Got The Dress...Now What?

Saturday was spent with my mother, my future mother-in-law and my maid of honor. What troopers!

First stop was to a beautiful park on the water. I can't believe it only costs $200 to rent the gazebo and the other park areas all night. There is even a huge beautiful water fountain. My only concern is if we do get this spot that we have to worry about the weather and the wind coming off the water. They don't allow tents with stakes. Maybe duct tape?

Onto a more fun thing...the DRESS! Arrived at David's Bridal to find a million brides and a bunch of stressed out but still nice and accommodating Bridal Consultants. Being the anal, over organized person that I am (got that from my mom...hi mom) I provided my consultant with a list of product codes for dresses that I had looked up the night before. Go me! I ended up getting the total opposite of what I was looking for. Still much more beautiful than ever expected. Not to mention marked down from $800 to now $290. Woohoo go me. Still way more than I would have ever wanted to spend, but my troop and some strange lady in the shop all agreed I should by it. It took a lunch break and two electric lemonades from Chili's to calm the nerves and get the dress.

My mother helped me try on the dresses and to say the least I couldn't do it without her. We were laughing so hard. I walked out with the first one on and didn't know I had to put a slip on. Prior to this experience I didn't know they made them that floofy. So trudging back into the dressing room my mother, the good sport she is, managed to get the oversized, stuffed slip on under my already poofy dress. Next we needed to put my shoes on again and somehow the little nylon sockies you wear...um my dress ate one. We couldn't find it anywhere. After getting a replacement we found it clinging to my dress. Thankgoodness we found the sockie before the wedding.

About 5 dresses later, I think...I kinda lost count after all the sweating, tugging and laughing, I found my perfect dress. I will leave it at that since my fiance may read this. He has already quizzed me and his mother on the dress and all we have to say is, "The dress sure is beautiful for being purple." Hehehe.

The dress being as beautiful as it is, was one of a kind dress so I didn't have much options for sizing. It is my size, however a bit big in the bodice. Now the search for a seamstress is on. With the economy being as poor as it is, most of my options have closed now. Anyone live in North Florida who can sew a dress for an affordable price? Hey, it's worth asking, you never know.

I got a great veil and the slip online on eBay for a 10th of what they would have cost at David's Bridal. The veil they wanted to sell me was more then the dress. Can you believe that?

I would post links to photos, but again my fiance is nosey. He is in Army training right now so I have the entire house to myself to spread out wedding things. Woohoo.

After dragging my hurt feet and my tired group of women around, they agreed so kindly to go to Garden Ridge with me. (Craft, home warehouse store) We found tons of pillar candles for 75% off being Christmas candles, but hey they are white, you can't tell they are Christmas. Then all the bridal stuff was 50% off. So we got the aisle runner, invites, tulle and so much more for next to nothing. Now to figure out what to do with it all.

I will be needing some assistance dear readers on my table centerpieces. My attempt at gluing those glass pebbles to the sides of white pillar candles looked great until I stepped back and realized it looked like it belonged at a little kids birthday party with bubbles. Urg! So readers, please send me ideas or post links on some good table centerpieces involving pillar candles, turquoise and black.

Now onto something I found today. It brought a tear to my eye. OK, an uncontrollable sobbing. I am a military bride and although I have already got my dress I was in search of bridesmaid dresses for affordable prices. There was a link to bridesacrossamerica.com Please take a look at their site and donate what you can. This program gives dresses to brides engaged to an active military person who has been deployed or is going to be deployed. This is a GREAT program. It is already hard enough planning a wedding between training and deployment dates, so having a wedding dress provided is a wonderful thing!

The search for a tiara is now on....who knew weddings involved so many little things.