Dress Disaster

This should come as no big surprise...

to other brides out there, because I know I'm not the first (or last or only) bride-to-be that's felt confused, frustrated, and downright crazy about choosing their wedding gown.

As noted in my previous post, I went shopping at David's Bridal in Springfield last week with my mom and I tried on a nice variety of dresses. As described last week, on my fourth dress I was pretty much sold although I had a really hard time accepting that the fourth wedding dress I'd ever tried on in my life was "the dress."

We didn't have enough money on us (we never planned to find "the one," that day) to hold the dress, which turned out to be a really good thing. It gave me sometime to think about the dress and that's exactly what I did -- I couldn't stop thinking about it. Nevertheless, I decided it'd be a good idea to go to a boutique and give other, more expensive gowns a try in case I found something I liked more.

The good news is...

That the boutique didn't impress me at all. I didn't like trying on dresses that weren't my size (i.e. were too small) and I wasn't impressed with their selection either. Nothing I tried on compared to the dress we liked at David's Bridal and more importantly, most of the dresses were way out of our price range. Thanks anyway, Katherine's Bridal Boutique in Old Town.
When we got to David's Bridal (we went there directly from the boutique), I couldn't wait to show my MOH (she had never seen it) the dress and affirm the feelings I had all week. Happily, I put on the dress and it was exciting. I felt really happy and nervous all at the same time. We were all excited really. My MOH said she loved it and my mom gave me the look like, "There it is! That's the one!"

Nevertheless, I decide to try on a few more because we were getting ready to put money down on the dress and I wanted to be sure. My MOH pulls something from the racks, I think it's "ok," and ...

Here comes the bad news...

When I put it on, all the same sales associates and folks (including my mom) that said the first dress was "the one," had now changed there minds! Admittedly, the second dress was more flattering for my figure. It was also more appropraite for a fall wedding, because it's made with a thicker material, it's more comfortable, and it looks like an Oxon Hill Manor dress; however, I didn't get the warm fuzzies when I put it on.

If I wouldn't had gotten that feeling from the first dress, I'd say the warm fuzzies were a myth, but they're not! It is supposed to feel like the show, "Say Yes to the Dress" looks and you are supposed to be excited, right?

Well, I just wasn't. I would (and still will) admit it's a better dress than the first. It's a lot more flattering, like I said, but I had formed quite a relationship with the first dress. Not only that, but I was really tired by the time we got around to the second dress. I hadn't eaten all day and I couldn't for the life of me get excited about it. I put the first dress back on, then the second dress on again, and I was honestly stumped. I stood in front of the mirror confused, tired, and hungry, listening as my mom, my MOH, and everyone else in the store said "it's the one!"

In hindsight, I don't know why I didn't just say, "Let me sleep on it," or "I'm not sure." I felt obligated to buy something, being that we were at David's Bridal for the second time and everyone was in consensus, but here's why this post is called disaster...

I put the second dress on layaway and I'm not sure I want it anymore.

When I finally got some food in me and looked back through the pictures, I'll admit I started to get excited about the second dress. From the pictures (which I would post here, but there's too big a risk my fiance will see them) there's no doubt the second dress looks better. It's a very nice dress, designer made, marked down significantly, and it's growing on me, but as the days go on I can't help but feel a little sad.

How come I didn't get the warm fuzzies?

Also, did I mention that I called David's Bridal the very next morning to ask about their return policy? Turns out once the dress is on layaway, you forfiet 10 percent of the cost if you chose not to follow through with the sale or you can exchage it (once it's paid for) for another David's Bridal dress.

Share your Dress Disaster stories and of course, words of advice are always welcome...

The Dress

Being snowed in gave us a chance to look at our wedding plans and get focused. Saturday evening, my mom and I marked our calendars with all of the upcoming deadlines, such as when save the dates are sent, when we visit the florist, the caterers, when we'll register, and anything else we could think of.


The next day I was itching to scratch things off our massive list. I'd had enough talking about what we needed to do and I was ready to do it! So after doing all that we could at the house, which wasn't much, we decided to venture to David's Bridal to "check out some wedding dresses." I had originally hoped to bring my bridesmaids and my step mom with me to look at dresses, but after being stuck in the house for two days, the idea of going somewhere just seemed too appealing and I couldn't resist.

Let me start by saying that stepping foot into David's Bridal was an experience in and of itself. Seeing the dresses is much different than viewing them online! When I walked into the store, it all seemed real all the sudden and it was like I'd been sucked into an episode of "Say Yes to the Dress," and I was about to embark on a whole new chapter in the wedding planning world!

My mom and didn't wait for the sales associate to start pulling dresses, I think we picked up about five... The first dress was a very typical wedding dress. It was a white and sleeveless with a ruffled skirt. It had puff, but it wasn't too puffy. I really liked it. It was cute and it was comfortable!

 

{Photo credit: Weddingbee}

I really liked the second dress because it gave me more of a shape and it would be perfect for our outdoor venue. It was an a-line dress with a very simple detail and ironically, it looked just like my mother's wedding dress! I felt like my mom in this dress and you could definitely see the resemblance!

The third dress I tried on was feminine and flowy, but again nothing too big or puffy. It was a fun dress, with a little bit of embellishment on the hip. I liked it, but my mom and I were beginning to notice that in white dresses, I look a bit washed out because my skin is very fair. It was time to try out an ivory dress.

{Photo credit: The Knot}

I was seriously prepared to try on 50 dresses and walk out of there with nothing. I really only went to David's Bridal hoping to get a feel of the gown I wanted, not actually get one! You  never know when cupid's going to hit you with that love arrow though and oh how the fourth dress caught me off guard!

Let me just say that you may think you know what you want, but you really have no idea! When I stepped out of the dressing room with this gown on, I said to the consultant, "Oh no, this is too much!" However, when took a few steps in it and actually saw myself in the mirror, I felt like a princess -- like a bride -- and like a woman who had just found her wedding dress! It's elegant, sophisticated and well, there's just no way to describe it, really!

*Plus, my fiance might see this post and I don't want to give away ANY details about the dress that will spoil the big day! Also, did I mention there are no pictures of this gown either? It's a premiere gown, which means David's Bridal is testing it before they advertise it! Yep. It's a one-of-a-kind!*

The only (only, only) problem is that was only the fourth wedding dress I'd ever tried on. It just didn't seem... well, normal that it only took trying on three dresses to find THE DRESS! Not for me anyway, because I'm very indecisive. To test the connection I felt with this dress, we pulled two more dresses off the rack with features that were similar. Guess what happened. Yep. The last two dresses didn't compare to dress number four. Not at all!

I have to say I'm shocked at how easy dress shopping was. I think the tough part is going to be sticking with this dress and this decision. I absolutely cannot wait to put on the dress again and I think the second go around, we'll have even more confirmation it's the one! If it looks the way I have imagined, there is no doubt I have found THE DRESS. Yay!!

What was your experience buying a wedding gown?

How many dresses did you try on before you found the one?

BM Attire

Half of my BMs have ordered their gowns and shoes, and I am so excited. I love their dresses so much! I even tried on a sample. (I wouldn't put my favorite gals in something if I wouldn't even wear it myself.) The ladies are wearing a sunshine-colored Alfred Angelo gown for our spring wedding in Richmond.

I may love the dress too much, because I've chosen to have the BMs and MOHs wear the exact same gown and shoes! All ladies will also wear pearl earrings and a necklace, which FI and I will give them as gifts during our rehearsal dinner. Yet, I still think I want to differentiate the MOHs just slightly. They will wear different pearls from the BMs. I've also thought about sashes for the MOH's, either pink or white, and Davids Bridal has some really pretty sash embellishments, so I've got a couple that I really like.

My concern is that I don't want to overadorn he MOHs and have the BMs look plain beside them. However, I'm pretty pleased with my decision so far, and the dresses look great on all the ladies.

"Does That Come in My Size?"

Like every girl growing up, I tied white sheets around me at the wee age of six and paraded around our townhouse in Northwest pretending I was wearing the most lavish and beautiful gown in existence. Beading, train, the works!

Even when I was small, I was convinced my dress would be nothing short of fabulous. We all do this. We dream of THE dress, as if it's some ethereal other-worldly creature that doesn't exist on our plane of reality.

Let us flash foward to today. As with every bride, we never quite lose that little girl within, twirling around in sheets. We are different people, though, and to be honest, I was concerned.

I'm a girl that boasts a large personality, but underneath just wants to be happy with what she sees in the mirror, or something equally After School Special.

When it came to finding a dress, I knew it was going to be a challenge, and I almost dreaded the task. I'm just shy of six feet tall, and I am completely in shape, if you consider somewhat round a shape. In addition, I feared that the size of my chest would make strapless dresses impossible.

I made calls, and initially came face to face with my worst fears. Larger sizes would have to be special-ordered, but none were available in my size (or near it) to try in the boutiques. I heard this over and over again, and began to feel very discouraged. I literally had nightmares of going into stores feeling completely awful about finding a dress.

Finally, I caved.

I called David's Bridal - White Flint in Maryland. (Metro accessible: White Flint Stop on Red Line; located in Metro Pike Center, 2nd floor.)

I was hesitant to call. I've heard mixed reviews. Some had horrid experiences, warning people away. Some hated the fact that it was a chain. The positive stories were few and far between, but I cracked because I knew they would carry a good selection in my size to try on.

I took one of my best friends (Miss Gallery Place) with me on my first trip there, as we're both getting married, along with Mr. JeffMemorial. Miss Gallery Place was a peach and helped me with my insecurities and gave great dress advice.

How would I rate my experience? Incredible. Not only that, but I found the dress:



This picture was taken this past weekend, as opposed to my first trip a few weeks ago.

My review of David's Bridal at White Flint is nothing short of a rave. My bridal consultant was sweet, attentive, and really helped me feel comfortable even though I am a plus size. In addition, when I went back, she remembered me, inquired after my family, as well as remembering all of my sizing information.

Not once did I feel pressured or have an unpleasant experience with any of the staff. Also, the prices were very reasonable. My dress actually has gone down in price.

In addition, I'm all smiles about the dress. It's something I never imagined I would have. As soon as I put it on, I knew. I honestly thought I would end up with something a little more on the plain side and most definitely not strapless.

Moral of the story? Just because something is a chain store doesn't mean it's a bad thing. In addition, just because your butt might be bigger than your budget doesn't mean you should have to settle.

I will be buying the dress in November.