How to choose your perfect wedding dress. This post originally appeared on our old site Born to be a Bride.
OK, I don’t know if the other shoe is about to drop or what. But this weekend was a TRUE home run. My mom and I had made two bridal appointments for dresses; one with a high end bridal designer whose boutique sells mostly designs only under that name; the other at Saks, where the boutique is home to ten-plus bridal couture labels gorgeous enough to make your head spin just thinking about it. I feel very strongly about keeping my dress under wraps, so I’m not going to say where I went this Saturday or what styles and designers I went for. But I will say this– in one hour and only five tries, I found The Dress. The deposit went down, the champagne was poured, and the two of us left and went out to lunch. What?
Is it really supposed to be this easy? Am I missing something? I’ve heard all along that when you know, you know. But I never expected to find my dress on the first day of shopping, let alone over a year before my wedding. Was it my extensive research and detailed design photographs? My brilliant bridal consultant? Dumb luck? Whatever it was, it happened.
Later, after leaving Manhattan and before our guests arrived for a girly sleepover party, I sat on the floor of my pink childhood bedroom sorting through photos and files and bridal mag tear-outs. I contemplated the day’s events and started to get nervous. Had I acted too quickly, not thought this through? This is the most important outfit I will ever wear, and I picked it so quickly. Then I broke out my iPhone and pulled up the video Mommy had sent me of myself walking in the salon in my dress at the end of the appointment.
A girl who struggles with confidence (and thus posture) at times, it was amazing to see the way I naturally held myself straight up with pride while walking in this dress. I watched the way it hugged my body as I walked away from the camera and then when turning back, the way my face was lit up–equal parts elegant young woman and ecstatic little girl.
In that quiet moment alone, I watched my dress in action two or three times, a tear rolling down my cheek. Yes, I decided. This was it. I had picked my dress and I had made the absolute right choice. Now, as for the blog, I was planning on at least a few months of dress posts. I will still roll those out–for I’m not the only bride in America, and there is plenty to see and contemplate for all of you! But in this moment, I am happy to say that I’ve selected the most important outfit I will ever wear… and not only do I love it, but I know that my groom will, too.
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