My Big Fat Wedding Planning Advice: The Dress

I tried like 5 times to write a post about keeping a budget but I kept coming off as a snot...so I gave up on that for the time being and have resolved to write about the thing that I'm most excited for: wedding dresses!

Shopping for a wedding dress was definitely one of my favorite (if not my very favorite) parts of wedding planning.

Ben proposed to me while we were living in Cedar City. My plan was to head home (to Springville) for dress shopping so that I could include my mom and Heather. But let's be real: I was an engaged chick with the opportunity to try on wedding dresses with full purpose and legitimacy. I needed to take advantage. So after being engaged for a few days I set an appointment at a little shop in town and made it a date with my roomies including my best friend ever (minus Ben), Petey.

You can tell a lot about what your experience is going to be like right from the second you walk into a dress store. And let's be real: it is my opinion that when wedding dress shopping, you are shopping for the right experience JUST as much as you are shopping for the right dress. You know you want a "Say Yes to the Dress" moment. Don't deny it.

Anyhow, from the moment I walked into this store, I felt way special. My consultant was incredibly helpful and she gave me her full attention. To me, this was really important. I went to other stores where I walked in and no one helped me or even talked to me. Another opinion I have is that the people you work with while planning your wedding should be happy for you...especially if they are specifically in the wedding industry... See what I mean about coming off as a snot...but really... weddings should kind of be a big deal.

I fell in love with the 2nd dress I tried on. I mean, it was totally the aforementioned "Say Yes to the Dress" experience. When I looked in the mirror, I totally fell in love. I loved how I looked. I loved how I felt. I loved the fact that Petey teared up when she saw me (I've known this girl for like 10 years and I've only seen her cry twice). It was the best.

See? I loved it!

But...

It was only the 2nd dress.

Obviously, I couldn't just pick that one. I tried on more. And more. And then I tried on Dress #2 again. I loved it... probably even more than the first time...but I still couldn't commit. Not yet. And then, in a semi-freak-out, I planned an impromptu trip home so that I could shop up north with Mom and Heather.

I drove home the very next day (peacing out to classes and work) and hit up as many dress stores as possible in a short, one day trip. Here's me being honest: I wanted a repeat experience. Just with different people.

And, really, truthfully, my mom and I have verrrry different tastes.

I didn't get exactly what I wanted when I went home. I didn't get another "Say Yes to the Dress" experience. My mom and I liked different dresses and different features. She liked lace and I liked tulle. And Heather ended up only being able to go to one store with us. However, going up north was not a mistake. I found dresses I liked. I got to shop around with my mom and sister. I got wedding dress shopping out of my system. And after that, I knew that the one in Cedar, Dress #2, really was The One. The trip was well worth it.

I've got lots more to say on this topic...but it's getting late. Trust me, I could keep writing...but I'm trying to be responsible...