I have a dress!!!

[sumbride]

YEA!!!!!

I''m down in Texas working on the wedding this weekend and yesterday mom and I drove 7 hours round trip to go to the "largest bridal store in the south", Low''s Bridal, in Brinkley, AR. It was SO worth the trip! Anybody in the Arkansas/Tennessee/Louisiana area would definitely benefit from a trip there! The place is huge but doesn''t feel even a little overwhelming. The staff was friendly and wonderful and treated me like I was the only customer in the store, even though it was a busy Saturday afternoon.

And I found my dress!!!

It''s a champagne color, almost gold, and it looks so much better on me than white. I''m planning on adding small sleeves out of the same satin... we ordered extra. The bust area is beaded and the fabric cinches in just below the bust.... it gives my very thick-waisted frame a real waist! It was very slimming, even though I was wearing the wrong undergarment. The corset back really worked well. We didn''t cinch it all the way up, so they didn''t take pictures of the back, but you get the idea here. My mom cried when I put on this dress (and not any of the others), and when I found a veil in the veil room that had the same colored ribbon as trim, she cried over that too. Then I found a pearl comb that matched perfectly and she cried over that too. Then she plunked down her card and bought it all happily as could be because all 3 pieces came to less than $2k and she''d expected to spend at least that much on just the dress. YAY! The comb is by Winters and Rain and they will turn it into a necklace for me after the wedding... the pearls are real.

It was a great, painless experience and I''m SO GLAD I''m DONE with the dress shopping!!!


The pictures are a little fuzzy... I just scanned in the print out they gave me. I completely forgot to use my camera! Ah well... there will be more pics later, this just gives you an idea.

 

[sumbride]

Here''s the side view.

 

[rockzilla]

Yay! Congrats on finding the perfect dress And next time they take photos...BIG SMILE

 

[robbie3982]

Sum, you look so beautiful in your dress!!! Congrats on finding one! I love the idea of turning your comb into a necklace afterwards

 

[fisherofmengirly]

I''m glad you found it! And *painlessly,* too. Yay!

I''ve never heard of being able to change hair jewelry into a necklace, either. What a great idea!

Congratulations!

And aren''t moms fun when they get all happy over their daughters? I just LOVE it!!

Will your fiance see it prior to the wedding day?

 

[labbielove]

sum,
i''m so happy you had a pleasant shopping experience
and that you got such a gorgeous gown--
that color is beautiful on you, very soft looking.

(i''m a ''pale gold'' color dress bride myself!)

 

[FacetFire]

Oh, I love it! It looks great on you! I''m so glad you had such a good experience! Congrats on finding the dress!

 

[sk8rjen]

Lowe''s is great and well worth the drive -- so glad you found your dress! Next time through little rock, give me a holler -- maybe meet for a cup of coffe or somethin''...
Anyway, congrats -- the dress is really beautiful

jen

 

[ImpatientOne]

Yay, sumbride!

Your dress is beautiful! I would love to see a pic of the detailed beading!

 

[bee*]

You look fantastic in your dress sumbride! That shop sounds amazing!!

 

[zoebartlett]

Hi Sum! Beautiful dress! I love the color and it looks great! I''ve never heard of turning pearls from a comb (a comb, right?) into a necklace. Great idea! Congrats to you.

 

[anchor31]

It''s so beautiful and suits you so well! Congrats, you look stunning!

 

[kcoursolle]

Beautiful dress!! It looks beautiful on you! How sweet you mom started crying, aw!

 

[budgetbride]

it looks pretty on you

 

[aktotx]

You picked a very pretty dress and are going to make a beautiful bride. That is sweet that your mom cried when she saw you in it and you could get everything to match all at the same time.

 

[RoseAngel04]

beautiful dress!! yay for you finding the one!

 

[sumbride]

Thanks everyone!!! I''m just so excited to have found the perfect dress for me AND to be done shopping! My mom is just SO happy... she''s beaming from ear to ear! She''s having it shipped to her, here in Texas, to keep M from seeing it, and because I don''t have anywhere to store it. The alterations will be pretty straight forward... I wasn''t wearing any shoes in the pics, so it doesn''t look like it will need to be hemmed once I have shoes on. The rest of it fit me pretty well, but since it''s a corset that will help a lot with the bodice, vs. needing alterations. My mom is a seamstress herself so she''s analyzed the sleeves and thinks it won''t be hard to add them much like the way Maggie Sottero does with some of her gowns. The dress comes with beaded spaghetti straps so we''ll use those to edge the sleeves with and go down probably just below my elbow with slim sleeves. Better than adding a jacket because it won''t cover the back detail, and easier than dealing with a wrap in October in Texas. (It will still be somewhat warm!)

M knows I have it but I''m not letting him see it yet. I told him I posted pics here so he was to stay away, and even though he''s never visited PS before, now he suddenly wants to!!! Hope that didn''t backfire on me! He gets why he can''t see it yet, but since I don''t keep things from him normally, it''s so weird to not be able to show it to him or tell all about it. But I do want the first time he sees it to be after I''ve had my hair and makeup done, etc!!!

Oh, the veil in the picture is longer than the dress, but I ordered it to end just at the floor so it won''t cover the train and also won''t get caught on the lawn at the wedding!

Here''s a picture of the comb. Its the color of the dress so this will give a better representation. Those are obviously crystals in the middle, but the pearls are real and I just LOOOOVE it so. I wanted to take it home with me to Maryland but Mom won''t let me! She doesn''t want me wearing it around the house! If I''d brought the veil home yesterday instead of ordering it, I know I''d be sitting here in it right now! It''s just so pretty! And VERY soft. I''ve never felt tulle so soft.

 

[Independent Gal]

That''s wonderful, Sum! It looks gorgeous on you. You will make such a stunning bride.

I just love the comb too.

 

[upgrading mama]

IT''s very pretty!!!

I almost bought one very similar when I got married in ''03 from David''s bridal...it was a peachy/champagne overlay with white in the middle parts and it did the side waist like alot of the Maggie''s do....

anyway, it is a very slimming effect, which I loved.

When mom cries, that is a good sign

When you say ''sleeves'' do you mean like, cap sleeves, like a princess or short sleeves??

I think capped sleeves would look very elegant.

 

[sumbride]

I''m thinking more like just past the elbow. Cap sleeves actually end up accentuating the widest part of my upper arm, so I''d rather go strapless than do that. They''ll start just at the edge of my shoulders, come to just below my elbow, and then sort of turn up a bit. I''ll have to look for a picture to explain what I''m talking about, but you know how on jackets they sort of split and then fold over... it would be kind of like that. I can picture it, I just don''t have a picture. My aunt described it as a "juliet look". And adding sleeves will give me a chance to sew in some dress shields so I don''t sweat on all the satin! I''m a little nervous about that since it''s outdoors! The ladies in the shop kept trying to talk me into just wearing the veil and not adding sleeves, but I still think I''d feel more comfortable with a wee bit more coverage. I did try on a dress with sleeves like I''m talking about it and it looked great, but we liked this dress a lot more.



Sk8rjen, I completely forgot you were in the Little Rock area! I would have loved to meet up for a bit! Next time I''m in that area, I''ll let you know ahead of time and we can work something out! I''d love to meet you, and see that gorgeous pear(!), in person!

 

[IrishAngel7982]

Wow Summer it''s gorgeous!!! Congratulations!

 

[diamondfan]

I am so glad you found one that you love, your mom loves and it was a pleasant time!

It looks great and the color sounds divine!

The comb into a necklace is awesome, that way, since they are real pearls, you can enjoy them and remember your wedding long after it is over!

 

[Mara]

i think below the elbowish sleeves will be a great addition to the dress!! congrats on finding something you just love! and i agree next time, smile girl!

 

[Kaleigh]

So glad you found the one!!! It''s gorgeous!! The addition of the sleeves should be lovely. Can''t wait to see it come together!!!!

 

[sarie_j]

YAY!! I always get excited when someone finds ''the'' dress, congratulations!!! I think the sleeves will look fabulous and with the comb and the veil you''ll look wonderful!!!

 

[sluke]

You are going to be a radiant bride! Color is perfect!...kind of has an elegant, understated "glow" to it.

 

[MiniMouse]

Sumbride, I just love seeing you girls in your wedding dresses, feeling the excitement and anticipation of a wedding ahead of you. It''s great for us ladies who''ve been there and done that, because it brings back happy memories. Revel in the excitement you''re feeling, it only happens once in your lifetime (hopefully). Your dress is pretty and I think it will look great with the addition of sleeves. I hope we get to see the end result. Best wishes.

 

[Selkie]

Congratulations, it''s beautiful and that color is SOOO flattering! I can picture what you''re talking about with the sleeves, and I think it will look great. Yay!

 

[akw94]

Sum, I''m glad you had such a good experience! That''s great that you''ve found your dress. I found I like other colors than white too.
Congrats!!!

 

[ephemery1]

Oh Sum you look LOVELY... the dress is unique and beautiful as it is, but I can picture the sleeves and love the idea of a "Juliet" look... haha. And your veil looks very similar to mine!!

Congratulations... one more thing out of the way!!!