Any designer can make a wedding dress from fine silk, satin or chiffon, but it would surely take true talent to create a chic wearable gown from nothing but toilet paper, glue, tape and needle & thread. That, is what 1,100 budding designers were allowed to use for the 'Cheap Chic Weddings 2013 wedding dresses 2013 Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest' the winners of which, were announced in New York City, on June 6th, 2013.
And if you think the tissue gowns were anything less than those created from the finest materials, think again - For these elegant beauties featured intricate patterns with ruffles, pleats, lace effects and even faux embroidery all cleverly crafted from the seemingly fragile tissue paper. Now in its ninth year, the fun contest is a collaboration between Chic Cheap Weddings.com and Charmin the purveyor of fine toilet paper who besides sponsoring the contest, also donates the raw materials to all the entrants.
Real Housewives of Orange County star Tamra Barney stunned as she walked down the aisle to say “I do” to her third husband Eddie Judge at the weekend, but it was just one of three custom gowns she had made for the big occasion.
Designer Mark Zunino of QVC’s Mark Of Style fame shared a photo on Twitter revealing 44-year-old Tamra’s choices, which were complimented with a custom Diann Valentine cuff dripping with crystals and orchids.
“Tamra wanted it to be very dramatic, but fluid and sort of organic in design,” Zunino told PEOPLE. “Originally she thought she would want white, but when she tried [the blush] on, she got the reaction of all her friends and that was that.”
PHOTOS: Tamra Barney And Eddie Judge Wedding
And the reality star was losing so much weight in the weeks before the wedding, the designer had to alter the dress multiple times!
“We originally had the flounce dropped more towards her knees,” Zunino said. “The week before, she said ‘I want it raised,’ so we took it apart and raised it. And she was losing weight, so we kept taking it in more and more! She was really hands on, and very passionate [about the design].”
The second outfit was for the reception — a “much sexier” hand-beaded and embroidered French chantilly lace gown with a plunging neckline.
