First Dress?

[musey]

I didn''t buy the first one I tried on - but I wish I had!

I bought exactly what I thought I''d love, though (the first one was not).

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 1/12/2009 6:18:21 PM
Author: CrookedRock

Date: 1/12/2009 6:03:00 PM
Author: Gypsy


Tried on 100’s across two coasts. Bought 4.

First dress I fell in love with had alencon lace and silk Mikado fabric—an over skirt and underskirt and was a empire waist, strapless. Didn’t buy it as DH thought it looked like cleric’s robes. NOT what you want to hear.

First dress I bought was organza and lace Christos was a empire waist, strapless . Cancelled the order.

So obviously you had discused with him what you both had pictured. We''ve done the same thing, and we always both liked dresses like the one in the link I just posted. I don''t want him to see me that day and be dissapointed bc he had a preconceived notion of me on our wedding day. How do you handle that?

No honey. My wonderful DH was dragged to DOZENS of dress shops. Literally. The only times he didn''t come with me were: when I went with my mom (once), when I went with his mother and sister (never again), when I went to my MOH (once), and WHEN I BOUGHT THE DRESS. I went dress shopping to Macy''s, to Kleinfelds, to you NAME IT on both coasts.

We kept moving. And... I didn''t have anyone else to go with, and he was the most important person to me. So... I took him. But, when I found THE DRESS, I was on my lunch break, alone and... was actually happy that it would be a surprise to him.

My DH has... strangely accurate observations and a quick wit. He made shopping fun. I love that we did that together, it was some of the best memories of wedding planning.

As for how you handle that... well, I think everyone handles it differently. For me, I asked him one day what he saw when HE closed his eyes.. he said dress.. VEIL, and I was like VIEL??? I''m not wearing one. So I got one. Then I got another.

I was the bride with mutliple pairs of shoes, head pieces, dresses... he had no IDEA what I was gonna wear at the end. LOL.

 

[iheartscience]

I did! I actually just bought the first dress I tried on at Saks this weekend! (Also at the sample sale and I also went on a whim!) And it was pretty much opposite of what I said I wanted...it was strapless which I said I absolutely wouldn''t get, I''m going to wear heels with it when I said I would definitely wear flats, and I said no veil, but I got a veil too!

It is Amsale, though, and the one dress I saw online that I really loved was by Amsale (the Reese) so I guess it wasn''t too far off.

As far as sizing, the dress I bought is a size 8 and I''m more like a 2/4. If I was going to order one I probably would have ordered a 4. But the seamstress said taking in the 8 wouldn''t be a problem at all. I also tried on a couple of size 10 samples that were really big on me, but I didn''t ask about taking in those because I knew my dress was the one!

 

[CrookedRock]

Date: 1/12/2009 10:33:27 PM
Author: Gypsy


No honey. My wonderful DH was dragged to DOZENS of dress shops. Literally. The only times he didn''t come with me were: when I went with my mom (once), when I went with his mother and sister (never again), when I went to my MOH (once), and WHEN I BOUGHT THE DRESS. I went dress shopping to Macy''s, to Kleinfelds, to you NAME IT on both coasts.

We kept moving. And... I didn''t have anyone else to go with, and he was the most important person to me. So... I took him. But, when I found THE DRESS, I was on my lunch break, alone and... was actually happy that it would be a surprise to him.

My DH has... strangely accurate observations and a quick wit. He made shopping fun. I love that we did that together, it was some of the best memories of wedding planning.

As for how you handle that... well, I think everyone handles it differently. For me, I asked him one day what he saw when HE closed his eyes.. he said dress.. VEIL, and I was like VIEL??? I''m not wearing one. So I got one. Then I got another.

I was the bride with mutliple pairs of shoes, head pieces, dresses... he had no IDEA what I was gonna wear at the end. LOL.

That''s great that he was willing to go with you. I suggested that to my FI and he kinda winced. He didn''t like the idea, but it doesn''t bother me... I''m kinda the anti-bride so doing something out of the ordinary isn''t a biggie in my book. Luckily I have my bf here to go with me, and she actually is a buyer for a really high end store, and has excellent taste. Granteed it''s different than my personal taste, but she knows what I like, and what I look good in.

FI and I discussed the dress this morning and he said that if it''s the right dress then I should get it, but he just doesn''t want me to make a rash decision and regret it.

So another question... I know I''m full of them in this thread!

Did any of you like a dress more than the one you bought, but didn''t buy it bc of cost? I''m really torn about what''s appropriate to spend, espicially bc we are eloping. I''m trying to prepare myself in case I find something expensive today, I want to have boundaries set.

When you think back to your wedding day, is the dress one of the first things that comes to mind?

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Date: 1/13/2009 9:00:21 AM
Author: CrookedRock

Date: 1/12/2009 10:33:27 PM
Author: Gypsy


No honey. My wonderful DH was dragged to DOZENS of dress shops. Literally. The only times he didn''t come with me were: when I went with my mom (once), when I went with his mother and sister (never again), when I went to my MOH (once), and WHEN I BOUGHT THE DRESS. I went dress shopping to Macy''s, to Kleinfelds, to you NAME IT on both coasts.

We kept moving. And... I didn''t have anyone else to go with, and he was the most important person to me. So... I took him. But, when I found THE DRESS, I was on my lunch break, alone and... was actually happy that it would be a surprise to him.

My DH has... strangely accurate observations and a quick wit. He made shopping fun. I love that we did that together, it was some of the best memories of wedding planning.

As for how you handle that... well, I think everyone handles it differently. For me, I asked him one day what he saw when HE closed his eyes.. he said dress.. VEIL, and I was like VIEL??? I''m not wearing one. So I got one. Then I got another.

I was the bride with mutliple pairs of shoes, head pieces, dresses... he had no IDEA what I was gonna wear at the end. LOL.

That''s great that he was willing to go with you. I suggested that to my FI and he kinda winced. He didn''t like the idea, but it doesn''t bother me... I''m kinda the anti-bride so doing something out of the ordinary isn''t a biggie in my book. Luckily I have my bf here to go with me, and she actually is a buyer for a really high end store, and has excellent taste. Granteed it''s different than my personal taste, but she knows what I like, and what I look good in.

FI and I discussed the dress this morning and he said that if it''s the right dress then I should get it, but he just doesn''t want me to make a rash decision and regret it.

So another question... I know I''m full of them in this thread!

Did any of you like a dress more than the one you bought, but didn''t buy it bc of cost? I''m really torn about what''s appropriate to spend, espicially bc we are eloping. I''m trying to prepare myself in case I find something expensive today, I want to have boundaries set.

When you think back to your wedding day, is the dress one of the first things that comes to mind?

He is going to think you look wonderful no matter WHAT you wear on your wedding day...and I''m sure he trusts you enough to know what looks great on you

Did any of you like a dress more than the one you bought, but didn''t buy it bc of cost?
Luckily, no. My budget was around $3k - $4k, and the one I liked most cost about half of that, so it worked out. Naturally, after I bought the dress I had a "Dang, I should have just bought a dress from J. Crew and saved the money" moment, but in the end I was really glad I bought a gown I loved. I didn''t allow myself to try on any gowns over my budget, so there was no chance of me going over.

When you think back to your wedding day, is the dress one of the first things that comes to mind?
No. I loved my dress, but nothing compares to how I felt internally that day. The first thing I think of was looking at my husband while saying our vows. The people and the fun we had that day also come to mind...the dress is pretty low on the totum pole when it comes to the actual day.

I *almost* bought the first dress I tried on, but later that day I found something similar that was a little more "me". I am not a shopper, nor am I one of those women who liked trying on wedding gowns...I went to three shops in one day and tried on maybe 20 dresses. I don''t remember. I never had a "moment", I just chose the dress that I thought flattered me the most. I never thought I''d end up with a strapless gown, but hey, it worked for me. Also, I didn''t want anything poofy so I just didn''t try any poofy dresses on. My mom did make me try on one poofy dress "for her" and it was lovely, but not at all what I wanted. I think there is a balance between keeping an open mind (trying on lots of different styles) and knowing what you don''t want to compromise on (for me that was budget and a poofy dress).

 

[Gypsy]

No, I was very VERY firm that my budget was X, and made my sales people respect that. I also knew the lines I was interested in, and requested dresses from those lines, or similar lines (price wise).

Not at all. Our ceremony, the vows, the weather-- it was the most beautiful day, and the feeling. I felt so loved and happy and just... beautiful. I KNOW I was a glowing bride. I was either crying or beaming with happiness and love all day long.

 

[vetrik]

I think that dress is beautiful for a destination wedding!

I bought the 3rd dress I tried on, I think. However, I went to 2 more stores afterwards that same day, waited 3 months, went back to the store, tried on another round of dresses, and still went back to that one. I just knew it was mine as soon as I tried it on, but I panicked that maybe I was deciding too soon, and I needed to see more!

It was what I wanted in 2 specific ways: it was the designer I liked, and it had some color on it. Otherwise, it was completely different. I had actally seen it online hundreds on times in my searches, and always passed it right by. My mom was the one who pulled it for me, and only because we were pulling out every dress that came with purple.

 

[LauraBabe08]

I purchased the first dress I tried on. I loved it immediately, then it grew on me more and more. I tried on about 10 more to "make sure" and then purchased the first one I tried on.

My vision was to have straps, v-neck, and satin fabric.

I purchased strapless, sweet heart neckline, natural silk.

 

[CrookedRock]

This feels so surreal. I Bought The Dress!
I went to a bridal store and tried on al the styles I thought I wanted and they were beautiful . Even my best friend said that she like one of them better than the pics i showed her of the Saks dress. I insisted though that she go see it with me in person. When she saw me in it, that was it. All I could think was that the other dresses were generic compared to it.
I just really can''t believe I have a dress, let alone the first one I ever tried on... It''s strangely emotional.

 

[sunnyd]

That''s awesome CR!! Now show us some pics!

 

[Sparkalicious]

That''s amazing, CR! Congrats! I can''t wait to see pics of you in your lovely new gown!
You''re so fortunate to have found the one you love. I can imagine that it''s emotional ... it makes it more "real", I can imagine.
Countless bridal salons and dresses later ... I''m still on the hunt but figure that I will feel much the same on you once I actually get it!

 

[emeraldlover1]

Did any of you like a dress more than the one you bought, but didn''t buy it bc of cost?

Yes! I loved another dress but it was close to 6K. I didn''t even try it on so I didn''t know what it would look like on me. I looked at all the price tags and tried to neggotiate a little first. My budget was 5k so I could have streched it but I had to let this one go.

 

[emeraldlover1]

I see you bought the gown! Do we get to see pics??

 

[CrookedRock]

Just wanted to thank all of you for your helpful advice. I never thought picking a dress would make me so nervous at first. Once I went back to try it on the second time, I just knew it was right. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences with me! I can''t believe I have a dress!!!!
I''m gonna try to upload pics but I''m having some issues bc it''s been so long since I have!

 

[CrookedRock]

Another front where you can see the detail better.

 

[CrookedRock]

The back... Bad lighting, but you get the pic. Unfortunately I''m going to be cutting that train down. I think it''s stunning but it isn''t right for a wedding on the top of a mountain. LOL

 

[panda08]

CR, it looks beautiful on you!!! Don''t you love how the dress is cut so that it makes the waist look tiny (not that you aren''t already!)? Congrats!

 

[CrookedRock]

Date: 1/14/2009 11:03:47 AM
Author: panda08
CR, it looks beautiful on you!!! Don''t you love how the dress is cut so that it makes the waist look tiny (not that you aren''t already!)? Congrats!

Thanx Panda! I do love that about it. There is extra fabric in the stomach area but the seamstres said she can fix that. I think when it''s done it will be a totally different dress than what it looks like in my pics, and I can''t wait!
I''m even thinking about having some sort of shrug made out of the excess fabric that I cut off the train, it isn''t exactly warm on top of a mountain. LOL

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Date: 1/14/2009 1:16:30 PM
Author: CrookedRock

Date: 1/14/2009 11:03:47 AM
Author: panda08
CR, it looks beautiful on you!!! Don''t you love how the dress is cut so that it makes the waist look tiny (not that you aren''t already!)? Congrats!

Thanx Panda! I do love that about it. There is extra fabric in the stomach area but the seamstres said she can fix that. I think when it''s done it will be a totally different dress than what it looks like in my pics, and I can''t wait!
I''m even thinking about having some sort of shrug made out of the excess fabric that I cut off the train, it isn''t exactly warm on top of a mountain. LOL

First, you look absolutely beautiful in that dress!! I LOOOVE it!!

Second, I think having a balero or something similar made out of the extra fabric is a fabulous idea! The summit of a mountain is beautiful, but never warm! Just curious, which mountain are you getting married on? D and I seriously considered a mountaint-top wedding--we love climbing.

 

[Blackpaw]

WOW crookerrock you look stunning in that dress

congrats on finding it

now im sorry but i seem to have missed something..your wedding is on a mountain, overseas somewhere?? please elaborate for me - i love DW details

 

[CrookedRock]

N.E.L. ~ Thanks a ton. I know its so hard to tell when they are clipped like that, but I really do love it and I can imagine how it will turn out. Luckily it has all the right seams to take it in that much. I'm glad you like the balero idea... Do you have any pics you could show me for an idea? I'm kinda clueless about this part, I just didn't want to throw away all that beautiful fabric.

As far as the wedding goes, we are getting married Nov 1 in New Zealand. I was there in '06 and fell in love with the country. Paricularly the South Island. Queenstown was and still is my favorite place I've ever been. I could literally move there... Anywhoo... Milford Sound is a short sightseeing flight from there and we will get married on top of a mountain there.
This is a site that shows where they do it and how it's done. http://www.heliworks.co.nz/Charters/Weddings.asp
Crazy enough, I have a gf who lives in NZ and just happens to be moving to Queenstown in 3 weeks. I'm so excited bc now not only to I get to see her but she can do the planning on the ground for me. I was really worried about hair and makeup people but I know that she can handle that now. It all just seems to be falling into place!
Oh and of course we're going to stay and see the country together. We're even considering exending the trip and throwing Australia into the mix... We'll see though!

 

[Blackpaw]

wow thats so exciting!! new zealand is a lovely country and getting married on a mountain top there will be amazing

definitely throw australia in too - have some great barrier reef and rainforest fun!!!

 

[wishful]

We are doing a very low key, casual beach wedding with no guests so I chose to shoot for dresses that were under 1000 and preferably under 500.

The first dress I bought on line from Nordstroms. It was GORGEOUS but it was much heavier than I thought it was going to be from the pictures. It was heavy lace and it was way too long (everything is on me b/c I'm 5'2") and would have cost too much to alter.

So back to the drawing board I saw a PS'er who had a stunning dress - and come to find out through her thread that she got it at Davids Bridal! And it was NOT expensive at all! So I asked her if she would be at all uncomfortable if I also got that same dress (she was fine and very nice about it) so I also bought that one on line! This one works perfect. Had to get it shortened as well but overall I saved a lot of money, and I won't feel bad if the dress gets messed up after the wedding.

So I guess the second dress was the charm but had the first dress been lighter weight I would have kept it and paid the price to have it altered.

YOUR dress is to die for though!!!! It looks FABULOUS! W

w!!!!!

 

[Deelight]

Congrats on finding the dress it is stunning

NZ in Nov should be beautiful it should be warm but not overly so that sounds just lovely .

 

[iheartscience]

CR, that dress is gorgeous! It looks perfect on you! So funny that you did exactly what I did with the Saks sale!

 

[CrookedRock]

Wishful~ The good thing is that you found the right dress for you! And getting it right on the second shot is pretty lucky too if you ask me!

Deelight~ Thank you. We really had our hearts set on NZ, and I know Dec would be warmer but we really hated to wait that long. It works out well though... We were engaged on my BDay and we will be getting married 3 days before his... I told him we should do it on his Bday but he didn''t want to give me gifts on his day! LOL

Thing~ Thanks! I guess that sale was for a reason. Knowing what a bargain shopper I am, my Mom thought I was just buying it bc it was on sale... SO NOT the case! I''m pretty sure I would have paid full price for that one, espicialy considering how much I disliked all the other full price dresses at the bridal salon. Congrats to you too on a great deal and a gorgeous dress!

 

[emeraldlover1]

CR...it looks gorgeous on you. With tailoring it will be perfect. Congrats!