Wedding Dress to Impress

So, I bought my wedding dress on Monday. No big deal.

PSYCH! It’s the BIGGEST of deals!!!

Now, I should say that similar to flowers, the dress was never really a budget priority for me. I wanted to look pretty, I wanted to feel comfortable, and I wanted to be able to dance in it (correction: NEEDED to be able to dance in it).

But other than that, I’ve never really been the type to spend a wad of cash on a piece of clothing. And the fact that I would only wear this dress once (and for a few hours at that) weighed heavily on my budget-conscious mind.

So, naturally, my first stop was David’s Bridal. Okay, I know this place has kind of a negative rap for being cheesy, boring, or cheap, but guys, DB has really stepped up their game. Not only did I try on about seven totally different dresses, they were all classy, lovely, and affordable.

Though I had a pretty solid list in my mind of what I like (simple, fitted on top, matte fabrics) and what I don’t (all-over beading, pickups in the skirt, anything too princess-y), I tried to go in with the mindset we recommend to all of our brides on TheKnot.com. Namely, an open one.

I had resolved to try on whatever someone handed to me (after explaining to my posse -- my mom, my FMIL, and my FSIL -- and the DB assistant Nina the likes and dislikes), even if it didn’t immediately seem like my style. After reading enough message board posts about brides who ended up with a dress totally unlike what they expected, I know that sometimes you have no idea what looks good on you until you actually put it on.

The first dress was nice, but definitely creeping into princess territory. (Although, not going to lie, just seeing myself in any kind of wedding dress gave me thrills.)

(Doing the robot?)

Next was an adorable tea-length number with a high-low skirt and a flower detail on the bust. I actually loved it and thought maybe my search would end earlier than I anticipated. But, like a good Knot bride, I knew I had a bit more trying on to do.

Next was something totally different. It was slinkier, more Grecian-inspired. It was very pretty, but we all agreed it wasn’t really my style.

The fourth dress was probably my least favorite. The mermaid cut was nice (Nina, my wonderful salesperson, totally made my day by going on and on about how my figure was perfect for it. Yes, I know she’s a salesperson, and no, I do not care.), but as I mentioned, pickups are just not my thing.

And then…there was the dress. The dress. And I just knew. And my mom cried, so apparently she knew too. As I looked in the mirror, all I could think was, “I’m going to marry him in this dress.” Sounds like a winner, right? (Scroll down for photo!)

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PSYCH AGAIN! (Apparently it’s 1995.)

C’mon, guys! The Fiance is one of those supportive types who actually reads what I write. No way am I risking him seeing it here. But suffice to say it’s a style I never thought I would pick.

And guess what else I learned? I’m a veil person! Who knew, right? But the second they put it on my head, it was like, “Well, dang. I feel like a bride.” I think I’m going to add that as another attempted DIY project, though. Something about spending over $100 on a piece of tulle and a plastic comb doesn’t sit right with me.

We went to one other bridal salon, but the dresses were expensive, the salespeople were a bit snooty, and, let’s face it, I had already found my dress.

So, to sum up, here are the lessons wedding dressing shopping taught me:

1. David’s Bridal is awesome. (And so is Nina!)
2. Try everything. If you hate it, you hang it back up -- no harm, no foul.
3. When you know, you know.