The Ensemble -- Alternately Titled, "Go away, Mr. JeffMemorial!"

We're under the 70 day mark, which is just terrifying and exciting all at the same time. I now regularly get that "Oh my god! I'm getting married!" feeling. I mean, it's really happening!

Thankfully I have had most everything done for quite some time now considering this wedding has been almost two years in the making. While I am now tying up loose ends and firming up dinner reservations and winery tours for the honeymoon, for the most part I'm not feeling like I have left something undone. (Hooray!)

This does, of course, lead me to dwell on details. (A bride dwelling on details?! Next thing you know, I'll be telling you the sky is blue and water is wet!) Recently I've been pondering my whole wedding ensemble. It's taken a few months, but the whole look as finally come together... I think.

Well, I have the dress...

It's the dress picture above in this color (navy blue, for the click-through phobic), and no that's not me.

I also have the shoes.


I have Swarovski Bella Golden Earrings.

And I have a cute handmade clutch from Etsy seller "UpStyle"!

But I'm not really sold on wearing a necklace. I've asked a few people, and they're sort of split down the middle between "Absolutely no necklace! It'll take away from the dramatic neckline," and "Of course! That dress screams for a necklace!"

God, I feel silly writing this--pondering extensively over whether to necklace or not to necklace. I guess it's one of those things where, since I very rarely get dressed up, I want to do it right. And it's not just the necklace. It's an overall ensemble anxiety, which sounds pretty ridiculous. I love all of these pieces separately; let's hope they play well together, as well.

I am, however, inclined to say no to the necklace, favoring the "dramatic neckline" which is sad because there are so many beautiful bridal necklaces out there.

Part of me wonders if maybe I should have left a few actually important projects to the end of this planning process, heh. Then I wouldn't spend actual time thinking about frivolous stuff like this. Or maybe I should spend more time on my homework.

What little things did you surprisingly get hung up on?

The Dress

Being snowed in gave us a chance to look at our wedding plans and get focused. Saturday evening, my mom and I marked our calendars with all of the upcoming deadlines, such as when save the dates are sent, when we visit the florist, the caterers, when we'll register, and anything else we could think of.


The next day I was itching to scratch things off our massive list. I'd had enough talking about what we needed to do and I was ready to do it! So after doing all that we could at the house, which wasn't much, we decided to venture to David's Bridal to "check out some wedding dresses." I had originally hoped to bring my bridesmaids and my step mom with me to look at dresses, but after being stuck in the house for two days, the idea of going somewhere just seemed too appealing and I couldn't resist.

Let me start by saying that stepping foot into David's Bridal was an experience in and of itself. Seeing the dresses is much different than viewing them online! When I walked into the store, it all seemed real all the sudden and it was like I'd been sucked into an episode of "Say Yes to the Dress," and I was about to embark on a whole new chapter in the wedding planning world!

My mom and didn't wait for the sales associate to start pulling dresses, I think we picked up about five... The first dress was a very typical wedding dress. It was a white and sleeveless with a ruffled skirt. It had puff, but it wasn't too puffy. I really liked it. It was cute and it was comfortable!

 

{Photo credit: Weddingbee}

I really liked the second dress because it gave me more of a shape and it would be perfect for our outdoor venue. It was an a-line dress with a very simple detail and ironically, it looked just like my mother's wedding dress! I felt like my mom in this dress and you could definitely see the resemblance!

The third dress I tried on was feminine and flowy, but again nothing too big or puffy. It was a fun dress, with a little bit of embellishment on the hip. I liked it, but my mom and I were beginning to notice that in white dresses, I look a bit washed out because my skin is very fair. It was time to try out an ivory dress.

{Photo credit: The Knot}

I was seriously prepared to try on 50 dresses and walk out of there with nothing. I really only went to David's Bridal hoping to get a feel of the gown I wanted, not actually get one! You  never know when cupid's going to hit you with that love arrow though and oh how the fourth dress caught me off guard!

Let me just say that you may think you know what you want, but you really have no idea! When I stepped out of the dressing room with this gown on, I said to the consultant, "Oh no, this is too much!" However, when took a few steps in it and actually saw myself in the mirror, I felt like a princess -- like a bride -- and like a woman who had just found her wedding dress! It's elegant, sophisticated and well, there's just no way to describe it, really!

*Plus, my fiance might see this post and I don't want to give away ANY details about the dress that will spoil the big day! Also, did I mention there are no pictures of this gown either? It's a premiere gown, which means David's Bridal is testing it before they advertise it! Yep. It's a one-of-a-kind!*

The only (only, only) problem is that was only the fourth wedding dress I'd ever tried on. It just didn't seem... well, normal that it only took trying on three dresses to find THE DRESS! Not for me anyway, because I'm very indecisive. To test the connection I felt with this dress, we pulled two more dresses off the rack with features that were similar. Guess what happened. Yep. The last two dresses didn't compare to dress number four. Not at all!

I have to say I'm shocked at how easy dress shopping was. I think the tough part is going to be sticking with this dress and this decision. I absolutely cannot wait to put on the dress again and I think the second go around, we'll have even more confirmation it's the one! If it looks the way I have imagined, there is no doubt I have found THE DRESS. Yay!!

What was your experience buying a wedding gown?

How many dresses did you try on before you found the one?

The Dress, Miss JeffMemorial Style -- Just Add Drama!

So, I've had quite a road with my dress. Let me just say that I am notorious for changing my mind a million times, and it was the same when it came to The Dress. I mean, c'mon! It's the dress that requires capitalization; I was going to be choosy!

After months and months of me saying, "Oh, yes! That! No wait! No, no not that one. Oh, how about this one? This is absolutely THE one. Hrm, no... I have changed my mind. It's hideous," I found The Dress.

Gorgeous, right? I felt like such a lucky gal. I'm six feet tall and busty, and I was able to buy this number OFF. THE. RACK. No alterations were going to be needed except the bustle. I was over the moon because, due to my aforementioned tall-ness and busty-ness, I assumed that I would not only be budgeting for a dress but also alterations.

Mr. JeffM and I patted ourselves on the back and walked out of the David's Bridal in Springfield, Virginia (really nice people, by the way), poofy dress bag in tow.

When we got home, we were faced with something we had forgotten about completely...

Meet Horatio and Clover. Fluffy puppies of doom. Adorable, yes. (I mean have you seen those ears?!) But they are also diabolical little pooch muffins who can (and do) get into EVERYTHING. We knew that we had to store the dress somewhere else.

The obvious answer was my mother. She lives nearby in Virginia and is pet-free. I thought my dress would be safe!

I thought wrong.

Let me ask you a question. Do any of you have that one family member who can't seem to keep it together? You know what I'm talking about... everyone else in the family seems perfectly fine, but this one person is just, well, crazy. They either drink, or don't have a job, or are certifiable. Sometimes they're all three, and that's what I like to call the Crazy Pinata or the Trifecta of Doom.

Well, the Crazy Pinata in our family is my mother. I say that rather glibly, but it's actually rather sad. The only problem is that all of your sadness and sympathy tends to fall away fairly quickly, as she has gotten very good and making people angry.

Case in point: my wedding dress.

To make an already long story short, she threw out my wedding dress. She got angry with me and threw out my wedding dress. Why she was angry? I couldn't tell you. I think it had something to do with her not being invited to another wedding, or me not calling her every day, but it's rather moot because...

...she threw out my wedding dress. And she was proud of it.

This sent me into a spiraling depression about the wedding. I didn't want to plan anything. I didn't want to look at dresses. I was beside myself with oppressive sadness.

A few months past. I gradually started to snap out of it, but only out of necessity. Our May 2, 2010 wedding date was quickly approaching and I had not done anything in months. Oh yea, and our save the dates needed to go out.

So with the gusto and motivation of a grumpy snail, I began planning again. It soon came to pass that, as much as I didn't want to, I needed to start looking at dresses. Again. I was still feeling very reactionary toward the whole dress replacement dilemma. I thought about outright replacing the dress with the exact same one, but every time I looked at a picture of it, I got upset. I soon realized that simply buying the same one over again wasn't going to cut it.

I thought about my options, and I noticed that almost all the white and ivory dresses started running together. I felt a bit overwhelmed. I wanted something that was ME, and that didn't necessarily mean BRIDAL. We had already scrapped our plans for a standard wedding and instead opted for a unique and fun wedding venue (which is another blog for another time!), I thought why not just start going with my gut instead of what I think I should have.

This meant no white. No ivory. No champagne. No off white. No cream.

For a few months I stalked websites and designers, trying to find something for me. I have very particular tastes. This couldn't just be any dress. Then I thought I had found it. It was beautiful. It had pleats. It was in my price range. It was divine. I thought to myself, "Yes, Miss JeffMemorial, this is the dress!" True to form, it still took me another month to actually ORDER the dress, but I did it! Two days ago.

And then... tragedy struck. Again. This time, in the form of an email.

"The designer will not put extra length on this dress, please advise if you want to proceed with your order."

I'm not going to lie... I kind of flipped out a bit. It apparently was the only dress they won't add length to, and, because of my height, the dress was ONE INCH TOO SHORT.

What made it worse was that I had THREE hours to find a replacement dress and order that instead. I was set on the designer, and if I didn't get it in that day, I wasn't going to have my dress in time for the wedding.

What's funny is that, after this whole mess, I ended up with a better dress. A dress that I had looked at briefly, but said no to. Upon further inspection, however, I realized that I had passed over it too quickly, and that it actually was exactly what I was looking for. Dramatic. One shoulder. Classic, but different.

So without further ado, I present to you my dress...

This dress is actually featured as a wedding gown, as well. While I'm getting it in navy blue (as shown above), I'll show you the white version also, so you can see the detailing...

So there you have it. Miss JeffMemorial has a dress. Finally. Oh yea, and her name is Stella. She'll be in my little hands on March 19th.

Indecision 2009: The Dress

I have sort of alluded before in previous posts about my shaky relationship with my gown. My initial reaction to my gown was an overwhelming feeling of...something... I loved the gown and I thought it was gorgeous. I changed our wedding theme because of this gown! My favorite part of the dress was the bodice and the beading. I felt it was definitely bohemian chic and it gave me that ethereal, flowy feeling that I wanted. Something afterwards, however, just did not feel...right...

And, I admit, I am not good at making decisions. I am an impulse buyer and I often suffer from buyers remorse. In fact, one of my girlfriends refuses to go shopping with me because she says that I always end up returning everything that I buy, so giving her opinion on what things look good and enjoying the shopping experience is moot.

So after I purchased the gown, I freaked out! I began having screaming matches with myself in my head..."This was my wedding dress!," "OMG! This was it!," "Am I sure this is the one I want to wear?," "I cannot return it!" "I have paid HOW MUCH!? "...so on and so forth.

The long wait after ordering the gown did not help either. I kept staring at pictures of myself in the dress sample and finding reasons why I now HATED this gown. It caused so much anxiety that I finally went behind my fiance's back and against all advice and ordered another gown online. Granted, this gown was cheap, (comparatively speaking) it was much more traditional and in a shape that I thought looked good on me.

Well, the second dress arrived before the first...I loved the neckline, but that was about it. It was just not as special as the first. The fabric was not as nice, the bead work was ok, and the lack of a waist line did not help my figure. So, not only did I have one gown that Iwas freaking out about...I had TWO! After several attempts to sell the second dress on ebay and other avenues, I decided to take the dress to I Do I Do in Gaithersburg to be sold via consignment.

This course of events did not take care of my frustration with my first gown. The dress arrived and I took pictures of myself in the gown at the salon when I picked it up. My step-mother and cousin both love the gown and at the time I picked it up, I started to feel those initial feelings of elation I had before. After obsessing over pictures of myself in the dress, however, I started to hate it again... What I don't like are the over the shoulder straps and the neckline. I feel it does not flatter my shape and looks matronly.

I had a LONG discussion with Mr. Glen Echo about my concerns and expressed to him that it was not just me being crazy and over obsessive...well...at least not all of it. He could tell that this was not just something that I was concerned about, but something that was causing me much anxiety and sadness. He agreed that if I find THE ONE and it is reasonably priced, I can purchase another gown and we will just take a loss on the money I already spent (OH, how I love this man!).

It is hard to agree to waste that much money on something that is so incidental in a way...but I could not rest until I got this right...no matter how stupid or badly I felt about it. I feel crazy about buying three dresses and I would judge me too if I were you reading this...but this is the only area of planning so far that I have regretted.

I still have the first gown and I plan to see what Angie can do with it. However, I did purchase the third (and final) gown through Netbride.com for a much less price than I would have through a salon. The funny thing is, I initially had a large budget for my wedding gown and I have purchased THREE gown within that initial budget.

Has anyone else gone through dress drama? What did you do about it?

Taffeta and Tulle

I thought about this post because I ran into a friend of mine over the weekend who is recently engaged and was off to go dress shopping.

For someone who is off to go dress shopping for the first time, it is a terribly fun and anxious experience. Let's face it, you're trying on wedding dresses. No matter how unconventional or un-girly one claims to be, there is something just so fantastic about trying on that first gown. My own dress shopping experience was LONG. I literally couldn't wait to get to shopping the second I got back from our vacation. Now, word to you ladies about to venture out: shop shop shop. I think one of the best things I did was shop around and try on every single style there is out there for brides. So here are some places and tips from me to you on dress shopping.

1) Know what you want. It's overwhelming when you walk into a bridal boutique and see every color, shape, and style imaginable. Some people find "the one" the second they try it on, while others like me needed a little more time to really find it. So search those websites and magazines and have an idea of what you want, but be open-minded. There are certain styles that are recommended for certain body types but trust me--you want to try on everything.

2) Shop around (if you can and want to and have the time!). It's easier said than done, but sometimes you don't know what you're looking for until you've seen every possible option. This may also save you the trouble of realizing that your spontaneous wedding gown purchase is not making you as happy as you were when you were high on wedding dress fumes when you go in for your first fitting! I went to Hannelores, Hitched (where I swear I found my dream dress), I Do, I Do (where I thought I really found my dream dress), Carine's, David's Bridal, and a few online peeks. Thefrock.com is a vintage/couture dress haven for someone who is looking for vintage Oscar, Dior, and Givenchy to name a few. I thought this dress was adorable:

Vintage Lanvin

By the time I was done I knew that although I'm petite, I loved the ballgown look even though every style guide advised me otherwise. I also knew that I at first shunned strapless but loved every single strapless dress I tried on. I was also going to get a white gown, but a light gold/ivory gown made me look amazing.

3) Bring good friends (but not too many). Bring the ones that will be honest with you. Also, remember that while they are welcome to their opinion, YOU are the one who has to wear it so ultimately, go with you gut, not your gals.

4) Wear clean undies, a strapless bra, and patience. You may be in the store for five minutes or an hour. Some places may also limit the number of dresses you try on.

Those are just some of the things that I know were helpful for me to keep in mind when I went dress shopping. And to be honest, there were times when I went by myself because with too many people and too many opinions it was easy to get lost in the mix. I finally found "the dress," in the most unusual places: The Running of the Brides at Filene's in Mazza Gallerie. My bridesmaids and I went last summer just for fun because I saw a TV special about it and I had tried on so many dresses that I thought it would be fun and worth seeking out a designer gown at heavily marked down prices. The dress was an ivory ball gown, a fraction of the dress I almost bought the week before, and after a few alterations, it is now the perfect dress:

new neckline with the pockets I had put in

Bustle!

Top model pose.

I hope to get the dress 100% done and perfect in the next few weeks.

So good luck as you venture out and look for your perfect gown. For you ladies who found yours, what advice do you have?

p.s. ladies, The Running of the Brides is on July 31, 2009 at Mazza Gallerie. Camp out for the adventure, but there are less people and plenty of dresses left in the afternoon. I'm adventurous so I went, complete with t-shirts and team!

Freaked out over the dress....

Is it me, or is the first question everyone asks is, "So have you gotten your dress?" UGH. The dress. I think every bride gets super excited to go try on dresses. I was not. First of all, I don't look like I want to look at my wedding. I have gained about 25 lbs since I met Mr. CP and the last thing I want is to be disappointed and mad at myself, after seeing a dress on. I seriously put this day off as long as I could. In addition, I invited all 7 of my bridesmaids and Mom CP. She calls me and tells me this is a day for mother and daughter and can I not bring these "people." (She has a Brooklyn attitude, which I have a love at times, but not at this particular moment) So I call my ladies and tell them I am just going with my mom, but I did bring MOH CP, because Mom CP has a history of talking me into things that fit me well but are totally out of style. So the entire process started a little stressful. To top it off, I had NO idea what I liked or wanted. I spent a lot of time online and just couldn't picture myself in anything. At this point, I was convinced I needed something out of the ordinary. Stripes, polka dots, something a little crazy. I made my first appointment at Distinctive Designs, in Maryland. You may know of this shop, because one of the owners, Sandy, was on The Apprentice a few seasons ago. She even made it to the top 3! Also, my matron of honor got her dress there and I loved my bridesmaid dress (also from there).

As I get there at 10:00 I am totally freaked out. What if they don't have any that fit me? What if I cant find one I like? What if they make me look like an elephant? What if this takes 10 trips to 10 stores and I still can not find one I like? I walk in and Sandy comes over right away. She is warm and has a genuineness about her that I liked immediately. She says I look like a deer in headlights. I say. "I have no clue what I want or like..." She gives me a drink and sits me down. She asks if I want to look princess-y. I reply with, "More Red Carpet, Less Princess" With that, Sandy is off! She loads a dressing room with dresses. I take a deep breath and go in.

The very first one I try on makes me feel like royalty. When I see myself, I gasp! My waist looks teeny! WHO KNEW they did that!???! i sure didn't. If I had known that I would try on wedding dresses every day! I feel gorgeous. I am in love. HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE! Unfortunately, I feel like I still have to try on more, none of which even hold a match to the first one. Understand, they do not allow pictures until its been purchased.

So we are off to appointment #2. Right away I am not a fan. They had dresses there that totally did not match my style. They also lost my appointment. I had to wait over an hour to be seen, for a rack of dresses I didn't even like. I was so bummed. I still tried on a few. There was literally one dress I liked, mostly because it made me look skinny. My mom loved this dress. It had a gorgeous delicate beading. It just didn't feel like the other one. It looked somewhat like this.

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After this, I knew I loved the other dress. So, I go back to Distinctive Designs and try on dress #1 again. I have always been decisive. So I went for it. I bought it! The first dress I ever tried on! What do you think? Isn't so glam!! I love this dress. I love how chic it is and how it will hide armpit fat. I love it in white and I love it on me. I can honestly say, I am THRILLED, despite all my worries, with my dress.

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Did you have any fears about trying on dresses?

Bella Rosa

Bella Rosa is a gorgeous little bridal boutique, located on the West End of Richmond. They have a wide selection of designers, styles, and prices to suit every bride. The atmosphere is warm and the service is top notch. I have never been to Kleinfeld's in NY, but in terms of the look of the place, I always refer to Bella Rosa as looking like a mini-Kleinfelds. When you get there, and start trying on gowns, they definitely make it all about you. You will definitely get service that is second to none. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, yet still professional. Bella Rosa creates a dress shopping experience that is all about you. This is an actual photo of the bridal area of their boutique. Doesn't it look like every bride's dream?

They definitely have excellent quality gowns because they carry only designer originals. Some places will try and sell you designer replicas. They increase their profit by getting a cheaper, lower quality dress, but mark it up to the same price a reputable boutique would charge for a designer original. You can usually identify a boutique as selling designer replicas, because if you touch a few dresses, regardless of the name of the "designer" on the label, the dresses will all feel the same, like they're made out of a sateen-ish sort of tablecloth or drapery fabric. To digress just a bit, there is a competitor boutique in Richmond on Springfield Road between Nuckols Road and West Broad Street. I actually made a stop here before going to Bella Rosa. They had lesser quality dresses. The lady working there didn't say hello or anything when I and a friend arrived and were looking around. We were the only other people in the store. When she did finally end up speaking with us, she tried to sell me on using her husband as a DJ! So not cool. . .

Anyway, I've visited a couple different boutiques, but Bella Rosa is the one and only place where I've tried gowns on, and I ended up purchasing one of the gowns I fitted in that first visit. Don't think that you have to forgo good service or having a designer gown, just because you've got a budget. When you go to Bella Rosa, they'll ask what style of dress you'd like and what type of wedding you're having (beach, church, etc.). Then, they'll ask how much you want to spend. Designers make dresses in every price range. I told them my target price, and when I started fitting, they not only brought dresses near the top of my budget, but also at some lower price points. The dresses that made it as my top two were both by 2Be bridal, a great designer if you're athletically proportioned like me. The samples I tried on fit me perfectly, and when I checked the price (after I was already in love with them), it turned they were well below my target price. I don't know if this is a sales strategy that Bella Rosa uses, but it worked. I'm happy. They're paid. Bella Rosa also carries mothers, flower girls, and bridesmaids gowns, special occasion dresses, and a full assortment of accessories.

They also have wedding gown samples available for sale. The sample of my gown was on their website and has since been sold for less than 1/2 of what I paid for it.

At Bella Rosa, they can keep your gown in their climate controlled store for as long as you wish. They do alterations on site, and they will steam your dress twice for you at no charge, once usually for bridal portraits and once for your wedding. They also have trunk shows quite regularly. My salesperson, Susan, is no longer there, but everyone else at Bella Rosa is just as wonderful.

The Hunt for the Dress: The End (Seriously)

When I decided I would check out a few bridal salons, I asked a few girlfriends for salons recommendations. One of the suggestions I received was to visit Blush Gowns. Blush is a bridal consignment boutique in Newport News (similar to I Do! I Do! in Gaithersburg) owned by Holly Yaskowsky. Holly opened Blush a few years ago after she had trouble finding a consignment boutique to accept her own gown from her 2003 wedding.

Since I was headed that direction anyway to visit my mom, I made an appointment to stop and see Holly and see some of the dresses at Blush. As I mentioned in my last dress post, sometimes you just have to find the salon that is the right fit for you, and Blush was the perfect fit for me.

Blush has set policies on the types of dresses they accept, so the gowns in the shop are currently in style and in excellent condition. Many of the dresses haven't even been worn (ever hear of the two dress bride?? Blush is familiar with quite a few). According to the website, there are generally about 400+ dresses in stock in sizes ranging from 2 to 24.

Blush Boutique from www.blushgowns.com

I started off my appointment discussing with Holly my budget and style of dress I wanted. We pulled about 10 dresses off the rack in several styles, most of them in my budget, a few above and even one below! I tried on all the dresses and ended up going back to the very first one I tried. After dancing about the store a bit (yes, I knew I had found a great dress and I had to celebrate), I put the dress on hold to think it over and be sure. I called back the next day knowing I had found my perfect dress (good looking dress+great price=Miss Fairfax's perfect dress).

Inside the boutique where I did my victory dance (pic from www.blushgowns.com).

I had a great shopping experience at Blush and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great dress at a great price, while still getting the bridal salon experience. I have not personally shopped at I Do~ Do, but if you don't want to drive down to Newport News, I would check it out. I Do~I Do also carry some retail gowns (Blush is exclusively consignment).

I plan to return to Blush after my wedding to hopefully consign my dress back. It would certainly be great to recoup some of the costs and also hopefully help out another bride!

The Hunt for the Dress: The Trilogy is Complete (Maybe)

I'm back from the wedding this weekend! It was beautiful and I promise to recap in a few days, but first I've got to finish up my "Hunt for the Dress" tale.

When we left off in Part Dos I had come across a number of great inexpensive dresses at Macy's, Nordstrom, Nicole Miller, etc. However, I didn't want to completely discount traditional bridal salons. Even though I was 99% sure I would find my dress elsewhere, I kind of wanted the experience of going into a salon and trying on dresses (how many times in your life do you get to shop for a wedding dress anyway??). Plus, I thought it would be a really fun mother/daughter bonding activity.

I visited two salons in Northern Virginia--a friend and I kind of went on a whim, no appointments. Making an appointment is nearly always recommended though!! I also visited two salons in Southern Virginia with my mom. Both times it was a great experience. Trying dresses on turned out to be much more fun than I ever thought, especially with my mom there!

So here are some thoughts I have on salons:

• Just because you're on a smaller budget doesn't mean you have to avoid salons (this is what I thought at the start of my search). Different salons carry inventory in different price ranges. Some salons do carry inventory starting at $3,000, but others carry dresses beginning under $1,000! Do your research and find a salon that fits you. Price ranges are often listed on salon websites (check The Knot too). If you can't find it there, call the salon and ask!
  

• In my humble opinion, one of the top advantages of salons if having a LOT of dresses in one place. Sometimes the convenience factor can trump the cost factor.
  

• Depending on the salon, the owners or management may have the ability to drop the price a little. I fell in love with a dress at one of the NoVa salons I visited, but I knew it was out of my budget. At the end of my visit, I let the sales associate know I really liked the dress, but it was a little out of my budget. She spoke with the owner and they were able to offer me a 10% discount if I decided to come back and order the dress. I can't say if this is common, but it can't hurt to let the shop know you love the dress, it's just a little out of your reach.
  

• Don't discount sample sales (haha, just a little shopping humor). If your budget allows for the purchase of a pricier dress (say in the $3,000), a sample sale with discounts of 60% can be an excellent way to save on your gown. That'd be a $3,000 dress for $1,200! Also if you really have your heart set on a specific designer, and you've made the dress a priority in your wedding budget, sample sales can make it more do-able.
  

• Ask to see the destination wedding dresses! At one salon I visited in Richmond, I saw a wedding dress I just had to try on! It was super glamorous, lots of pleats, these gorgeous roses along the neck line. It was a dress from the destination wedding line of a very expensive designer. The price? $489! Many designers these days are making lines especially for destination weddings. The fabric usually travels a little better than say, a big taffeta ball gown, but that's the main difference. Most destination gowns I've seen are perfectly at home in a garden, a church, or a beach front resort!

Does anyone have other good tips for salon shopping?

Ok, this tale of the dress is quickly becoming quite the epic. Check back tomorrow for the final installment!

Dresses, Designers, Oh My! How to Decide??

Miss Rehoboth with Mother in tow trotted all over DC to try-on dresses for the impending nuptials. We visited Georgetown's Hitched Salon where Sasha helped us through a pile of possibilities and then off to Promise...for the Savvy Bride in Bethesda where Kori catered to my every whim.

It's pretty nice being treated like a real princess, but after about 30 or so dresses I'd narrowed it to three and rank ordered them. I was more than ready to plunk down a pile of cash at Hitched on the very first dress I tried on, but Mrs. Rehoboth (aka Mom) insisted that I take some time to think things over and make the right decision.... A wise idea - or so I thought.

So, now I am left in a state of complete indecision... Help Fairy Godmother - and fellow blog readers!! Which is the right dress for me?!?!

Judd Waddell










Lela Rose









Claire Pettibone