River City Feed

The wedding - but not as advertised

2010-09-14T19:58:18+00:00

With Malcolm as MC, a stunning dress and surrounding by beloved friends and family, Ruth's low-key wedding in The Ship was a romantic affair. Bling may have been lacking but the event was full of love. We've got lots of exclusive pictures from the wedding for you.

Like real life, weddings in TV dramas are hectic affairs for all involved in their production. The entire cast has to be suited, booted, primped and preened. Hair, make-up and wardrobe departments work frantically to bring the vision to life.

Clare Pettifer, the busy costume designer on the show, filled us in on the background to Ruth's stunning wedding dress.

Originally Clare bought a dress in a High Street store sale earlier in the year. Then she subsequently spotted a vintage 1950s oyster lace dress in Glasgow. In the storyline Ruth's grandmother, Rose, was the first person to wear this dress, which Ruth and Jo had loved as children. It fitted Morag Calder perfectly, with a few modifications. Maggie Scobbie, who worked on Helen Mirren's costumes in The Queen adjusted the dress to fit.

As we blogged about previously, the costume team always have a camera to hand, to keep a record of what the cast have been wearing and when. These are placed onto continuity sheets, which you can see a sample from below.

Photo of continuity sheet from the wedding day

The Magic Bump

2010-08-20T13:55:47+00:00

What's warm, cosy and flesh-toned? Need another clue?
These things live in the River City costume room, and Eileen will be getting to grips with them in the next few months. Yes, we're talking about the pregnancy 'bumps' which Deirdre has started wearing as her character adjusts to becoming an expectant mother.

By far the most intriguing items in the River City wardrobe room are the selection of costumes used to create the effect of a pregnancy. You immediately want to handle and squeeze the odd, skin-toned suits. They are also surprisingly lightweight.

Claire Pettifer, the costume designer on River City, let us in on some of the secrets behind the bumps.

Eileen's pregnancy wardrobe - tell us more.
Pregnancy costumes do depend on the actor's shape so they can vary quite a lot. When Eileen gets four/five months into her pregnancy, we use the first bump under her clothes. That's the stage that we're at now. After a while Eileen's bump will go up a stage.

How are the 'bumps' to wear?
The padded costumes are very warm and comfortable! For some reason people think the suits will be really heavy, but they are very cosy and soft to wear. Dressing in the suit is similar to carrying round a cocoon. They are fantastic costumes to wear in the winter when it's chilly on set.

1 June 2010 - Backstage at the non-nuptials

2010-06-01T09:07:45+00:00

There's nothing like a last-minute proposal, a false pregnancy, a groom with the jitters and a desperate dash to the church, to give us a bumper Shieldinch (non) wedding, with bells on!

Wasn't Ruth such a good friend to Andy, even though you could see that her heart was breaking, and she was desperate to tell him about her true feelings? Then after gatecrashing the wedding Andy was so kind and gentle with her. And that ending! Were you excited/upset/thrilled? We were a mixture of all three!

We've got a few sneaky facts about filming the wedding scenes earlier this year. Andy and Gabriella's wedding-which-was-not-to-be was filmed at Strathleven House in Dumbarton, close to the River City set. On the day of filming hot water bottles were much in evidence, because the wedding scenes were shot on a shivery February day. Gina's costume continuity sheet will give you an idea.

The stunning wedding dress was sourced from a vintage shop in Glasgow's Trongate. Shelley Lang who played Gabriella is very petite. Because of that, Clare Pettifer, Costume Designer for River City, tells us that Gabriella's dress had to be altered and customised extensively, with the costume team adding a high collar and changing the sleeves radically.

Mind you, all the beautiful dresses in the world couldn't make up for the fact that Andy didn't love Gabriella as much he loved Ruth. We're still blubbing here.
We loved the 'best friend-off' between Iona and Scott. And what Andy actually said to Ruth at the end had us reaching for the tissues too - awwww!

Booster buddies

2010-04-30T15:37:43+00:00

Loved Iona's rhinestone-encrusted shirt which she crafted for Big Bob's audition - though we think his tomato outfit was mega!

Don't you think Iona and Bob make a good team? She's one helluva confidence coach. Catch the episode and watch the duo in action.

Mysterious girl

2010-04-26T09:32:35+00:00

Look at what we've just spotted in the costume room! Wonder who this belongs to?