My wedding dress is in my closet, after a short look around!

[mayachel]

It is very surreal to realize, that not only did I find my dress-but I walked out of the store with it in my arms and it is now hanging in my closet! A full, oh...1 year and 2 months+ before my wedding.

I have a couple of reviews to write about the two places I visited for other NY brides, but I know most of you just want to see the pics. So I''ll post some photos and then the rest.

 

[mayachel]

gosh this is scary...here goes nothing.

 

[mayachel]

Obviously, since I walked out of the store with it, it has not been altered one iota.

 

[mayachel]

It also has a detachable train...more about this to come

 

[mayachel]

So a couple of things about the dress, I plan to have the torso boned from here to eternity so as not to give the fabric so much wiggle room. It is in desperate need of an invisible zipper, and how much do I covet those little satin buttons? Might be too busy, though. Thoughts?

The train...in the store it looked like a giant peacock rough. Once I got it home, I was able to see it fall a bit better. It is detachable! I''ve never heard of such a thing, in such a manner. It has 4 hook and eyes where it can attach right above the bum. I liked the look of the chapel length train though am of course worrying if it looks bridal enough without the train. Especially...because I saw the train as a free mantilla veil!

I''m planning to remove the top layer of lace from the train and have it made into a veil. The pictures of that are a little wonky, but I''ll see what I can do.

 

[tlh]

what a beautiful train! I love the delicate detail of the dress!

 

[mayachel]

We have not yet pulled the train apart, so excuse the person ducking behind me holding massive amounts of crinoline.

 

[AmberGretchen]

I think it looks lovely, and it really suits you

 

[lucyandroger]

Beautiful dress!! I LOVE that neckline!

 

[merrymunky]

Oh wowser that is beautiful.

I love the idea of making the train into a veil. It looks beautiful in the mock up picture!

 

[sunnyd]

Love it!

 

[mayachel]

The dress is ivory and has a pale bit of pink in the center of each of the flowers in the lace. It isn''t apparent unless you look at it in person, but there is silver thread work throughout.

I had no idea what sort of dress I''d end up with, but this dress was just too good a deal to pass up.

I bought it at a place called

The Bridal Garden

It is a non-profit that benefits a local charter school in Brooklyn. The dresses are donated directly from designers and are all in very good if not new condition. PLUS they are 50-75% off the retail price of the dress. The exception being couture dresses which can be marked even lower. No dress in the store is more than $2500, and most are under $1000. My dress? Retail price $1200+ going by similar styles from the designer. What I paid? Under $500....seriously, I could not believe the deal I got on my dress.

The flip side of it all is of course, like a sample sale...what they have, is what they have. So knowing that they get new stuff in daily, I figured I''d check in a couple times over the next few months. And as luck would have it, I found it on my first venture in. Only the second day I was out looking.

I had excellent customer service, the selection was very good and organized by size making it easy to try stuff on. They let me hang around for almost 3 hours deciding. I never felt rushed OR pushed into making a call on a dress.

Especially since the money goes to a good cause, I want to help get the word out there about this place if you are shopping in the city.

Meanwhile, the first place I went to was RK Bridal. It was a week day morning, no one in the store, second on the sign in list. I was told to pick any 5 gowns and get started trying them on. Then the SA brought in two more. I tried on 7 gowns in about 40min. was told to pick my top 3 and that they would write them down, session over. Overall, it felt like a waste of time. It was my first time out, I didn''t know in advance that I''d only be allowed to try on 7 gowns total and I couldn''t believe they were kicking us out when there was no one waiting for a room! Thumbs down for RK Bridal''s wedding gown help.

 

[Londongirl1]

I absolutely love it

. How on earth will you keep it in the closet for a whole year?? I''d be too tempted to try it on ALL the time..... and I mean ALL the time - every chance I got

 

[merrymunky]

Date: 6/1/2009 5:34:47 PM
Author: Londongirl1
I absolutely love it

. How on earth will you keep it in the closet for a whole year?? I''d be too tempted to try it on ALL the time..... and I mean ALL the time - every chance I got

Snap!

I try my wedding ring on every day as it is!

 

[bee*]

Gorgeous! I adore the back of it.

 

[KatyWI]

I *love* that dress!!!

I''m sort of surprised you had a good experience at the Bridal Garden, because I had such a terrible experience there that I ran straight to the Pronovias flagship store practically crying and begged them to squeeze me in... and ended up spending about 4x as much money on a dress as I had originally intended

So I''m glad to hear that it worked out so well for someone else, because I had loved the idea of supporting such a fabulous cause.

 

[Porridge]

It is so beautiful! Love the lace lining and the train especially. Gorgeous!

 

[Tuckins1]

It''s gorgeous!!

 

[princessplease]

It''s lovely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The train is drool worthy!!!! Don''t feel bad about buying it so soon out; we''re not getting married till next August, and I bought my dress last weekend.

Once you know it''s the dress, you gotta buy it!!

 

[Winslet]

Mayachel, your dress is truly stunning, unique, and perfect for your figure! Great job finding "the one"

 

[brendaman]

Your gown is gorgeous! What a find!!

I just posted about buying a gown on consignment in the DC area here. I knew I was going to be in NYC next weekend and had planned to go to Bridal Garden, but I felt I had to buy the gown in DC, just in case I didn''t find one at Bridal Garden. I''m not sure really why I rushed to buy the dress as I''m 9 1/2 months from my March 2010 wedding, but I feel much better after reading your post. But then again, it''s really making me consider going to Bridal Garden just to see. I was planning on going there anyway to see what accessories they have. Did you happen to check out their accessories (tiaras, etc.)?

 

[Kim N]

It looks gorgeous on you! Great choice!

 

[mayachel]

Thank you for your kind words. I''m so excited about having my dress.
Londongirl1 and merrymunky I''m way too nervous about damaging it, spilling tea down the front etc...to try it on all day. BUT I don''t think a day has gone by where I haven''t looked at

The hardest part is keeping it secret from df. He was shocked when I told him he still couldn''t see it until the wedding. When my best friend comes to town this summer, you can be sure it is going to be put on and waltzed around in some more.



KatyWI I''m sorry to hear you had a less than stellar experience with the BG. I guess it can be hit or miss? I worked with the SA Corrine (sp?) and she was very attentive and helpful. Pronovias isn''t such a bad fall back plan, even if it did end up costing an arm and a leg. You should write your review on citysearch or yelp or wherever. Maybe the store reads them? The reviews are overwhelmingly positive.

 

[mayachel]

princessplease We are on the same time line! My wedding date is the day after yours

Thanks for the vote of confidence in buying it when I did.

brendaman They definitely had a bunch of tiaras and veils. I think the place gets overlooked for that, because if you were anything like me, I was so overwhelmed by finding my dress I couldn''t spend too much time thinking about choosing anything else that day. The tiaras and veils were all 50% off, so certainly it is worth checking out.

WinsletThanks! this was the first dress, I didn''t feel like I was playing dress up in.

 

[princessplease]

That''s awesome that we''re one day apart, mayachel!!!! Do you have any idea for shoes yet?

 

[cocolaw]

i love this dress!! its such a beautiful shape and the lace is stunning.

 

[cocolaw]

or lacey looking details....is the overlay lace or is it embroidered? its beautiful!

 

[OUpearlgirl]

Beautiful dress... I love the neckline and detachable train!

 

[Sparkalicious]

Mayachel - You''re killing me with your crazy fabulous extra divine detachable train! Your dress is in.cre.di.ble. LOVE it. Further to that - you looker killer in it! Stunning!
I love that train ... It''s just luscious looking ... I cannot wait to see the whole ensemble on your wedding day.

Great choice! I really wish that I had been able to get to the Bridal Garden. Sounds as though they have the best deals going ... and for a good cause!

 

[doodle]

Gorgeous dress! I have to be honest here--my favorite thing about this dress is the lace on the train, so I''m kinda hoping you leave it as is! Really beautiful dress!!!!