New poster and a bunch of questions

[KA]

I have been checking out the brides forums for about a month, and thought I'd say hello. We are going to have 3 weddings (weird intercultural/international complications), but the one in the US that I am in charge of is on May 20 next year. (My parents are planning the indian one, and I have to say, they are much more efficient.)

So first off, did any one get married in St Louis, and have suggestions for reception venues? We have the extra complication of wanting indian food at the reception. Many cool venues have preferred caterers, they don't do indian food. So if any one has any suggestions of venues to check out that may be more flexible, please let me know. We are doing an outdoor wedding in forest park, so any place that is about 30-35 min drive from there would be fine.

This is an off-beat question, but if you know of indian caterers in St Louis, that would also help.

Now the dress question. I am very confused about those.

1. I don't like being a center of attention, and dress rather simply generally. But I seem to be attracted to these lace dresses, and I worry that I am just getting carried away. We are doing an outdoor wedding with about 70 people, and a simple reception. Will these look stupid with that?

2. I like straps, but those are so difficult to find. And my fiance likes strapless (ofcourse), but I think they make my shoulders bulge out a bit (you know what I mean). Did you guys have similar concerns?

3. I am undecided about a train. I don't think I want it, but everyone keeps saying that they look great in pictures and such.

I need your help, since my helpers are my fiance and his mom, and they say that everything looks good. That doesn't help much with any decision. I know these are a lot of dresses, sorry about that. The strapless ones first.

 

[KA]

Now the ones with straps.

First, this is one of the dresses above, but I am wearing another V-neck dress under it to see how it would look if I had it altered to have a V-neck. Does it look better with or without straps (ignoring the bulk because of the 2 dresses one over the other). I have to say, it was heavy when I was wearing two dresses.



Now the other dresses with straps.




Please give me your honest opinions about which ones look good and which ones are just not right. Also would you wear them to an ourdoor wedding, or are they too much for that?

 

[slg47]

which dress do you feel the most beautiful in?

my personal favorites are

1st one with straps (with the sash/bow/flower at the waist) and the last one.

 

[lovebug1031]

Can't comment on anything with the Indian food as I don't live in STL.

I LOVE the strapless dresses on you, I think the look absolutely beautiful! BUT since you feel more comfortable with a dress that has straps I adore the 2nd one you posted with the flower and sash.

both of these are gorgeous as well (I think)
http://www.maggiesottero.com/dress.aspx?style=J1321 (Rosalyn)

http://www.maggiesottero.com/dress.aspx?style=J1399 (Bernadette)


As to your comment about it being a small casual wedding and worried about wearing a lace dress, I do not think it would be weird at all! It's your day, so you get to wear what you feel best in!

 

[KA]

Thanks for your comments. I really liked the flower sash one in person, but somehow don't in that picture. I feel like it makes my shape look weird. That is my problem in general, the ones I liked in person, I don't like in pictures and vice versa. I do think that the strapless ones look good in pictures, but somehow I am worried that they will have the bulgy shoulder fat problem. So I am worried about them a bit.

Bernadette is the 4th strappy one I posted. It looks a little weird because it was many sizes too big on me. I really liked it, but my fiance didn't, so that is making me second guess stuff. I feel like the sash at the waist somehow makes me look bulky. I liked the look of the empire style strap in bernadette and some of the strapless ones. But I am really really confused. If a lot of people vote on this post, I might just go with the majority

 

[KA]

Oh, and I forgot to say, I am going for a floaty organza or tulle type look in the skirt if possible. I really like the Rosalyn, but I think that might be too shiny for an ourdoor during the day wedding.

 

[OUpearlgirl]

I love the one with the straps and bow at waist, as well as the last one. Is that Casablanca 2004? The back on that one is STUNNING!!

I wanted to love the Bernadette, but I've found on most people it's just a little too high on their chest.

You have a beautiful figure, so everything is going to look great on you!

 

[asymons412]

I love strapless on you! Your problem is that you look stunning in everything! But personally, I love the modern, flattering look of strapless # 4 (with the few pickups). Typically I don't love those dresses, but it looks elegant on you! And the white against your skin tone!

 

[Gypsy]

You seriously look great in all of them. WOW.

Okay so which ones do I prefer you in.

How about I rate each on a scales of 1 through 10?

 

[Gypsy]

Don't like the underskirt part of this. Plus it emphasizes your hips over your bust. Pass. I'd give it a 3.

Very pretty and I like it for your outdoor wedding with the organza. Romantic and figure flattering. Only thing I don't love is the beading under the bust. 7

Very similar to the last strapless dress. I like this one best... tied with the last one-- except I think I prefer the very bottom of this one (no lace at the tips of the skirt, more flowy) 9

It's very attractive, but not so much for the wedding you described. 7

9... love this one. I might prefer the bodice cause it's less beaded. But I don't like the edging of the skirt as much as the other.

 

[Gypsy]

No I like this one better as strapless. 4

Gorgeous and perfect for your wedding. 10

Needs something at the waist or under the bust. 1

I don't like the lace. Different lace same cut might be nice 4 as is though

Too much frill up by your face. Looks like a little girls dress. 1

Stunning and elegant. 10

 

[vc10um]

I have to agree with Gypsy's highest rated dresses. My favorites are the ones she gave 10s and 9s! In fact, I GASPED at the two dresses with straps that she rated a "10". I don't think the flower sash one with the straps makes your shape look "weird" at all! I think you look STUNNING in it. And I love the unique lace neckline of the last dress with straps.

To go back a little to your comment about not wanting to be the center of attention...well, you're going to be that in ANY wedding dress on your wedding day...so get what makes YOU feel AMAZING. And I certainly don't think any of the dresses you've presented would be out of place at the type of wedding you've described.

As for the train...I didn't think I wanted one either, but I ended up with a dress with a sweep train, and truth be told, I was glad I did. I felt like it added just a slight touch of glamour and frankly made me feel more like a "bride"...plus the dress looked REALLY pretty bustled.

Finally, I have absolutely NO experience with the St. Louis area, but are there any local Indian restaurants that would be able to host the reception? That would be where I would start my search...

 

[slg47]

hehe it seems to be unanimous what do you think about our favorites?

the one with the straps/bow/flower/thingy at the waist really complements your figure...I don't think you look weird at all in that one.

 

[zoebartlett]

hehe it seems to be unanimous what do you think about our favorites?

the one with the straps/bow/flower/thingy at the waist really complements your figure...I don't think you look weird at all in that one.

I love this dress too. I also like the one next to it.

 

[tyty333]

For dresses I like the 3rd(this one best) and 5th strapless. For the ones with straps, I like the one with the belt with a flower
on it ...beautiful! Actually you'll look great in almost anything but those 3 really stood out to me. I especially like the one
with straps.

 

[jstarfireb]

Also can't help with the food - sorry! But your wedding was a lot like mine. We also had multiple weddings - I planned the American one and his mom planned the Chinese one.

For the dresses, I like the 2nd and the last one of the strapless dresses as well as the same (2nd and last) of the ones with straps, although I don't like the belt-bow thingy on the 2nd non-strapless one. I don't like the all-over lace ones. Everyone else is liking the 3rd strapless one, but I'm not. There's something about the lace on it that looks messy to me, like it's fraying or something.

I felt exactly the same about strapless dresses. They're all over the place and it's almost hard to find a nice non-strapless dress, and it seems like everyone and their sister have worn a strapless wedding dress these days. Strapless dresses look lovely on you, and they did on me too, but I wanted something a bit different from what everyone else was wearing. So I had a strapless dress altered into a halter top. The alterations were almost as expensive as the dress itself but worth every penny. I would consider adding spaghetti straps to one of the strapless ones if you like them. A 2" thick halter strap like the one I had probably wouldn't work with your styles, but spaghetti straps would be lovely. Double spaghetti straps with the outer one straight and the inner one meeting in the middle in a V shape in the back would be even nicer!

As for a train, I also didn't want one, but it was important to my husband, so I got one. It's hard to find dresses without a train as well (full-length ones at least). You'll probably have it bustled for the reception anyway.

Anyway, if I had to narrow it down to one dress, I think I'd pick the 2nd strapless one and add double spaghetti straps like I described above coming up from under the little ruffle. I really like the little line of beading under the bust, the tiny ruffle on top, and how minimal the lace details are on that one.

 

[monarch64]

KA: You are one of the few girls I've seen on this board who looks better in strapless. Embrace that and please know that all of the strapless gowns you chose to try on and post pics of look stunning on you. Pick one of those, and you're good.

 

[KA]

Thanks slg, lovebug, aupeargirl, asymons, gypsy, vc10um, zoe, tyty, jstarfireb, monarch for your replies. I really appreciate it. You have lessened my confusion a bit. Thanks especially to Gypsy for the ranking. It seems like most people agree with you mostly. jstarfib, thanks for the straps idea. I think I may try that. It seems perfect.

It looks like it is between the two strapless ones (3 and 5) and two strappy ones (2 and 6). I went out again and tried on a few more this weekend. I tried some simple ones that I thought I would like, since they seem more my personality. But I really didn't like them. There was one that my fiance really liked. I liked it too, but it seems to be really different from what I had imagined. What do you guys think? Do you like this one better than the other ones? Is it too much for an outdoor wedding? My fiance's mom thinks that the bottom looks like a flower, so it works for a spring outdoor wedding. I don't really think the flower thing, but I like how unique it is.



I think I'm going to stop trying on dresses now and just pick one from the ones I have tried. That will be one thing off my list. Planning a wedding is a pain

 

[jstarfireb]

You're welcome!

Honestly? I don't like this last dress at all. I don't think it flatters your gorgeous figure like a lot of the others. Your hourglass is lost in the folds of the dress. Brutally honestly? I think it looks like a toilet paper gown, like the ones they make at bridal showers. You're way too beautiful for that dress!

 

[vc10um]

I say no to the newest dress (which I believe is a Vera Wang for David's Bridal gown, correct?)...it's just not speaking to me...I think others you've tried on are much better suited to you and your wedding.

With it being an outdoor wedding and with you not wanting a train, have you considered going with a short dress? David's Bridal carries several that you could try on to see if it was the right "look" for you. White House/Black Market, Alfred Angelo, and j.crew among others all carry short dresses as well.

 

[OUpearlgirl]

Post a picture of the fabulous back on the bateau neck dress (Casablanca 2004)... It is so gorgeous, I think it gets my vote!!

 

[KA]

Thanks for the responses again. You are really helping me with the advise. My only advisors are my fiance and his mother, and they never criticize anything. They really love this last dress, but I am not so sure about it. So keep the advise coming please. I only have a partial of the back of the bateau dress, but here it is.



I really like this one too. I have two concerns with that dress. My fiance likes to see shoulders (of course he does . And I would like to wear a very pretty necklace white gold and diamond that my mom gave me years ago and that I have never worn. I can't wear it with the bateau neck line. Here is a terrible and crooked picture of the necklace. What do you think? Is it worth sacrificing the bateau dress for this necklace?



Keep the help coming

 

[jstarfireb]

I would sacrifice the bateau neck dress for the necklace if it has sentimental value to you...but that's because you have so many other great choices that WOULD work with the necklace. If you didn't and the bateau one was clearly the best choice, I'd say skip the necklace and wear it to the rehearsal dinner or one of your other 2 weddings instead. But as it stands, you could wear the necklace with almost any of the other dresses.