Dress Shopping - My reflections

My mom and I spent 6 1/2 hours at 3 dress shops - David's (of course), a little place that's going out of business (where my mom tried on dresses 30 years ago! Not where she bought though), and at a shop that had high reviews and carried Maggie Sottero, Mori Lee, Allure, Alfred Angelo and a few other designers I've heard praised to high heaven on the WB boards.

It was a long day. I tried on more than 10 dresses at David's, about 15 at the little place going out of business (none fit right, which is disappointing, since most of them were really cheap, deeply discounted; plus I tried on at least 10 bridesmaids gowns, since they were on sale for $10!!! but none fit right, sadly), and more than 50 at the other shop. I tried on anything. Everything. If the girl brought it, I tried it. My one real criteria? No beads, no sparkle. I'm into shiny stuff, like diamonds, but not on my dress. I want my wedding to be about ME, not my dress. I want eyes on ME, not my dress. Well, a little on my dress.

David's was definitely an eye opening experience. I was in fitting room #3, random-girl-named-Chelsea was in fitting room #2. Everything Chelsea tried on looked identical to me. Pick ups in the skirt. Sparkly beading on the bodice. Strapless. Ruching. I had no idea so many dresses could look exactly the same but not be the same dress! She probably thought the same thing about my constant stream of v-necks and straight skirts. :)

Chelsea had her mom, and someone older, maybe Grandma or an aunt, and her bff or sister there. They ooh'd and aah'd. They clapped. They cried.

My mom? She sat and looked through the Men's Warehouse catalog, once she was finished with the David's catalog. She got up when I came out and took the obligatory pictures when I asked, but that was about it. She offered no opinions. Neither of us cried.

Monica, our sales girl, brought back an armful of 'matching' veils for Chelsea, who tried them all on with several gowns, first with her hair down, then with her hair up, then under the mess knot she'd tied. She thought the floor length was just a little 'too much', but loved how the fingertip veils looked.

Monica brought me a veil, I put it on and laughed at the mirror. I'm so not a veil girl. I tried on a birdcage later, at the last shop, when no one was looking. It looked okay; I'll probably go that route. Simple. Small. Understated.

A year ago, I didn't know the names for different kinds of veils. Weddingbee has taught me so much...

I need to pick a dress. I don't think I'll be one to cry, but that won't make my dress any less mine when all is said and done. When I got home and looked through the photos, one dress that I had cast off almost as quickly as I'd put it on caught my eye. The more I look at it, the more I like it. I'll have to go back and try it on, maybe in the proper size (some where a size too small) this time. Maybe if I go with a friend who's excited about weddings, I'll be able to get excited too, and it'll feel less like an overpriced white snow suit, and more like a gown is supposed to feel.

I don't know. I'm just not sure I'm the bridal type.