Thursday, October 20, 2011

Token Dress Post

Okayyyyy so the tentative purpose of this blog was not to be about frilly wedding things... but I would like to gush about my dress for a moment if you don't mind.

I put it on for only the third time a couple weeks ago. The shape wasn't exactly what I wanted... well actually it was when I found it. But if you had a ballgown dress, or if you select one in the future, you will relate when I say that the poof gets smaller (in your eyes) the longer you stay in the dress. The inevitable result is layering petticoat after petticoat until you are that cloud in Super Mario Bros. where the little dude sits to throw the spiky things at Mario right as he's jumping over a ravine... you know? In order to avoid that my strategy is to put my dress on as little as possible before the wedding. This also makes me much more smiley and excited when I do put it on! Anyway, I did want it poofier, and I still needed a headpiece, so I used my lunch break to go to the bridal shop. My future in-laws were visiting that weekend, so I invited my future mother-in-law to go with me.

Self Portrait.

In-Law Posse
It was actually a really cute moment. I've seen my in-laws a lot more than I initially thought I would. In all of my past relationships I met parents once or twice, and the guy met my parents like five times. Tim has only met my parents twice, but my parents instantly adored him (with every other guy they always said "We haven't seen him enough."). I on the other hand have seen his parents about once every couple months since we started dating. Even so, I was a little weird about asking Tim's mom to go with me at first. It's nothing about her, she's a really sweet lady, but I just tend to make things like that unnecessarily awkward. I definitely wanted to ask her, but I didn't want to make her feel obligated. I thought she might like it (she had three boys, thus not a lot of girly time), but how well do you really know your in-laws? It's definitely a balancing act. My mom probably knows hers a little too well (in my opinion) whereas I know some people who still call their in-laws Mr./Mrs. Last Name... yeesh. I would hope to build a happy medium with mine. Anyway,  I asked Tim to ask her (I know I know, what is this, middle school?) and he lovingly but firmly told me that I had to talk to her myself. I manned up and asked her and she seemed really excited. With her help I was able to pick out my hairpiece and finalize my no-veil choice. Seriously how does anyone wear those? I felt like a bird was nesting on my head...

The Place

To find my petticoat and hairpiece we went to the same shop where I got my dress. Let me just tell you about the amazing people at Church Street Bridal. When you come out in THE dress they gush right along with you just like they're your girlfriends, and I love that. They are truly happy for every single bride that walks through their doors. Not only is the service awesome, but the dresses are all high end samples at extremely discounted rates. My dress is a Priscilla of Boston (2009) from Kleinfeld (yes, THAT Kleinfeld). Original price: $4400. My price? $400. I bought my hairpiece for $60, originally $375. If that's not worthy of a happy dance I don't know what is. The final spoonful of awesome is that all proceeds from the salon go to the YWCA. It's an amazing place with a great cause.

How I really know my dress is THE dress.

My dress was the sixth I tried on, but the first one I picked and tried on with serious intentions. When I walked out I hadn't seen myself in a full mirror, but I could tell from the way everyone was looking at me (both my friends and the staff) that I was in my dress. Sure enough, as soon as I saw myself I laughed and cried and bought it on the spot. Afterward, I wondered if my emotions had been a fluke. It's one thing to cry the first time you put on a dress. Just being in a wedding dress could make some people cry. So I hoped that I wouldn't change my mind. Well I put it on (for only the third time) with a big poofy petticoat, and with my mother-in-law waiting outside. When I walked out the audience reaction was exactly like the first time. My MIL and the staff stared and I knew that I was in my dress. One saleslady said "I know you bought it a while ago, but I got so excited for you just now!" and Marilyn said "You look like a princess! Oh Tim is going to pass out when he sees you!" Isn't that so sweet? I get a very specific sense of "knowing" when I see the way people look at me in my dress. It's the way I always wanted people to look at me on my wedding day, so I know it's the dress for me.

Please don't throw up, buuuuuuut it kinda sorta makes me feel like this...


I guess you could say I'm going for 80% Cinderella, 20% Mario Cloud Boy. Or maybe the other way around. I'm geeky.

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