I Did It!

I bought my dress tonight!

Caution: This is going to be a long post! =)

It terrifies me that I actual did it... but I did it! (I'm one of those people who always worry that I made the wrong decision... but I do really love the dress. I didn't want to take it off!)

A few weeks back my mom and I went to a bridal show. I signed up for a LOT of giveaways and things and tried on a few dresses. Two of the dress shops that were there, The Bridal Gallery and Simply Grand, sent me a flier last week about a "Midnight Madness" sale that they were going to do with dresses up to 80% off. Since the two stores are about a block from each other (and there was one dress I'd tried on from S.G. at the bridal show that I kind of likes), I decided to try to make it.

I was able to get one of my bridesmaids and my mom and dad to make the drive up to go shopping with me. And I'm so glad I did because I found my dress! I tried on about 8 dresses at S.G. and then we went over to T.B.G. where I tried on three more... the first dress I tried on was it. I tried on the other two but then put the first one on again and stared at myself in the mirror for about 15 minutes. lol My mother told me it was a very pretty dress (gee... thanks mom! lol), but the look on my bridesmaid's face was what did it for me... she just stared at me and nodded her head. Then she came up and told me that she'd overheard another woman who, when she saw me come out of the dressing room, said, "If that's not her dress, I don't know what is".

I'm not going to post a picture or link to the dress because I don't trust Jacob not to peek. lol But I will tell you that it's not what I was expecting to get at all. I thought I want a straight neckline... I got a sweetheart. I thought I wanted a WHITE dress.... I got ivory. I thought I wanted something basic and simple... I got beads. lol

Another girl was at the first dress shop with a friend. We got to talking and she told me that she'd been married this summer. I asked if she "knew" when she found her dress, and she said it was funny because she had tried on a dress as a joke and ended up loving it. It just shows that you need to try on things that you don't think you'd like.

If you really want to see the dress.... send me an e-mail and I'll mail you the link... I really do want to show it off, but don't want to risk the boy seeing it! =)

Here are a couple of the best parts. My dress was originally $800. It was marked down 50%! Which is UNDER my dress budget! And yes, I bought it off the rack. I have heard brides everywhere urging, "Don't buy off the rack for your wedding dress!" But, you know what? If I can get the perfect dress for 50%, I'm gonna do it! Plus, I don't have to wait for it to get here... it already is! (Well, it's at the dress shop being stored for me anyway... but I can go visit whenever I want!)

Oh! And off the rack it fits every where but around the hips... (which is odd, 'cause I thought wedding gowns ran excessively small... but I got the dress is my usual dress size)... but if I can kick my ass into gear and lose about one inch from my hips/butt in the next 8 months (which I'm pretty sure I can do) I shouldn't have to alter the dress AT ALL (except for the bustle thingie)! Which means I'd save even more $$!) =)