How to choose THE dress

[tachi]

I went dress shopping with my BM's this weekend and found 2 dresses that I like. They're in different shops so I can't compare them directly. The thing is that they're 2 totally different dresses. Dress #1 is very simple, satin, vera wang-like, buttons down the back, some ribbon detail on top. Dress #2 is a romanitc dress with organza overlay, small beading on top and organza layers with a bit of organza rose detailing.

So I can't decide which dress to go with. Initially I was looking for a dress like #1 (I LOVE vera wang... but she's a bit out of my price range). But once I tried on dress #2 I realized that something different might be fun too. Dress #1 is beautiful but nothing that would draw gasps whereas is dress #2 might. I'm having an outdoor afternoon wedding next July in a by the water/garden setting so dress #2 might match more. Price wise they're pretty similar so it's not much of an issue. (both well below my budget so I'm very happy

)

Any suggestions on how to approach my dilemna? How did you guys choose your dress or know which was 'the one'? I can't post pics because I couldn't take any while I was trying them on and I can't find any similar ones online.

 

[abradabra]

I think they both sound beautiful and you can't make a bad decision. One thing I would think about is if you decide on the more "exotic" one, how will it look when styles change in 5, 10 or 15 years? Is your daughter going to giggle at your dress like I do at a lot of the 1970's style dresses, or will it remain classic, but with just a more romantic feel?

 

[Nicrez]

Also consider that it's a once in a lifetime gown, and are you more practical and classic, versus fun and a bit more daring?

Basically, without price or without thinking of ANYONE else, which dress will make you feel absolutely AMAZING?

I too basically worried for weeks over three dresses I saw. One was a Vera Wang at a total bargain price (but still a lot fo me). It was gorgeous and I wanted a classic gown, but it just was a bit lacking. The next was an ver pretty inexpensive gown that was a good second choice. The thir was actually a fantasy gown I had in my mind and wanted to get made. Price wasn't the issue, quality and my exacting standards were...

In the end I tried on a gown, another, got the designer to make them both in one, and although I never tried on that ONE dress and said, "THIS IS IT!" I still knew it. I put the deposit on it that day, and that is NOT like me.

Sometimes you have to imagine yourself walking down that aisle, and if the dress makes you feel spectacular, that's the one... which one does that for you?!

Good luck and you may just need to keep searching?

 

[JKohio]

Go with the one that makes YOU feel special. Maybe you're tired of hearing it, but it's YOUR wedding. I went to 2 shops, trying on about 10 dresses each shop. The first dress that I tried at the second shop was THE DRESS. I tried on others, but kept going back to that one. Then, went to one more shop, just to be sure I wasn't missing something (tried about 7 more) & STILL came back to the other dress. Mine is shown at this link: http://www.houseofcouture.co.uk/Bride/big-Giovanni%20Ballerina.htm

I never expected to choose a strapless gown, but this one is nice because it's a 2-piece dress. The weight of the skirt is carried on my hips rather than my top half. And, I'm getting a halter style strap attached at the top, so it won't really be strapless.

Originally, I thought I wanted something simple with a scoop neck & straps.

 

[researcher]

I guess I was lucky in that I had the "this is the one" experience. I originally went in looking for something VERY simple with as little of a princess appearance as possible, but the dresses out there just didn't seem to match the picture I had in my head. I went to all the top designer shops in Los Angeles (my parents said money was no object where my dress was concerned), but even the dresses I tried on in the $20,000 weren't what I wanted. They just had too much beading, too much fluff. And the simple dresses were just too plain. Through my search I found two dresses that, like yours, were somewhat opposite. The next weekend, my mom and I went out shopping again. That's when I found THE dress. The funny thing is I never would have known it would have been THE dress. It's very simple with only a little trim beading at the top, a little trim beading at the bottom, and a little trim on the back (following the lines that split for my train as well as a little design in the very bottom of my train), but the part that makes it so not me (yet so me) is it's cathedral length. The whole time I kept saying I did not want a dress that goes on and on, but the minute I put the dress on it fit me so well that I knew I had to have it. My mom dragged me to 3 other stores that day to look at other dresses just to be sure, and the whole time I just kept looking for the dress I loved. It was really funny. I guess my point is, if there isn't one dress that really stands out for you, maybe you should keep looking!

 

[Momoftwo]

Go with what you want. I have boys so it doesn't make any difference down the road whether it's "old fashioned" or not, since I'm probably the only one that will wear it. You can't decide based on future children. This has to be about what you want to wear. Don't sweat it too much. It's just a minor decision when compared to the rest of your life.

 

[Nicrez]

totally agree with momoftwo...

I have tried on princessy gowns, a-lines, sheaths, etc, but oddly enough the only style that looked good on me was mermaid style. Everyone said that it's the yuckiest look (80's style), and that it makes people look hippy and Elvira-like...Well, the gown I got is nothing like that, although it's considered mermaid style, and it's actually elegant and classy.

But if my daughter (hopefully I have a daughter) one day looks at it and goes "Mom, that is NASTY, I will not wear it", I will say, "great, give it back to mom, I'll wear it to YOUR wedding and dye it cranberry!"

Honestly, I love the dress I will probably try it on a million tmes before the wedding and then over and over AFTER the wedding, and see if I can have it dyed and the train cut off to wear for black tie affairs...

LOVE YOUR DRESS, because after all it's YOUR DAY!!!!

 

[Alice in DiamondLand]

I would suggest that you also consider what is most comfortable. I think it will be nice to feel comfortable in my wedding dress.

I got mine this weekend. I tried on a few then tried this one on. It felt good and is super pretty. Then tried the veil on and burst into tears. I have heard that if it brings you to tears, that's a good sign.

It's semi surreal buying a wedding dress. have fun!

 

[tachi]

thanks for the responses everyone.

after thinking about what abradabra said about how it will look 5,10 years down the road and how i felt wearing the dresses, i think i'm gonna go with dress #1, the simple classic one. but i'm going to go shopping one more time on friday afternoon (i'm taking the afternoon off work!!) just to make sure. i thought maybe there's a dress out there that falls in between the 2 styles. i have to decide by saturday because if i order the dress by the end of october i save 20%, which i can put towards bridesmaid dresses.

i'll post pics of the dress once i decide on saturday (or maybe on friday if i see something else i like better). wish me luck!!!

 

[tachi]

hello!!

well i went dress shopping friday afternoon and found absolutely nothing. drove out for over an hour... i was a little disappointed but at the same time relieved. if i did find something nice, it would just confuse me even more on which dress to go with.

so i ended up ordering the simple dress this morning. i''m attaching pics but this is the first time i''m posting pics so i hope they turn out ok.

thanks for everyone advice... i really appreciated the comments.

 

[tachi]

ok, hopefully this will work

 

[tachi]

oops... i didn''t realize they would be so big. sorry!!

but this is a pic with more detail of the satin sashes

 

[lindsal]

I think you certainly made the right choice... THAT DRESS LOOKS GORGEOUS ON YOU!!!!! Best wishes!

 

[abradabra]

Oh my gosh--you are going to be absolutely stunning in that gown! It looks BEAUTIFUL on! Is it a Rivini (I''ve seen photos of a similar one in bridal mags that I really like)?

I''m glad you decided on it; it''s SO SO pretty...

 

[tachi]

thanks guys!! i think i made the right choice too... putting the dress on really made me smile whereas the other ones didn''t quite do the trick.

the dress is very similar to the rivini one but it''s actually made by a canadian company called joli bridal (www.jolibridal.com) (i live in canada, btw). the rivini one is supposed to be quite expensive ($1500-2000 according to www.theknot.com) but i got mine for just under $600 canadian. what a deal huh?!

 

[MelissaSue]

WOW! That dress is GORGEOUS on you! What an awesome figure you have, and that dress flatters it PERFECTLY.. Umm.. can I borrow your torso for my wedding?

 

[Nicrez]

LOVE

LOVE/idealbb/editor/cute/images/emlove.gif LOVE

that dress on you!!!

After MelissaSue, can I borrow your torso for MY wedding too?

 

[tachi]

hahahah!! you guys are funny!

but sure, other than july 17th my torso is available for rental. but i''ll
have to charge you an arm and a leg!! (sorry, i couldn''t resist)

 

[mochie]

Hi,

I happen to see your dress on this forum and went to a bridal store who carries the Joli Bridal line, and guess what? They could not find your dress on the floor or in Joli Bridal and Anjolie (I believe that''s another name they use) catalog!

Oh BTW, I tried on the Rivini dress that''s almost identical to yours few weeks ago and it''s gorgeous, but the price tag is nearly $3,000 USD! I almost flat out gasped. But then I saw your posting and I was pretty excited

that Joli Bridal line makes almost idential dress, so I went searching for it to try on. Well now the bridal store thinks the dress is probably not a Joli, or if it is they need the style# to look it up. Could you do me a big big favor and let me know what the style# for this dress is? I''m so sorry to do this to you, but I really love this dress and hope to find it for my own wedding! Thanks a million in advance!

Mochie

 

[flopkins]

mochie i tried this dress on too and loved it, but I was told the dress designer was Exclusive aka Allure Bridal. I was asking tachi the same thing, but I wonder if the difference is she is in Canada, and I am in US, I know they market under diff names in diff countries sometimes. Anyhow,the style number they gave me was P640 but I don''t know if that''s the designer style number or the salon style number. Where are you located? I tried the dress on a House of Fashion in Sacramento, CA, if that helps any.

 

[Mara]

Wow, I don't often like people's dress choices, but I adore this dress on you! You definitely made a great decision, and what do you mean that this isn't a dress that will draw gasps? I think it looks absolutely amazing and if I saw this at a wedding on a gal with a figure like yours, I would gasp!

I think it's perfect.

I tend to think that simplicity is underrated, I know alot of brides who went with a very elaborate or fluffy princess dress and by the end of the night, they are sweaty and look very exhausted from carrying around all the weight of the dress. That was not how I wanted to be remembered!

I went with a simple sheath and you still get hot by the end of the night, I couldn't imagine carrying around an extra 10 lbs in dress.

Congrats on a great choice IMO! Oh and I LOVE the satin ribbons across the front, it really accentuates your small waist. If you've got it, flaunt it.

 

[tachi]

hi mara, thanks for the compliment. looking back on it now, i know i definitely made the right choice. when i see other dresses in magazines i compare it to mine and i just smile knowing i made the right choice.

flopkins and mochie - i PM''d you guys, hopefully you got it.

 

[mochie]

Hi Flopkins - thanks so much! That''s the same style# that Tachi gave me too. I called Allure Bridals, and you''re right this style# belongs to their "Exclusive" line, and they do not have pictures of this line at all (weird huh?). They gave me some bridal stores to go to look for the dress as they don''t know if the store would carry this particular dress or not. So my hunt continues! I am in San Jose, CA area, so if my luck runs out here, then perhaps I need to make a trip down to Sac. Thank you for all your help, it''s amazing how everyone is so helpful here!!

 

[tindrums]

Hi Mochie,

I live in the bay area as well, Mountain View, and tried on the Rivini dress at Unique Bride (in burlingame) and it was $3000+. Can you let me know if you find the Allure Bridal dress anywhere in the area? I''ll check around as well and keep you updated! Otherwise, I too will be heading out to sacramento