Sooooo, last night I took three important people with me to David's Bridal in Richfield. :)
I was actually thinking of going dress shopping alone this summer (only because I knew I wasn't going to have the "traditional people" come with me) but the urge to look for a dress just kinda snuck up on me. So I got to thinking of who I should ask to come with me, and I chose...
1. Someone I'd like to be closer to and spend more time with
2. Someone from my family who's opinion I trusted
3. Someone who would have as much (if not more) fun then me!
I have heard a lot of ladies say that they didn't really want to go look for a dress at David's Bridal. Maybe because they felt like it was cheap there or too well known as the "generic place to go". Or maybe they thought they wouldn't find something of good quality or something unique.
But IT IS the easiest place to try first: they have a huge selection (including well known designers) that is always changing, and their prices are very reasonable. Besides, *no one will have any idea what you paid or what the brand name is on a dress.*
Anyway, my consultant was awesome, and she had only been working there for two months! I was actually relieved that she was about my age to. She was very nice, patient, and really easy to work with. I can tell anyone right now, that your consultant is a HUGE part of your experience.
I had printed off three dresses from the David's Bridal website that I wanted to try on, but they only had 1 of them in the store which happened to be "Choice #3", so I was kinda bummed right off the bat. I didn't even end up liking that one when I tried it on (dresses are totally different ON and in person).
So my consultant just kept bringing me dresses to try on in rotations of 2-3 at a time. I was really looking for something unique and non-traditional, something even I hadn't seen anywhere before.
I knew each dress I tried on wasn't "it" almost right away when I would see myself.
The best thing that happened all night was when I stepped out in this one particular dress. I looked at the girls, and my
sister-in-law's eyes went wide, she literally broke out in a rash on her neck, and her face went crimson. There was a pause, and then......"that's MY dress."
OMG. ACKWARD. How embarrasing!!! It was literally the same dress that she had picked out and ordered already for her wedding! But it was so halarious after the ackwardness passed!!!!
Then I remember the moment when I tried on another dress. I recognized it from the website, but I had disregarded it as "not my style". But what the heck, I'd give it a try! It was a smaller size then I thought I could fit in, but after some wiggling, we got it to zipper up! I just remember I had this strange feeling come over me before I even stepped out of the dressing room to see what I looked like. This feeling of, "mmmmm, this could be.....???"
So I stepped out, and I just didn't say "no" right away. I left the dress on, I gave it some time and kept checking it out. I asked to try a full length veil, and then a sash, and then we tried on a few different sashes - until I found what seriously seemed to be THE matching sash, it was so perfect, it just had to be meant for this dress!!
The dress was very appropriate for the Bahamas, it was light weight, it was different & unique, it was......beautiful.
And it was anonymous! :) :)
It was scary though as I stood there. I knew I was going to get it, but it's still very nerve racking making such a big purchase (always) no matter what the purchase.
At David's Bridal when you find your dress and you tell the staff that "this is the one", they have a tradition where they come over to congradulate you, you make a wish, and you ring this gold bell.
I told them that I wanted to make a wish not for myself, but for my brother & my future sister-in-law instead. So I made a wish, and rang the bell in the air. Kind of embarrasing, but kind of liberating.
I went to change out of the dress, and felt my throat tighten like I might cry when I came back out of the dressing room, but I caught myself.
I was so proud to order the dress and the sash, and pay for it in full. NO CHARGING!! :)
I asked my consultant if I could hug her after we had checked out, and I told her manager that she was great to us!
So now in April I will be the proud new owner of a Vera Wang. That's all I will tell you.
I teared up right when we walked out of the store as I hugged the family member I chose, telling her how much it meant to me that she had come, because I didn't have "the traditional people" there that night to witness this huge moment.
But the sadness was quickly forgotten, because I realized that this night and this experience couldn't have been more fun or more perfect....well that, and we were walking across the parking lot to Don Pablos for Taco Tuesday and Margaritas!! ;)
