A Gown for a Princess...Becoming a Queen!

Just wanted to show you guys my wedding dress. Check it out! Hope I can find an extra-long extention cord!

Just kidding. Gotta keep it fun. ;-)

So I haven't technically started this process yet. Hopefully that will happen within the next week or two. I can already tell that it's going to be a much more intense decision than I originally thought. I was a typical youngster - had my gown in mind, and nothing was going to change it. It looked something like this -

I'm still partial to the white, ballgown or wide A-line dress with fancy embroidery, no gathering, white only. I hope I'll end up with something similar. However, if there's one thing I've learned by entering adulthood and dealing with fluctuating weight, it's that looking at something that looks good on the rack is by no means guaranteed to look good on my bod when I get it fastened up and look in the mirror. I miss the days where I could slip a dress on over my head, tie it in the back, and automatically have an awesome figure. My golden years are gone. Therefore, while I still have my opinions and preferences, I'm willing to be flexible and adapt to whatever looks good on me in the shop.

I'm doing things a little different than most brides.  I never had any interest in keeping something I will never wear -and possibly never be able to fit into- again. We are also staying on a low, strict budget for this blessed day, and I couldn't see spending a quarter of my allowance on the gown. Don't get me wrong, though, the dress is an intrical part of the festivities. Is there not a medium? Yes there is! If all goes as planned, I will be renting my gown from a rental shop in Southeast Dallas. Here's a link if anyone's interested. http://bridalgownrentalandsales.com/For $75, you get to choose from an array of designer gowns ranging from $700 to $1000 in retail price. They clean and prepare it for you, and you get to keep it for up to 6 months until the wedding! Pretty sweet deal, if you ask me. Of course, I'm preparing myself for this place to either be a dive or have no interesting selections, in which case I will check out Anonymously Yours in North Dallas, where I've been told you can find some steals. I'll keep you posted on how it's going, but nobody sees the winner until the big day. :-)

Here's the style I'm keeping my eyes peeled for:

I may be asking too much for a family-owned bridal shop outside of Oak Cliff, but it's not over till it's over. My favorite part is the bit of bunch at the top and the waist. I'm becoming more open to gather if it isn't too much. I like the natural look. For me personally, this is too much:

 

Doesn't look bad, I just prefer a little less. Here's another one I like, eventhough it isn't satin. That's always been something I said I wouldn't compromise on, but who knows?

One exception that will never be made is on the white. I don't plan on having ANY ivory in this wedding...at all. I just think white looks more wintry and elegent. Although, I suppose if you wanted to drag an older gown out of mothballs worn by a friend or family member years ago, it has the same yellowy "glow". That used to be a big no-no, but perhaps that's where ivory came from so that nobody would know the difference. Something to research, like I need anything else to do on this machine. That's all for now. G'night!