super excited for all of you!
however, one bone of contention. i got my dress at david's. don't get me wrong, i really didn't want to get my dress there either, but it just so happened that i ended up going there. quick story to tell you how it happened...stay with me, it's funny...
like all girls i poured over mag's to find the dress...i found one i really liked in an ad. looked up the company website, found they were based in nyc, and emailed them asking about the dress. the dress was sooooo me. it had a cross stitched pattern on the bodice with little embroidered flowers and a full ball gown skirt and it tied at the top like a sun dress. trust me...gorgeous! anyhoo, someone emailed me back (the person that emailed me back had the same last name as the designer, so immediately i should have realized that something was afoot), and told me that they had only one of those dresses in michigan at a couture shop about 35 miles from my house in a ritzier town then where i live (sign 2). please also note that at this time i was only 22, thereby generally considered to be a dumb-dumb. they then proceeded to tell me that if the dress is not there they will send one from nyc for me (sign 3), by this point i am totally impressed with their customer service. so, off i go to a part of michigan that i am not familiar with, by myself, mom was with sick sister, moh was busy.
here's where it gets good. also helps to note that during my younger years, i was about a buck twenty five-six; years and two kids later, i realize that ever achieving that weight again is a pipe dream. so i walk in and this older italian woman asks if she can help me, i say yes, i called earlier about this dress, blah, blah, blah. she says oh yes, i have it right here. so i go in the dressing room and begin to undress when this woman walks right in (she was sweet as a canoli but i am a bit of a prude), and begins to help me put on the dress. she begins to tell me about the dress, it was a champagne color and she said all better designers generally make their dresses in this color, the stitching is all done by hand, etc. (sign 3). she had to gather the back of the dress up with a close pin because it was way to big for my anorexic size, and when i turned around-and please reference the movie sixteen candles here and an italian accent-she actually grabed the front of the dress and said, and i quote "this dress is so beautiful on you! a big woman like myself could not wear this, and once we get you some in here you will be so beautiful!". Seriously. i got felt up while trying on wedding dresses.
after the feelings of mortification and violation wore off, we headed to the mirror where they placed a stunning cathedral length veil on me, where i preceded to cry like a little girl. which every girl knows is the defining feature of "THE" dress. it was a good thing no one that i knew was with me, because what came next was a huge buzz kill. i finally broke down and asked the 64,000 dollar question...how much? i think i defied physics at this moment as i was able to make my teardrops roll back upwards into my eyes as the woman said-$3400. now, for some people this is not too bad, for my cheap touchie, it might has well been a million dollars. i stopped crying immediately as i didn't want my cheap, blue-collar tears to somehow damage or discolor this stunning garment. the rest of my wedding was already expensive, so this amount for a dress was just not going to happen.
i think i said before we had a cinderella themed wedding-invites, color scheme,cake topper, etc. the point is this, i was able to to david's and through some patience was able to find a nice dress, very plain and classic; satin tank, full, full, organza skirt with satin ribbon circling the bottom, i also wore 3/4 length gloves-my take on cindy's dress. if i can figure out how to post pics i will. ended up getting the dress for $300. i ended up feeling just as beautiful as the $3400 dress.
i understand not wanting the mass produced dress, but don't knock it till you try it. plus, even if you don't buy your dress there it is a great trial-and-error place with lots of dresses in different styles and sizes.
i will now go and apply for a job at david's bridal....
hope i didn't sound mean...cause i love ya's!
