A dress rehearsal for the dresses?

Okay, so it might seem silly, but Crissy and I had a dress rehearsal of sorts for our upcoming wedding dress shopping excursions.  You see, neither one of us are really in love with the idea of trying on dresses in front of lots of people.  And, neither one of us are overly comfortable with the idea of dresses not fitting necessarily - as is the case with most people when they try on sample gowns.  So, we had ourselves a mini dress rehearsal....complete with two whole friends.  But, this meant that we got feedback other than our own - and got to try on some dresses and get used to the whole thing (Crissy more than me) before we're in front of lots of people doing this in a few weeks.

Want to know what we found?  Yeah, we figured you did.  So, here's what Crissy ended up liking;

This is the Maggie Sottero "Sonya" dresss...and perhaps Crissy's fave of the day

This was the other one she really ended up liking - by Casablanca Bridal

And, then there's the dress that I liked:

Does mine seem a little bit familiar? Yeah, that's because I realize it looks very similar to this dress that I posted a few months ago...

They're not identical, but it was surprising to realize just how similar they actually are.  Especially since I'm not even the one who picked the Allure Bridals dress off the rack to try on.  Funny how that works, huh? 

We're in no way ready to buy a dress yet, but today was a good start.  And, I think it reinforced for me what style of dress looks best on my body type - and allowed Crissy to have a better idea of what type of dress she's really wanting, also.  So, all in all - not too shabby of a dress rehearsal, if I do say so myself.  :)

Seeing Spots

Apparently I'm about 4 years behind a particular wedding dress trend - polka dots.  Who knew.  In looking through dress pics online recently, I fell for yet another dress.  It's blush colored, polka dots - and well, just fun.  Only to find out that it's discontinued - and appears to be from about 2007.  I mean, I had no idea I was so far behind on this polka dot trend.  And, 4 years too late or not, I think this dress would just be so much darn fun to wear.

And, then I stumbled upon this one (also from 4 years ago) for Crissy:

Don't they just scream "outdoor wedding" to you?!?!

My friend, Emily

I'll preface this post with the fact that my dear friend, Emily, has no idea that I'll be writing anything about her.  Typically, I only reference her with regard to her craft skills or hoping she'll help with something.  But, instead of just posting some additional pics and sending a shout out to thank Emily for finding my missing dress, I decided she warrants her own post.  :)  Which I then realize means all of the other wonderful women (friends) in our lives probably should have their own, too.  One day, ladies....one day.

This is a pic of my friends from college (taken somewhere around a year ago), who have been amazing and continue to be some very important women in my life:

Emily is the adorable pregnant one on the left in the purple

You see, Emily is great for a variety of reasons.  The biggest reason is probably her heart and very kind, generous spirit - and overall spunk.  Beyond that, sometimes I think we're pretty darn close to being the same person (with a few big exceptions - but, still).  Emily is very detail oriented, somewhat perfectionistic, crafty and definitely girly.  As crafty and creative as I always knew Emily was in college, she has blossomed into an even more wonderfully crafty and creative creature as an adult (I can say that since I'm older than she is).  :)  Emily blogs about beautiful showers she's thrown for friends having babies, homemade fabric flowers she whips up on a whim - not to mention all of the fun, DIY things she did for her own wedding several years ago.  So, I have called upon Emily to help with some wedding tasks - because I know she'll do it wonderfully and beautifully, and save my sanity.  For that, I'm incredibly grateful.

To add to Emily's list of talents, we can add "missing wedding dress finder."  Seriously.  I don't know how she did it.  In a mere two hours or less of me posting that I couldn't find the "Pretty Pink One," she had found a link for me.  While that link may be to a place that makes replicas, it gave me the info I need for the actual designer.  She's one talented lady, I tell you.  Because as much as I loved the front of the dress - check out the back:

And, check out the detailing on the top part:

So, a big thanks to you, Emily, for helping me find this dress so I can at least try it on.  I mean, it might make me look like an oompa loompa with the big full skirt, but I at least want to see....it's just so pretty.  And, pink.

Missing: One Pink Wedding Dress

In a tragic recent event, a dress has turned up missing.  After hours of searching high and low for said dress, authorities have deemed it missing.  Unfortunately, said dress is nameless and is hereby referred to as "Pretty Pink One."  Pretty Pink One is slender, sparkly and has a little junk in the trunk.  Pretty Pink One is most easily identified by her sparkly tank style top and her gorgeous full ballgown skirt.  Should you find Pretty Pink One, please advise.  A picture is posted of her below to aid in your search.

So. Many. Choices.

I have no doubt that once I actually buy a wedding dress, I will stop feeling like every dress I see is better than the last.  But, in the meantime....I keep finding dresses that I like.  Some better than the prior ones - some are just different.  The one I like today?  This one:

I think I have settled on wanting a dress with color.  Since first seeing the dress with the tulle skirt a while ago and debating it in champagne, followed by the gorgeous blush colored Vera Wang dress, I can't imagine wearing an all white or ivory dress.  The color just makes it so much more fun - and unique.  I mean, every bride wears white or ivory.  How many wear champagne or blush?!?!  Well, I will, I've decided.  And, the dress above is much more in line with the budget than my beloved Vera Wang.  Don't get me wrong....I LOVE the Vera Wang dress still.  But, I am also moderately practical.  However, should someone magically gift me the Vera Wang dress, I have my shoes all picked out:

I should really note that the gorgeous Badgley Mischka shoes pictured above are currently on sale on Piperlime for only $79.99...down from $215.  I mean, some might take that as a sign that it's all destined to be.  Good thing I'm more practical than that, right?!?!  Don't worry, dad - I'm not buying the shoes.  Or, the Vera Wang dress.  But, I'm more than happy to dream for now....

Fork in the road

Do you ever have one of those moments where you feel like you're moving along in the right direction, without questioning any of the choices...and then wham!  You're faced with a fork in the road.  Literally or figuratively - whatever.  Either result in a decision to be made.

Okay, so this may not be the most thought-provoking blog post - or the most significant, but it's definitely one that causes thought on my part.  Remember a while ago when I posted about being frugal?  Well, I've really been trying to stick to that.  You see, I've been perfectly content with skimping on some things (no worries - those things don't include food or alcohol).  Even this past weekend when Crissy and I were celebrating my dad's installation thing, I pushed her to be more frugal than she was starting to think.  My parents hired a (pretty great, honestly) band to play for my dad's event and it got us thinking, "Man, a band would really be nice for a few hours before we turn on the iPod to shake our booties to."  But, then I reminded Crissy that that money could really be used elsewhere.  This frugal thing has really sunk in.  I've even been saving my reimbursement checks for the past month to be able to pay off another bill that needs taken care of.  That means I've been living off of just my income. Crazy!

Long, rambling story shorter....I got an email today.  From David's Bridal.  I don't normally open these - because they're typically "$99 dress sale" kind of emails (with not so hot $99 dresses).  Today's subject line was far different.  It announced the preview of a new line of dresses.....White by Vera Wang.  Yes, you read it correctly - Vera Wang is doing a line for David's Bridal.  This may not mean anything to some of you (or, really - lots of you).  But, imagine something you love for $6,000 and someone telling you that you'd be able to get a version of it for around $1,000.  Pretty great, huh?  Well, that's what this is like.  Vera Wang dresses are insanely expensive.  And, as my cousin Karen noted - she's pretty sure you have to sell a kidney to be able to buy one.  Well, I think I need both kidneys - so no "real" Vera Wang dress for me.  However, it's much harder to turn down a $1,200 dress.  Even though this is about 6 times what I wanted to spend.  You see - I know that $1,200 is perfectly in line with lots of dresses.  But, I also know that this is a whole lot of money.

But, check it out.  I mean, really, check it out:

I think what I love the most is the bottoms of most of her dresses.  They're just so fluffy, for lack of a better word.  I don't think I've seen other dresses like them.  I love them.  And, I love this one.  This is the dress that has made me doubt my budget and frugality.  I L.O.V.E. IT!!!

Would you splurge on the budget for an amazing dress like this????

I LOVE it!!!!

Okay, so I know I have posted lots of pictures of dresses...but this one is different.  I'll be the first to admit that I have liked - and perhaps even loved - a lot of the dresses of I've posted.  There are so many options!!!  Despite liking and/or loving all of those other dresses, I LOVE this one.  I haven't had that "oh my gosh I have to have it" reaction to any of them....until this one.  Oh, it's amazing.  And, it's super mega on sale - but only for another week.  And, by on sale - I mean actually less than the very limited amount I had wanted to keep my dress budget to.  And, that's pretty amazing (and low)!  Here's the dress as it's shown on the website - it's not one that will actually allow me to change the color and have the picture reflect it, so there are a few pics below it that people have posted of themselves in it, in various colors.

This is what's shown on the website - in silver/grey

Someone's picture of it in white

The dress in ivory - which doesn't look much different than the white, honestly

The dress in champagne

I won't lie....I've really thought that I would get a white or ivory dress.  However, I think I might like the champagne color the best.  Plus, I love that when the dress gets picked up, you see the different layers underneath in white. 

How do you ever pick a dress?  And, what color would you choose????

Oh so indecisive

I may be, perhaps, one of the most indecisive people ever.  It's not really because I don't like to make choices (unless it pertains to picking a restaurant...then I don't want to choose), but it's really more about a fear of picking the wrong thing and not being happy with my decision.  In this particular case, with regard to dresses specifically, it's about loving soooo many things that I find!  For example, in a prior post, Kristy and Darci were awesome and tried on bridesmaid dresses one Saturday morning.  After several being tried on, they both found one they liked.  Well, given the fact that we still have eight months until the wedding, that gives me plenty of time to look at other things.  So - the other day it was looking for really great deals on dresses.  I found a few - one of which includes this really awesome multi-way dress from Victoria's Secret that I think could get a lot of use out of it.  See, as it gets closer and closer to making real and legitimate decisions about things - I find it harder and harder to justify the people in our wedding spending gobs of money on something they'll never wear again.  I think that's what makes this exactly what a wedding should be about - getting married that day.  Because that's exactly what my concern is - it's not whether Kristy and Darci want to wear the same dress, or if our dad's wear black dress pants because that's what they already own instead of brown dress pants because they match, or whatever.  It's about marrying Crissy.

And, now I've completely digressed from my original point (which was much more meaningless than what I ended up writing, but still....).  So, in the midst of looking at all things wedding, I've begun to not only find other bridesmaid dresses that I like - but also started to wonder about Kristy and Darci wearing a peacock colored dress.  You know, to add a little color to the outdoors.  I mean, we will be surrounded by green and brown with the grass, trees, leaves, etc....why not spice it up a little?!?!  (just for the record, Crissy's vote - I think - is still for brown dresses).  Here are a few new ones I've found:

This is just the peacock color of the first dress shown here in brown

Oh, and don't worry - the indecisiveness doesn't only apply to bridesmaid dresses...it's completely impacted wedding dresses too.  Check out these two that I really like today:

This one has pockets (a definite fun bonus!) and I could add some bling to the belt to jazz it up a bit - and I could still wear some huge, funky necklace which is very me...

 

You'll have to imagine this one in all white - I LOVE the ruffles!