charles de Gaulle into putting Keith on her flight! They had originally been scheduled on separate flights en route to the US and planned to meet at the airport in Savannah later tonight. These next few months will be a busy time for Jordana, who's preparing a project by request of a prospective employer, as well as producing her senior collection. I will be the proud mom cheering her on at a special showing this spring, followed a few days later by her graduation.
Hope 2008 is off to a good start for you!
Photo of ornate clock in York, England.
Oh my goodness, Tara - CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
Your family's 2008 certainly sounds great - senior collection, graduation, prospective employer AND now soon to hear the joyous ringing of wedding bells in the air - so many happy reasons to be a proud mama!
Best wishes at all these glad tidings to you and your young lovebirds!~
Bisous
xoxoxo
Tinker
Posted by: tinker | 07 January 2008 at 04:13
2008 sounds wonderful . So great to read about LOVe.
WIsh you the best , Tara , for you and your family
Posted by: le petit cabinet de curiosites | 04 January 2008 at 18:13
Tara,
Glad to read of of the auspicious happenings in your family.
May 2008 bring you and your family, joy, good health and bliss!
Posted by: Shaji.K | 04 January 2008 at 08:14
Congratulations to Jordana and Keith! That is a great way to start the new year.
Posted by: Jacqueline | 04 January 2008 at 03:48
Oh my goooodness!!! Congratulations!!! How fun and exciting!!! xxoox
Posted by: A Fanciful Twist | 03 January 2008 at 16:33
Congratulations to your daughter and her fiance! That's the third engagement I've heard of in as many days, must be something in the air! Seems like 2008 is gearing up to be a great year for everyone!!
Happy New Year!!
Posted by: Kamsin | 03 January 2008 at 13:51
Congratulations to your daughter and fiance. It's so nice to read news about love......it always brings with it a bouquet of hope. cheers and happy new year to you and your family Tara.
Posted by: awareness | 03 January 2008 at 12:30
Happy New Year Tara!!!!
Feliz Año Nuevo!
Great start! Congratulations to you and your family! and thank you again, for being there.
Posted by: Catalina | 03 January 2008 at 11:54
Congratulations to them both! Yay for Twue Wuv! ;)
What a nice thing to start the year with.
:)
Posted by: Amber | 03 January 2008 at 06:16
How very exciting for you! Congrats to all! Wishing you all the best in 2008. Cheers. xo
Posted by: Rosa | 03 January 2008 at 05:58
Oh Tara, this is wonderful news to start the new year. Congrats to the lucky couple!!! I can't wait to see her design.
How very cool!!!!!!!!!!
XXXOOO
Posted by: Tammy | 03 January 2008 at 01:08
Tara!!!!
that seems like such a lucky charmed way to begin the
year ~ as these magical events tend to start a domino
effect in life ~ at least that is what I have seen!
I am so so so happy happy happy for you to have such joy
and love to look forward to!
Perhaps Jordana could wear a crown on her wedding day???
:)
(hugs sweetie)
Posted by: maddie | 02 January 2008 at 22:39
what a great news to start this new year, tara!!
i'm thrilled for you and jordana!!
congratulations girls!!
your posts will be filled with exitement in the coming months!
Posted by: marita | 02 January 2008 at 22:19
Oh you must be thrilled. When can we expect you to join the Grandma's Club it gets a little boring on ones own.
Send my congratulations to them both.
Happy New Year to you and David, Harvey sends his love.
Posted by: Di Overton | 02 January 2008 at 22:03
Wow -- congratulations to the happy couple! What a wonderful time in your daughter's life. It did seem like something was in the air, it was a special visit from the very start.
Posted by: fleur | 02 January 2008 at 19:23
How exciting - and romantic! Bless their little hearts to share the engagement news while in Paris! Congratulations to all!
Posted by: Dorian Fletcher | 02 January 2008 at 19:07
What wonderful news for the New Year! How happy and excited you must be. Wedding prepartions are my favorite! I cannot wait to see what amazing ideas and style you two will come up with.
Oh me I have become carried away with the idea of wedding dress, cakes, reception, cards etc!!!
Much happiness and joy to your daughter and her love!
Posted by: tongue in cheek | 02 January 2008 at 18:46
Congratulations, that's lovely news for a new year!
Posted by: Katherine | 02 January 2008 at 18:08
What happy and exciting news this is Tara. Graduation, job prospects, engagements, a wedding to plan. Truly you will have a fabulous 2008.
Posted by: annieelf | 02 January 2008 at 18:03
Ooo! A wedding ! Yes, conratulations to Jordana and Keith! what an exciting life she has ahead of her. Maybe one day she'll be on project runway!
Posted by: Pam Aries | 02 January 2008 at 14:42
That's great news with lots to look forward to. Happy New Year!
Posted by: meredith | 02 January 2008 at 09:33
Such tremendous news, Tara! Congratulations to all of you! K.
Posted by: Karen DeGroot Carter | 02 January 2008 at 08:44
Congratulations Tara! :-)
Posted by: Bhavna | 02 January 2008 at 06:06
Congratulations to Jordana and Keith!!! and you and David! Your 2008 is going to be a busy, memorable one indeed!
Cheers to you all!!
x...x
Posted by: stephanie | 02 January 2008 at 06:01
COngratulations to the bride-to be! What a wonderful start to a new year!
Here is to a fabulous, fun, prosperous, safe and healthy New Year!! **clink**
blessings,
kari & kijsa
Posted by: kari & kijsa | 02 January 2008 at 05:58
CONGRATULATIONS!! That is wonderful news, very happy for your daughter...happy New Year!!
Posted by: cathy | 02 January 2008 at 05:55
Wow! You are off to a good start! Congrats on the engagement of your daugther! What a milestone!
Posted by: Moloka'i Girl (Paula Scott) | 02 January 2008 at 05:36
What exciting news! Congrats to them! Happy New Year, Tara! Thanks for all of the inspiration all year long... xoxo
Posted by: Marilyn | 02 January 2008 at 05:08
Wonderful, important news! Congratulations to the happy pair and to you and David, too. And to me, because I *think* that a trip to NC may be part of the graduation journey, too! But I'll see you before then, I hope, in Paris.
I'm honored that you linked to me, dear Thelma.
Happy 2008 to us all!
Xoxo,
Louise
Posted by: Laura | 02 January 2008 at 03:59
What happy, joyful news! May your beautiful daughter be embraced with infinite love and happiness. Much love & happy new year wishes to you dear Tara. xx, deb
Posted by: JanePoe (aka Deborah) | 02 January 2008 at 03:56
OH happy day! Congratulations Jordana and Keith...many years of happiness and prosperity I wish for the two of you!
And Jordana, best of luck with your senior collection! Any photos forthcoming?? I would LOVE to cheer you on vicariously through your mom's blog.
Tara, congratulations to you too, what fun to help plan a wedding. Wishing you all the best in '08, much love, happiness and above all HEALTH!!!!
xoxoxo
Gillian
Posted by: Gillian @ Indigo Blue | 02 January 2008 at 03:14
hoorah for the wedding and the joyous beginnings of a new year!
thanks for your inspirational photos and for sharing your stories! from an expat now living in the Languedoc region with my adventerous family- I am a newbie in the blog world and find your positive energy a real gift!!!
Posted by: betheanne | 02 January 2008 at 03:06
What wonderful news for Jordana and Keith! It sounds like these two have so much going for them! I am really excited to hear more about Jordana's career in design! Now this is the perfect way to start a new year!
I wish for you every happiness.....good health...peace of mind....continued success with the written word....love and joy and much more!
You are blogging treasure whose blog I have missed reading during my "cave dwelling" period.(ha!) Here's to connecting more!
Love and hugs,
Lisa
XOXO
Posted by: Lisa M.S. Oceandreamer | 02 January 2008 at 03:06
happy new year, Tara! Congratulations on the engagement announcement. Good for you!
Posted by: boliyou | 02 January 2008 at 02:40
Happy New Year Tara.
Wonderful news for Keith and Jordana.
Thank you for the lovely card and tags.
xx
Posted by: gemma | 02 January 2008 at 01:05
We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce
Such happy news a time of bright new beginnings for us all.
Love you so very much.
Blessings for us all in 2008 and always.
Love Jeanne ^j^
Posted by: Jeanne | 02 January 2008 at 00:30
oh tara we can be mother's of the bride together...congrats to jordana...is she in savanah???...i am only an hour and half from there...visitng you always brightens my day...may the spirit of a new year fill your home with an abundance of love, laughter, and joy...may the magic of the moment bring peace to your heart all year long...may your creativity take you to amazing places and may you experience the resulting bliss...much love you and your family...rebecca
Posted by: Cre8Tiva | 01 January 2008 at 22:54
Happy New Year Tara. Congrats to Jordana and her fiance.
Posted by: artzyjudie | 01 January 2008 at 22:44
Congrats! All sounds exciting! Happy New Year to all of you :)
Posted by: My Melange | 01 January 2008 at 22:19
I come to see you after being gone for a bit from Bloglandia, and read this happy news for the New Year. What a year of change I believe it will be!
Posted by: Mary T. | 01 January 2008 at 22:17
I did say in a previous comment that they made a lovely couple, but I didn't know they would take me up on it - hahaha! No, seriously, that is great news, and I wish them every happiness.
Posted by: Colette | 01 January 2008 at 22:05
Congratulations to you and your family! And Happy New Year. Hope to visit you more in 2008.
Posted by: January | 01 January 2008 at 20:27
Oh what happy, lovely news Tara!!! I'm so glad that you and David have met and like Keith and I'm sure he will be a wonderful addition to your family.
Jordana has a big year ahead of her and I can feel your pride and your love through your words.
Congratulations!!!
Posted by: Cherie | 01 January 2008 at 20:21
congratulations to all of you!! Yes, so many adventures ahead!! Hope all your dreams come true!!
Posted by: jzr | 01 January 2008 at 20:00
Happy New Year, Tara!
Posted by: Hundred and one | 01 January 2008 at 19:15
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! What HAPPY news!!! Congrats! to Jordana and Keith! My daughter Gina is only about an hour away from Savannah! Love and prayers, Cinda ps.WOOT! WOOOOOOOOOOT!!!
Posted by: TurquoiseCRO aka Cinda Rae Oliverio | 01 January 2008 at 19:14
Happy New Year! Bonne Année!
Meilleurs voeux!!
et Félicitations à ta fille...
Posted by: blueVicar | 01 January 2008 at 18:43
Good news, indeed! What a special, hopeful start to the New Year.
Wishing you all many blessings for 2008!
Posted by: Becca | 01 January 2008 at 18:07
Congratulations to Jordana! & to you too proud mom! In this family we know the apples don't fall far from the tree:) xo
glad ya found me hon! & I love a fresh new year! Hope it holds all wonderful things for you and yours;)
Posted by: apt a | 01 January 2008 at 18:02
What wonderful news ~ My best wishes to them both... am hoping for similar news here sometime soon too! Have a joyous and healthy new year... it is shaping up to be an exciting one for you! xox Deb
Posted by: Deb L | 01 January 2008 at 17:43