"The dress"

I found my dress!!! When I started this process last August (I was shocked when I realized that it had been that long ago that I first tried on dresses), I had strong reservations about ever finding “the one”.  Everyone kept talking about how you just know.  That you try it on and it is this great aha moment.  I didn’t have that the first time.  I barely tried on any and of course right after I bought mine I tried on another on a whim and loved it so much more.  But being as I had bought mine - I was stuck.  And it was pretty enough.  And blah blah blah.  I didn’t know if I believed in just knowing. And with my budget, it wasn't a matter of finding the "right" dress, it was a matter of finding the "right, cheap" dress.  

I’m also highly indecisive and susceptible to others’ opinions.  So I was pretty worried I would not know which dress was “the one”, I would never make “a decision” and I would let others pick “the dress”.  But I was determined to at least have a dress on at the wedding.  Preferably wedding type.  And I knew one thing and one thing only, no strapless.  So off my maid of honor (and various sidekicks) went to try on dresses.

We started with the old stand by - David’s Bridal.  I had researched tons of dresses online so I knew what kinds of dresses that I thought were pretty.  I just didn’t know what would be pretty on.  Let me just say what is weird about trying on dresses.  First of all - they lend you a strapless bra and slip and that’s how the salesperson sees you.  At David’s Bridal they put the dresses on  you.  So much for privacy.  And that was awkward at first, but eh - whatever - I’m 40 and have had two kids.  I don’t have much for conventional awkwardness anymore.  Let’s try on some dresses.  

The first time we were there I tried on 3- 4 dresses.  A budget tends to make things difficult.  That combined with “no strapless” and the options were limited at David’s Bridal.  I had a few I liked, but wasn’t in a hurry or pressured to decide so put the dress trying on thing on the back burner.  

Then we moved up the wedding by 6 - 7 months and the pressure was on.  Back to David’s Bridal we went.  I was NOT impressed with the second experience.  First we got shuffled around even though we had an appointment.  We were made to feel like they didn’t have room for us because they were soooo busy (at 8:00 on a Wednesday).  The consultant reluctantly brought me one dress that I had tried on and liked months before.  Then Amy brought me a dress I found on the clearance side of the story and the consultant went and found one more dress.  One.  I liked the first dress again.  I loved the second dress from clearance and I hated the dress the consultant found.  When she brought me the next dress it was,  you guessed it ….. strapless.  The one thing I told her I would NOT try on.  When I told her no thanks she told me there were no other dresses in the store in my price range.  Umm… under $1000?  Okay.  Thanks but no thanks.  Needless to say, I didn’t have “the dress” yet.   

A few days later I had an appointment at White Rose Bridal in St Charles.  It’s a remodeled church and we walked in and I LOVED the place.  Everyone was super nice and welcoming.   I had also checked out their website and just walking in the door I was excited.  They have their dresses organized by size which makes shopping a lot easier.  So we started looking.  Worrying that my budget was ridiculous we didn’t pay attention to price tags and instead just started grabbing dresses.  Then I started trying on.  I loved the first one I tried on, but didn’t love the $1500 price tag.  

I loved the second dress I tried on, but still was in a little sticker shock at just over $1000.

I then tried on a series of dresses that fell in the “nope” category.  And then another couple, “eh - maybe”.

At this point I was getting a little nervous when I remembered that I had three dresses from their website I wanted to try on.  All from the clearance section.  

Apparently the clearance dresses are kept in an overcrowded basement room and my consultant was gone for quite some time.  But I came back from trying on a dress and she had two out of the three found and for me to try on.  I looked at the first one in the bag and knew it was my dress.  It had happened!  That feeling everyone said I would have!  And I didn’t even have it on yet.  

Once I tried it on, I was smitten.  It fit me perfectly.  Needs only a few minor alterations (why are all dresses made for 6 ft tall women) and it is MY dress.  The dress I have always wanted.   I love absolutely everything about it.  Amy and Libby overheard me saying that it was only $350 on clearance.  My consultant told me to look again.  $179!  I spent less on my dress than some of the veils and belts for the other dresses.  I loved my dress no matter what it would have cost, but I can’t lie.  I love it a little more since I got such a great deal.  I did the right thing and tried on the second dress but literally had it on one minute before I took it off and put my dress back on.  I didn’t need to shop anywhere else or look at any other dresses.  I had found the one, “the dress”.  

Since we don’t want Tim peeking until the big day, I can’t share a picture of “the dress”.  But I’ve shared some of the “maybe dress” and “could have been the dress” pictures instead!