"incriminating'' thank you card to the seamstress she claimed was responsible, Magistrates' Court heard yesterday.

Christina Massarato has refused to pay the balance owing to Evernell's Fit and Finish who made the bridesmaid's dresses, because they arrived late causing her wedding to be delayed for 30 minutes.

But the seamstress is suing her for $900 which she alleges she was never paid and Massarato is counter suing for $9,975 for the alleged distress and disappointment.

In a note written on August 29 in a thank you card, Massarato apologised to Davis for the "rattled nerves'' saying she was extremely upset at the time.

"When the dresses arrived the were beautiful,'' the note continued. "I hope we can still be friends...the girls will get in touch with you about the balance for the dresses. They think I am too emotional. I hope it's O.K.'' Massarato rejected suggestions from Davis lawyer's Miss Nicole Stoneham, that the note implied she shared the responsibility for the mishap.

Instead, Massarato said she already planned to give Davis a gift because she was one of the many person's who helped with the wedding.

She said she added the note to the card after the wedding because she had heard that one of her bridesmaid's had sent a message to Davis telling her "not to show her face at the reception.'' On the wedding day Massarato said she "became numb and couldn't look at the clock'' when she found herself less than an hour away from the wedding ceremony, and the bridesmaid's dresses had not yet arrived.

"The dresses were supposed to arrive at 12:00 p.m. on my wedding day,'' (August 28) she said. "Our makeup was all done at 1.00 p.m. and the photographer was ready to take the pictures at 3.00 p.m. but we didn't have the dresses.

"I was numb. My emotions were all bottled up. I couldn't look at the clock.

"Three of the dresses came at 4:00 p.m.and we were going to leave one of the bridesmaid's out of the wedding.

"I had to call the priest and my groom to let them know we were still coming, this was just before 4:00 p.m.'' Massarato's wedding was scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m. at St. Theresa's Cathedral.

However only three of the bridesmaid's dresses were ready at that time. Davis, decided to alter the dresses at 5:00 a.m. because she was not totally pleased with them.

Originally, Massarato and two of her bridesmaid's met Davis on January 16.

At that time she said she was definite about the style of dress, though Davis suggested that a long line bra would be needed.

That's because the dress had an off-the-shoulder design and a regular bra with a shoulder strap would have been inappropriate.

Davis disputes this version of events. She maintained that during their January meeting no final decision was made about the bridesmaid's dress design.

She also said that she could not begin work until that decision was made.

And that the final design was only confirmed on August 22, some six days before the wedding.

Despite that, Massarasto said Davis promised her that all four dresses would all be ready on the Thursday before the wedding.

Massarato said Davis never gave her the impression that she could not start working on the dresses until largest-sized bridesmaid acquired the proper bra.

She said that had she known that she would not have waited until July to make sure they had the right bra.

"I expected her to start making the dresses after we left on January 16, that's why I went to her in January so that I could get an early start.'' The trial has been adjourned until June 22.

Miss Nicole Stoneham represents Davis, while Massarato is represented by Mr.

Rod Attride-Stirling.