CELEBRATE! Life Is A Celebration. ROBIN MILLER Special to the Jewish News A Live It Jewishly! Find That Special Gift For... Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Wedding, Birthday, Anniversary, A New Baby, Etc. Tradition!Tradition! For An Appointment Gall Alicia R. Nelson 248.557.0109 • A www. allthingsjewish. corn V ■ 687820 more than just bread. ATLANTA BREAD COMPANY° SOUPS • SALADS • SANDWICHES • FRESH-BAKED BREADS • COOKIES ATLANTA BREAD • COMPANY BAKERY CAFE BOWL OF SOUP or• HALF SALAD with purchase of any full sanikici Offer valid only at Royal Oak location. Not valid with any other offer. One coupon per persca per visit. Cash value 11100th of It. Coupon EXpifeS 8/31/03. 516 South Main St. Royal Oak, MI 48067 Phone 248-543-3000 Fax 248-543-3017 02003 Aflame Bread Ccopany ANDREA SOLOMON WEDDING & PARTY PLANNER 3/28 2003 C16 Invitations • Calligraphy Balloons • Kippas • Napkins 248-626-3421 week doesn't go by that Steven Saidman doesn't get an emergency call from a panicked bride-to-be. That's understandable, because Saidman runs Imperial Gown Restoration, a company in suburban Washington, D.C., that specializes in restoring and preserving old wedding gowns and rescuing new ones. His customers come from all over the country, says Saidman, who — like many other restorers — has seen his business increase since Sept. 11, 2001, as people seek the comfort of a family treasure. Many of the vintage gowns Saidman sees today come from the 1930s and 1940s. Such gowns add something extra spe- cial to a wedding, says Antonia van der Meer, editor-in-chief of Modern Bride magazine. She notes that many heirloom gowns being worn today mirror contem- porary styles harking back to glamorous evening gowns of the 1930s. Wearing a piece of family history is a unique way to celebrate a family's tradi- dons, van der Meer says. She strongly suggests making the dress and its history a part of the wedding if possible. "If the person who originally wore the dress is still alive, it would be fun to talk to her about the dress and include any information in the wedding program," she says. Difficulties Still, wearing a vintage wedding gown is not just as simple as pulling one out of the family cedar chest and taking it to the cleaners or the tailor, says Jonathan Scheer, president of J. Scheer and Co., a New York-based textile conservation firm that handles vintage wedding gowns. If a gown has not been cleaned and stored properly, it may not be wearable at all, Scheer says. Gowns that have not been cleaned or have been exposed to light or humidity may have stains that have permanently damaged the fabric. Food and perspira- tion stains also can weaken a fabric to the point where cleaning it creates holes in the stained areas, Scheer says. PAST PERFECT on page C18 Past Perfect There's more to wearing grandma's gown than pulling it out of a cedar chest.