Dress-Shopping, Finally!
“Your wedding is in six months? You need to choose a dress TODAY!”
I lost track of how many times I heard that last weekend when I FINALLY went wedding dress shopping! One of my excuses for waiting so long was that I wanted to go with my mom. My dad realized that I was just going to keep twiddling my thumbs until she got here, so he put her on a plane with instructions to visit as many bridal shops as I wanted. We went to three, which was more than enough for us!
First, we went to White Satin Bridal in Plainfield. The store was spacious, clean, and peaceful. Totally our style. I loved every minute we spent there!
[Note to ADAM: This post contains pictures of me in white dresses. If you truly do not want to see me in a wedding dress until April, please stop here. 
]
…
…
…
I told Sarah, one of the sweet owners of the store, my dress guidelines: Slim. Simple. No ruching. She brought me a dozen dresses, and I fell in love with a few. Please ignore my crazy pinky fingers in these pictures. Adam talks with his hands; I talk with my pinkies. Potatoes, po-tah-toes!
Off to the next store! My mom’s dear friend (I’ll call her Auntie J here) came along for the fun. When onlookers in the crowded store saw me in this dress, we heard them exclaim, “Sold!” and, “That is the one for you!” Auntie J gave us her hilariously honest opinion later on: “Oh honey, the front was beautiful. But that was a LOT of fabric hanging off your *ss!”
I only tried on two dresses at that store. I liked the swishy-ness of the second one:
And finally, we reached the last shop on our list. Since it was our last hurrah, Mom and Auntie J brought me dress after dress to try on. They said they wanted me to try on dresses outside of my style, but I think they were just tired of seeing the same cut in a million variations. It was fun, and I learned that the style I like really is the most flattering and the most “me.”
Yep, there go the pinkies again. They must have liked that one.
And the conclusion? I went back to the first shop with my FMIL, SIL, brother, nephew, and niece. I put on my two favorite dresses. And I bought the one that made my two-year-old nephew say, “Komo looks so pretty.” It’s staying top secret until the wedding day! (Unless I cave and post pictures during the fittings. Highly likely.)
I LOVED wedding dress shopping. I had no idea that they clamped extra fabric in the back with Chip Clips. I also learned that almost all wedding dresses have trains that must be bustled (I hadn’t noticed!). And best of all, I learned that when you find your dress, you will sigh with joy, twirl with glee, and your pinkies will dance their most happiest happy dance.
Beautiful Day
I just discovered this picture on a shoe store’s website…….and I am so inspired to start dress-shopping now.
"Bright Young Hollywood" photo from Vanity Fair
Holy schmogorgeousness. I love the bride+bridesmaids idea and the soft ruffles and layers everywhere. How do I go about finding, buying, or making these dresses?
Picture’s original source: Vanity Fair
Another Unconventional Day
Speaking of crazy ideas…
There is one white dress that I’ve always wanted, searched for, and compared all other dresses to…..since I was 13 years old:
Juliet's angelic dress
From the moment I saw it onscreen in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet, I loved everything about this dress. More than a decade later, I still love it and think about it whenever I’m shopping for dresses. I own at least five white summer dresses, all purchased because of their similarity to this one. It also doesn’t hurt that the dress caught the eye of this guy:
Romeo and Juliet...and the dress!
Haha, the love of my 13-year-old heart. That is, until he made movies that were not Romeo and Juliet, and I was wholeheartedly disappointed that he was not Romeo all the time. Anyway, I also love the halo-like hairstyle and wings she wore with the dress…but then I’d definitely have to wait to wear it on Halloween. 
My dream dress
Alas, I haven’t found it yet. I might need to beg my mother to make it for me. I wonder if I could wear it at one of our wedding-related events. Perhaps it would work for my bridal shower or post-wedding brunch…or I could use it for my getaway dress!
Day of Dresses: Part Two
I should have known that once I started looking, I’d fall in love with a dozen wedding dresses. I just love things that are pretty, and wedding dresses are sooooo pretty. Here are more styles that I adore:
Modern, fitted, gorgeous
Pleated, modest, classy
Princess-y, shimmery, pretty
Old-world, detailed, romantic
Oh la la~ So much to choose from! I’m getting eager to start trying some on.
Day of Dresses
My future mother-in-law is shocked that I haven’t gone shopping for wedding dresses yet! I have several reasons for this:
- I don’t know when or where the wedding will be.
- I want to go with my mom, but she lives in Florida.
- I’m thinking of wearing the dress I wore to prom. Is that crazy?
Late last night, I began an innocent search. I decided to save all the dresses that I immediately liked and try to narrow down my taste and style. I started at Jim Hjelm, because I fell in love with this dress a while ago:
Sweet, chic, and simple
More views of the dress
Before I knew it, I was saving dresses left and right! For example:
Fitted, feminine, and dramatic
Soft, unique, vintage-y
These are all so gorgeous. I’ll share more of my finds with you tomorrow!
My Turn! Dream Up the Day, Part Two
This post concludes my four-part series on Adam’s and my dreams for our big day!
Size:
Less than 200 people. Even thought it’ll be large, I want the ceremony and reception to feel very intimate and personal. Everything will be very “us,” from the handwritten notes to the abundance of hugs and laughter, all mixed in with our favorite things and people.Photographer:
I know it’s such a trend, but I do love the photojournalistic style. I want laughter-and-tears-inducing candids, fabulously unique posed shots, and a handful of formal portraits.
A beautiful reception photo (Source)
My Dress:
I only know that I want something white and streamlined/fitted. I’ll know when I try it on.His Suit:
He’ll wear a gray suit with white pinstripes and a white shirt. I’d love him in a bright, baby blue tie and socks! I imagine him with a simple calla lily boutonniere.Bridal Party:
I’d love them in pretty, blue dresses! Their bouquets can have blue and white flowers with one crazy-bright pink flower mixed in.Blue bridesmaid dresses (Source)
Rings:
He’ll have a silver (dark gray?) band. And me? I’m still admiring my engagement ring.
Dream Up the Day, Part Two
In my previous post, we learned that if Adam had a superpower, it would be to turn everything blue. Actually, I think he started liking blue more when we started dating. I wonder if that has anything to do with my infatuation with his heart-melting, killer blue eyes…? Annnnd now, without any further ado, let us continue with the rest of his ideas for our wedding.
Size:
Medium sized wedding…I suppose 200-300 which may seem large at first but that really will be just enough to fit all of the key people in our lives.Bride’s Dress:
Something fitting so I can see Hannah’s curves, but obviously I want it to be classy more than sexy. I want to see a veil and some sort of hanging part…ya know so little girls in cute dresses can carry it off the floor. I want your hair to be up but have two pieces on each side of the head that fall in front of your face. Does this make sense…? I picture it, and it is beautiful.Groom’s Suit:
Grey pin stripe suit with white/baby blue vest and/or tie. Something to bring out my eyes and match the blue roses!(See a theme?) Spikey hair… 1 week old from being cut!
Bride’s Girlzz:
A light blue dress…something cute and fun. I want them to be able to move and dance in it! This is important so they have a good time!Blue bridesmaid dresses (Source)
Groom’s Boyzz:
A black suit with a blue tie that match one another. I think even if the suits are cut different they should have the same shoes.A choice for the groomsmen? (Source)
Rings:
Simple/classy wedding rings. Gunmetal would be nice…a grey color of sorts.
Now that we’re through with Adam’s preliminary thoughts about the big day, we’ll continue next time with my ideas!
