I've Found My Wedding Dress! No, Really, I Did This Time.
I know I previously stated that I found my wedding dress on my first shopping trip but I recently went to a wedding in Oakley, California at the Brownstone Gardens.
And the bride was wearing the dress I had picked out but in a different color! Not to be catty or show a hint at being a Bridezilla, but I was kind of turned off by the dress. I know it would look different on me as we have different body types but I didn't like seeing that another bride was wearing my dress. And I couldn't hold it in and told DB, "She's wearing my dress." Yes, MINE! Wah! And now he knows what it definitely looks like. Fail, on my part. So, it was decided that I needed to go shopping again.
My Matron of Honor, Tara, and my Maid of Honor just gave birth so they were busy with their pregnancies and adjusting to having newborns. Tara's Baby Emma was now two months old but Christy's Baby Nate was just weeks old. Melyssa was dealing with a new house and the day I picked to go shopping was the day she and Dan were going to take the boat out for his birthday. Perhaps going to this wedding in Oakley was a sign that that dress wasn't for me. And it allowed me the pleasure of shopping with one of my long-time friends.
It was also a good time to meet Baby Emma. I had not met the little one yet. I know it's difficult for any new set of parents to adjust to a new schedule, a little person to take of, and try to accommodate everyone that wants to come by and see the baby. I didn't want to be intrusive or overly ask but I tried to hint that I wanted to see her and that when it's good for them, I'd love to come up and see her. That particular Sunday worked out well. I made an appointment at a boutique in downtown Sacramento that had great reviews on Yelp. We'd go there after brunch and spending time with Baby Emma. She is absolutely beautiful. I got to feed her, burp her and try to keep her happy. Tara says I'm a natural. I love hearing that. See how wonderful she is?
Then it was off to shop! We first went to Miosa Couture. There we met Michael and a very nice staff member. I described the first dress and he picked out one very similar and I loved it. So did Tara. It was plain, a unique color but add some bling, a veil and a quick bust line alteration - it was gorgeous and definitely in the running. And it was also the most expensive, though still within my budget, of the top two dresses that day.
Since we were there, we browsed through the bridesmaid dresses. I decided on the length and color. Tara is so sweet that she said she'd wear anything that I wanted her to. I know I want them to also feel beautiful on my wedding day and definitely want them in something they can wear again. While Tara browsed through the rack, I went through the dresses hanging in another room that were going to be part of their sample sale.
Browsing thru those dresses was a work out. I definitely felt it in my upper back, which is a good thing, because I definitely have a weak back. Stupid car accidents.
Tara found one she liked!
It says SAMPLE. Love her.
We left Miosa and asked Tara if she had some time left to try one more spot. It was possible that I was going to get that great dress from here so I wanted to scope out more bridesmaid dresses to get a feel of what's out there, price ranges, and what's appealing to Tara. We headed to David's Bridal in Roseville, California. I didn't think I was going to find a wedding dress to my liking here but since they did have some Vera Wang dresses, I played with the idea of trying MORE dresses on.
We signed in and it was about a 20 minute wait for a room. We went up and down the aisles, felt fabrics, looked at the chart of photos. I decided to try on a Vera Wang dress that was not my style but Tara really liked it. I really did like it too but I didn't see myself walking down the aisle in this and I know DB would hate it. It'd be fun to wear but I felt like I got lost in it. I tried on a dress in the style that I was looking for but a different material and color. It was half the price but it felt it was half the quality. It was tempting to save that much money but was it worth it? Our salesperson was so friendly, helpful and wonderful to deal with. Don't knock David's Bridal. You may just get a great salesperson like we did.
Tara was hesitant to try on dresses when the salesperson asked if she was next. Tara was such a trooper after recently giving birth and she looked so wonderful in the dresses. She's like me in that her facial expression shows exactly what she thinks of each dress. We agreed on one in particular and the color, an idea on how to dress it up and fabric were determined. The day was extremely helpful and it was so nice to spend time with a girl I've known for so long.
I had some thinking to do. Three dresses were in the running:
#1 - The dress I pulled out of a magazine. DB ok'd it from the ad. It was the first one I tried on and the very first time I felt like a bride. It fit almost perfectly and I felt great it in.
#2 - Much more regal, simple, elegant, but much more expensive. It was definitely going to be a custom gown with the neckline changed and some embellishments added. No one will have my exact dress.
#3 - The style I wanted. A different material than I wanted, too bright of a color but over half the cost of #1.
A few days later I took #3 off my list. I wasn't going to settle on my wedding dress because of cost, although we are currently adjusting to a situation at the moment. Money has been put away for this day so I intend to use it.
The next week I had a crazy few days ahead of me with four Stella & Dot trunk shows (TS) in Brentwood and Fremont. After one of them, I stopped into His & Hers Formal around the corner from where I had my TS in Brentwood. I remembered that I had a 10% coupon I received from a bridal fair at the Hannah Nicole Vineyards, also in Brentwood. The vineyards was in the running for my venue but it would've eaten up the entire budget. I was also meeting my Mary Kay rep, Kristina Gutilla, to do an exchange. I texted her and told her I was going to peek in at His & Hers. LOL. Low and behold, she popped in as I was trying on one of two dresses. I was standing on the pedestal with mirrors all around me and Kristina's jaw dropped when she came around the corner, then smiled. She loved it. I wasn't too crazy about the top when it was on the hanger but it definitely grew on me. Then I decided that I loved it when I didn't want to take it off and that #2 has now been replaced.
TORN between two dresses. I had already scheduled a second appointment with dress #1 for the following day, so it was going to confirm that I am just as in love with it or I like this new #2 better.
I went to my appointment to try on dress #1 with Brent after a day with family in Fairfield, California. I had Brent sit on a cushiony chair, I pulled on the dress and said, 'Ah man.' Yeah, I still love it. It just feels good. It's definitely me, my style. I turned to Brent to ask him what he thought. He shrugs his shoulders to his ears and gave me a little smile as he held his package of Dots candy. What a cutie pie. Still torn. More than before. I was hoping this appointment would answer all my questions. Fail.
I laid in bed that night looking through all the photos that were taken of me in these two dresses. And I looked through photos of dresses on the web, on wedding apps I downloaded to see if there was another dress I wanted to try. I did go to a shop in Concord to try on a David Tutera dress but that was definitely a no. I had a decision to make and it didn't help that DB warned me "Not to pick anything ugly." What a butt face. I was already having a hard enough time deciding on what dress I was going to wear when I marry this butt face. My first Bridezilla moment: I shed some tears. Then I decided that I needed to give my brain a rest because those tears were a sign I was overloading myself. It was a warning sign. I went to bed.
On my drive into the office the next morning, the radio was off and I just thought about what I want DB to see as I walk towards him on our wedding day. Sometimes he says I dress too sexy. Sometimes he asks "You went out in that!?" I don't need a dress that's over the top but I do need to feel gorgeous and elegant. And I do, with the new #2.
Take one feature off dress #1 and I could wear it another time. With my dress (formerly known as new dress #2), there's no other occasion I'd be able to wear this white wedding gown to. I ran my reasonings for my selection and photos by one of my clerks, Eileen, who has also helped me decide on our Save The Dates. The votes were unanimous. No fair that Christy had 3 votes: her, Cesar and Baby Nate. And so it has been decided. A down payment was made on Dress #2 as of yesterday.
Here's a sneak peek:
Sorry, that's all I'm showing for now. My Matron of Honor, Maid of Honor, Sister and Mother-of-the-Groom (LOL, and my Mary Kay rep!) are the only ones that know what it looks basically like.
Thanks for reading!
And the bride was wearing the dress I had picked out but in a different color! Not to be catty or show a hint at being a Bridezilla, but I was kind of turned off by the dress. I know it would look different on me as we have different body types but I didn't like seeing that another bride was wearing my dress. And I couldn't hold it in and told DB, "She's wearing my dress." Yes, MINE! Wah! And now he knows what it definitely looks like. Fail, on my part. So, it was decided that I needed to go shopping again.
My Matron of Honor, Tara, and my Maid of Honor just gave birth so they were busy with their pregnancies and adjusting to having newborns. Tara's Baby Emma was now two months old but Christy's Baby Nate was just weeks old. Melyssa was dealing with a new house and the day I picked to go shopping was the day she and Dan were going to take the boat out for his birthday. Perhaps going to this wedding in Oakley was a sign that that dress wasn't for me. And it allowed me the pleasure of shopping with one of my long-time friends.
It was also a good time to meet Baby Emma. I had not met the little one yet. I know it's difficult for any new set of parents to adjust to a new schedule, a little person to take of, and try to accommodate everyone that wants to come by and see the baby. I didn't want to be intrusive or overly ask but I tried to hint that I wanted to see her and that when it's good for them, I'd love to come up and see her. That particular Sunday worked out well. I made an appointment at a boutique in downtown Sacramento that had great reviews on Yelp. We'd go there after brunch and spending time with Baby Emma. She is absolutely beautiful. I got to feed her, burp her and try to keep her happy. Tara says I'm a natural. I love hearing that. See how wonderful she is?
Then it was off to shop! We first went to Miosa Couture. There we met Michael and a very nice staff member. I described the first dress and he picked out one very similar and I loved it. So did Tara. It was plain, a unique color but add some bling, a veil and a quick bust line alteration - it was gorgeous and definitely in the running. And it was also the most expensive, though still within my budget, of the top two dresses that day.
Since we were there, we browsed through the bridesmaid dresses. I decided on the length and color. Tara is so sweet that she said she'd wear anything that I wanted her to. I know I want them to also feel beautiful on my wedding day and definitely want them in something they can wear again. While Tara browsed through the rack, I went through the dresses hanging in another room that were going to be part of their sample sale.
Browsing thru those dresses was a work out. I definitely felt it in my upper back, which is a good thing, because I definitely have a weak back. Stupid car accidents.
Tara found one she liked!
It says SAMPLE. Love her.
We left Miosa and asked Tara if she had some time left to try one more spot. It was possible that I was going to get that great dress from here so I wanted to scope out more bridesmaid dresses to get a feel of what's out there, price ranges, and what's appealing to Tara. We headed to David's Bridal in Roseville, California. I didn't think I was going to find a wedding dress to my liking here but since they did have some Vera Wang dresses, I played with the idea of trying MORE dresses on.
We signed in and it was about a 20 minute wait for a room. We went up and down the aisles, felt fabrics, looked at the chart of photos. I decided to try on a Vera Wang dress that was not my style but Tara really liked it. I really did like it too but I didn't see myself walking down the aisle in this and I know DB would hate it. It'd be fun to wear but I felt like I got lost in it. I tried on a dress in the style that I was looking for but a different material and color. It was half the price but it felt it was half the quality. It was tempting to save that much money but was it worth it? Our salesperson was so friendly, helpful and wonderful to deal with. Don't knock David's Bridal. You may just get a great salesperson like we did.
Tara was hesitant to try on dresses when the salesperson asked if she was next. Tara was such a trooper after recently giving birth and she looked so wonderful in the dresses. She's like me in that her facial expression shows exactly what she thinks of each dress. We agreed on one in particular and the color, an idea on how to dress it up and fabric were determined. The day was extremely helpful and it was so nice to spend time with a girl I've known for so long.
I had some thinking to do. Three dresses were in the running:
#1 - The dress I pulled out of a magazine. DB ok'd it from the ad. It was the first one I tried on and the very first time I felt like a bride. It fit almost perfectly and I felt great it in.
#2 - Much more regal, simple, elegant, but much more expensive. It was definitely going to be a custom gown with the neckline changed and some embellishments added. No one will have my exact dress.
#3 - The style I wanted. A different material than I wanted, too bright of a color but over half the cost of #1.
A few days later I took #3 off my list. I wasn't going to settle on my wedding dress because of cost, although we are currently adjusting to a situation at the moment. Money has been put away for this day so I intend to use it.
The next week I had a crazy few days ahead of me with four Stella & Dot trunk shows (TS) in Brentwood and Fremont. After one of them, I stopped into His & Hers Formal around the corner from where I had my TS in Brentwood. I remembered that I had a 10% coupon I received from a bridal fair at the Hannah Nicole Vineyards, also in Brentwood. The vineyards was in the running for my venue but it would've eaten up the entire budget. I was also meeting my Mary Kay rep, Kristina Gutilla, to do an exchange. I texted her and told her I was going to peek in at His & Hers. LOL. Low and behold, she popped in as I was trying on one of two dresses. I was standing on the pedestal with mirrors all around me and Kristina's jaw dropped when she came around the corner, then smiled. She loved it. I wasn't too crazy about the top when it was on the hanger but it definitely grew on me. Then I decided that I loved it when I didn't want to take it off and that #2 has now been replaced.
TORN between two dresses. I had already scheduled a second appointment with dress #1 for the following day, so it was going to confirm that I am just as in love with it or I like this new #2 better.
I went to my appointment to try on dress #1 with Brent after a day with family in Fairfield, California. I had Brent sit on a cushiony chair, I pulled on the dress and said, 'Ah man.' Yeah, I still love it. It just feels good. It's definitely me, my style. I turned to Brent to ask him what he thought. He shrugs his shoulders to his ears and gave me a little smile as he held his package of Dots candy. What a cutie pie. Still torn. More than before. I was hoping this appointment would answer all my questions. Fail.
I laid in bed that night looking through all the photos that were taken of me in these two dresses. And I looked through photos of dresses on the web, on wedding apps I downloaded to see if there was another dress I wanted to try. I did go to a shop in Concord to try on a David Tutera dress but that was definitely a no. I had a decision to make and it didn't help that DB warned me "Not to pick anything ugly." What a butt face. I was already having a hard enough time deciding on what dress I was going to wear when I marry this butt face. My first Bridezilla moment: I shed some tears. Then I decided that I needed to give my brain a rest because those tears were a sign I was overloading myself. It was a warning sign. I went to bed.
On my drive into the office the next morning, the radio was off and I just thought about what I want DB to see as I walk towards him on our wedding day. Sometimes he says I dress too sexy. Sometimes he asks "You went out in that!?" I don't need a dress that's over the top but I do need to feel gorgeous and elegant. And I do, with the new #2.
Take one feature off dress #1 and I could wear it another time. With my dress (formerly known as new dress #2), there's no other occasion I'd be able to wear this white wedding gown to. I ran my reasonings for my selection and photos by one of my clerks, Eileen, who has also helped me decide on our Save The Dates. The votes were unanimous. No fair that Christy had 3 votes: her, Cesar and Baby Nate. And so it has been decided. A down payment was made on Dress #2 as of yesterday.
Here's a sneak peek:
Sorry, that's all I'm showing for now. My Matron of Honor, Maid of Honor, Sister and Mother-of-the-Groom (LOL, and my Mary Kay rep!) are the only ones that know what it looks basically like.
Thanks for reading!
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