I finally found my dress! Before even making appointments, I knew exactly what I didn't want. My non-negotiables were: no beading, if lace is involved, it should only be a tiny accent, no trains, and layers upon layers of petticoats/crinoline is a definite NO.
I wanted to be able to move, dance, and be comfortable. And I definitely wanted to accessorize with some statement pieces so I had to focus on simplicity of the design and the fabric. Thanks to J.Crew's Bridal Collection, I found a gown that I didn't want to ever take off: rare midweight Italian silk radzimir, a fitted bodice, and a full skirt with inverted box pleats and shirring for volume (so, no crinoline!), and the best part--hidden on-seam pockets!
Suzanne, my appointed go-to for dress shopping told me I was very easy to shop with. I didn't think so. I thought that I would walk into a store, pick out exactly what I want, and walk out with a dress. It didn't happen that quickly. We went to four different boutiques, tried on 15 dresses (5 or 6 of which was just for the heck of it because it was fun), and almost cried once because of a pushy sales person, before I finally found her--my dress.
Here are some of the things I thought were important to consider when shopping for a wedding dress:
1. Set a realistic budget. How much can you spend? And how much are you willing to be in debt for? Be prepared to spend more than you anticipated but also learn when to say, "too much" (you might have to say it many times).
2. Know your style. If you don't know what you want and you're unaware of what looks good on you, you will fall in love with 90% of the dresses you try on. It's the nature of wedding dresses. They make you feel pretty! So however many you try on, be intently aware of the dress that you can never seem to stop thinking about--that's usually a good sign. And make sure you have at least one friend whom you trust implicitly when it comes to fashion and your personal style.
3. Everyone's a critic, so don't turn your dress shopping into a group event. Friends are fun and great to be around, but when it comes to finding THE DRESS I chose to have just one person there. Having more than three opinions in one room can be complicated and may also cause unnecessary stress.
I have a strong opinion on my personal style as it is, so I picked one good friend who I knew was going to be perfect for this mission. I realised this was a risky decision as I have a lot of friends who have great style but I had to limit the critics panel to one because I didn't want my decision-making process to be more difficult than it had to be. It's a dress. I shouldn't have to have the entire world vote on it.
4. The extras add up. The dress comes with some lots of it: a veil, a head/hair piece, embellished belts, gloves, pins and brooches, jewelry, shoes, stockings, etc. When you're coming up with your budget, consider these items too. They add up and you may find yourself spending $500 on an embellished satin belt alone because you're having a bridal high. You'll be amazed at how a simple, $3,000 dress can turn into a $6,000 project. And if you're okay with that, lucky for you! But if not, this thought worked for me: "One day, it's just one day and never again." Somehow, the thought of spending that much on a dress that I'm only going to wear for less then 24 hours knocked me out of my high.
5. "Just try it on." Go short, princessy, grecian, bohemian, hollywood, edgy, if you can. It's the only time you'll ever do it and have a record of it so do it! That was so much fun and if it wasn't for Suzanne, I would've just stuck with dresses I knew I liked but she encouraged me to just try stuff on and I did. Unfortunately, I accidentally lost all my pictures... which brings me to my next point.
6. Take pictures--lots of it. It's always good to know what you're going to look like in person and in pictures.
7. Explore different types of shops. Luckily, I live in NYC so I was able to go to different spots that each had a different vibe. I went to two big retail stores, Kleinfeld's (from "Say Yes to the Dress") and David's Bridal. And as soon as I walked in those two stores, I had a gut feeling those weren't the stores for me. Both huge selections of gowns but the overall atmosphere was just too overwhelming for me.
I needed something pretty and calming--a place where I can lounge and sigh happily. I found all this in at the Lovely Bridal Shop. Lovely has a very romantic, Parisian appeal to it that will make you swoon and their collection are equally swoon-worthy. Then, there was J.Crew's Bridal Salon on Madison Avenue... my last destination was a sweet surprise. You walk into this quiet, elegant salon and immediately feel like a bride. And that's where Suzanne and I met her (my dress).
J.Crew Bridal - Madison Avenue
Lovely Bridal Salon - West Village
J.Crew Bridal - Madison Avenue
Lovely Bridal Salon - West Village
8. Timeline. Many boutiques will tell you to order your dress at least six months prior to your wedding. It's always good to take that advice. But if you're like me, and you choose to do it three-four months prior, you'll be fine too. One, I wanted to be at the weight I was happy with so I can feel good trying on dresses and two, while the 6-month rule applies to some dresses, there are plenty that you can get within three months. And if you were really desperate, these shops will make things happen for you and you need only ASK (you may need to spend a little more).
Because I lost ALL of the pictures that we took, all I have for you is a little glimpse of some of the dresses that I tried on from different designers.
Designers Pictured: Sarah Seven, Vera Wang from David's Bridal, J.Crew, Ivy and Aster
Because I lost ALL of the pictures that we took, all I have for you is a little glimpse of some of the dresses that I tried on from different designers.
Designers Pictured: Sarah Seven, Vera Wang from David's Bridal, J.Crew, Ivy and Aster
Other Designers Not Pictured: Delphine Manivet and David Fielden
