Thanks for the comments, they will be helpful. Research results: I found the following resources helpful as I have been planning my approach, mainly for bustling and hemming: 1. Singer "Sewing for Special Occasions" which has photos and excellent guides for the bustling. 2. The "Sew News" website library had a great description of bustling a wedding gown at this page: http://www.sewnews.com/library/sewnews/qa/aaqa0300a.htm 3. Another website which explains bustles including the Austrian, French [inverted] and over bustle. I learned a lot at the following: http://www.rencentral.com/oct_nov_fo11/bustles.shtml 4. A slim book from the library with no photos and only a few sketches, but titled: "How to Alter a Bridal Gown" by Susan Ormond. This book has a chapter on hems. The important point she makes is to follow the manufacturer's method of construction when you reconstruct. 5. Google search. It brought me back to the forum which I had not used for sewing. Good Laugh for all of you who work with brides: Use a search engine on the words bustle or bustling a wedding gown. You will locate the U-Tube video of bridesmaids searching for ribbons to underbustle the bride. Finally, the bride lays face down, with petticoats exposed while bridesmaids consider the mystery of all those ribbons! Bustle comments: The comment about a 2-point take-up--I understood as take the center back up in two parts, then do side bustles. There's no place to put a button part-way up the back, so a simple 3-point seems to look fine with pins. I will use the suggestion to fasten a small button on the wrong side of the fabric to support the fabric and weight. I may try a 5-point to see if it looks better. My daughter did not like the looks of the underbustle. I thought the Austrian could maybe be used to get the heavy satin pulled up [done like a balloon shade with loops sew to the inside seam allowance and ribbons pulled through to gather up the skirt, or scrunch it up]. Then the beautiful organza could be pulled up on top in the overbustle and attached to the waist area to emphasize the delicacy of the fabric and show off the beading and silver threads of sewn flowers. I did notice how I need to take the front hem around just a bit to the back for this bustle to work, so thanks for the comment about pinning the bustle, then mark the hem. Sleeves. These are totally decorative, the bodice and the nifty inside waist piece hold the dress perfectly in place. I will use the suggestion of shortening the caps at the junction with the gown. It seems the organza will allow me to fold it a bit and I could tack the edge a bit to keep the crescent shape coming to a point and not have to rip stitches in the organza. For the $20 most shops offered on this, they certainly weren't ripping many stitches! I found nothing on this small alteration in any resource I checked, so this forum was great! Research is done . . . I am nearly ready. I mailed the check for the cake today and finished a 4th revision of the seating chart for our sit-down dinner. The bride has calculated the meals and other charges at the reception site and we had to spend more! They have a minimum, so we added some appetizers for those arriving at the reception site early. The bride has her program ready to get printed and has finalized the flower order. The bridesmaids are wearing tea-length dresses and need no alterations! The bride chose these to avoid the usual $100 hem charge on simple dresses. Time to dig in! I am not scheduled for any meetings for two weeks. I am a local elected official. I have no one home expecting a meal today. The Elna was taken from her cabinet and is on the seldom used dining table. Thanks for that tip about a big table! I have a black lab to avoid and she dislikes her feet on wood floors. If I have time, I'll give a progress report.

Joining in the praise, and I can truly relate to value of a (good) decision made. I was curious to see the view count but I don't see it now. ( we need to know how many bridesmaids still counting)-- I don't see it though I have looked. I wonder if I need to sign in? lol

annie, you are right about the meger selection in the department stores at the moment. I saw that when I went to buy my 9 year old grandson a few new garments, at Kohls. I swear that there were no more than about six racks or shelves of anything, at all in that section. And, most of it was the same old, same old stuff on every one of them. All of it was awful synthetic stuff. I walked out empty handed and havent been back to Kohls since. The womens clohtes were just as limited and just as awful. Online purchasing is becoming more necessary when the stores are declining so very much. With online ordering you never know what it feels like, or where any element is going to rest on your figure. I simply cannot do it or be bothered with all of that shipping back and forth. So glad that I can sew, although about the only thing that I can find to sew with anymore is linen that I do order online. The quality of this vendor is consistent and reliable and there are no fitting issues involved with the ordering. I am convinced that many of these fashion photos are altered to make the models legs look so absurdly long! I have seen some that are so exaggerated that it is almost laughable. Shopping for just about anything has become a chore.

I love these chiffon SL Fashions dresses for you as well. The chiffon makes them so summery and pretty. And they're under $100. https://www.macys.com/shop/product/sl-fashions-tiered-chiffon-dress?ID=12969371 https://www.nordstromrack.com/s/sl-fashions-rhinestone-embellished-ruffled-a-line-dress/6795255 This print is only a few sizes unfortunately. https://www.macys.com/shop/product/sl-fashions-tiered-floral-print-sheath-dress?ID=10374871 Similarly this is only a few sizes. https://www.macys.com/shop/product/sl-fashions-embellished-cutout-neck-dress?ID=10975984 https://www.amazon.com/S-L-Fashions-Womens-Regular-Cashmere/dp/B09L38M441 This one is a different brand, but I think the overlay would be pretty. https://www.macys.com/shop/product/connected-split-overlay-sheath-dress?ID=13924156 This Ralph Lauren has really pretty tiers, kind of like the Sam Edelman. https://www.macys.com/shop/product/lauren-ralph-lauren-georgette-shift-dress?ID=13718471 Also comes in orange if you prefer. https://www.macys.com/shop/product/lauren-ralph-lauren-georgette-shift-dress?ID=13733403