Wedding Wednesdays: The Dress

Hands down, the question I get asked most often lately is, "Have you found a dress, yet?!?"

Unlike most questions where I have to say "Well...sorta, but we're still working out the details," this one I get to answer with a "Yes!"

And here's the story of how I found it.

About a month ago, Tutu and I drove down to Brinkley, Arkansas and met Momma and Kaitlin in the parking lot of Low's Bridal and Formal.

Now, if you've never been to Brinkley (or haven't even heard of it), you really aren't missing all that much. There's really not a whole lot there other than Low's. But trust me, that's enough.

This place is incredible. I mean, really, just look at it!

It's the largest bridal shop in the south, and one of the biggest in the nation. They've been in business for over 30 years and offer gowns from over 50 designers. They carry more gowns than Brinkley has people and keep about 3,000 in stock at the shop - which is itself amazing. It's an old railroad hotel that's been transformed into a treasure trove of all things white, fluffy, lacy, and sparkly. Their gowns range in price from well under $1,000 on the first floor up to $6,000 in the upper floor designer rooms.

Now, bein' from Memphis, you grow up hearing about girls shopping for their dresses at Low's. So, naturally, this was one of those things on my "Must Do for the Wedding" list. It's a bit of a drive from Fayetteville (4 or so hours), but totally worth it. Plus, Tutu drove down with me, so the commute was much more fun.

My appointment was on a Saturday, making it easier for Momma and Kait to come meet me, but cutting down on the amount of time we'd have with a consultant. Since they're so busy, Saturday appointments are only an hour and a half (v. the normal two hour slots). Knowing this made me a little nervous. I've never been good at on-the-spot decisions - I freeze up and can't think. I went to bed the night before terrified that it was going to be an awful experience. I wrote this in my journal:

"I'm supposed to be exited about this. I'm not. Not at all. I'm terrified. Kinda sick to my stomach. I'm just so worried they'll be mean to me or rude and that nothing will fit (or even look good). And I KNOW it's all going to be too expensive. Ugh. I don't want to do this after all. Can I just chicken out and not go...?"

But I did go. Mostly because I knew I'd get to see Momma and Kait, and partially because I've been looking forward to this for so long. Turns out, my worries could not have been more unfounded. We had a great time.

We arrived a little early, to get checked in and settled. I had time to hug my best friend, squeal a little, and walk around in absolute awe at the amount of tulle they'd packed into each room. I got a little overwhelmed wondering how on EARTH I was going to pick one.

Then, we met our lovely consultant, Ms. Juliette. She had the sweetest face and I calmed down almost immediately. I showed her some photos of dresses I liked, and she whisked me upstairs to find a fitting room. We stopped briefly in one of the rooms to check out a specific dress I'd mentioned. It was just as lovely as the photos I'd seen...but the price tag had a 4 followed by far too many zeros, so we kept walking.

We wandered several of the rooms, sifting through hundreds of surprisingly heavy dress bags, trying to find something I liked. If you know me, you know once I get an idea in my head...it kinda stays there. I knew what kind of dress I wanted, and I wasn't seeing one like it. It took a while, but we finally found a few that looked promising.

I think I tried on about eight dresses. I really can't remember. We narrowed it down to two fairly quick, then took a tour of the downstairs rooms to see if there was anything there I liked better. In the middle of looking for the right size in one I'd seen on a mannequin, Momma pulled out a dress that looked nothing like the ones I'd been trying. Honestly, I was not immediately impressed. But, I told her I'd try it, so we swept it off to the room.

Next thing I knew, I was in that dress and everyone was all weepy and sigh-y. I was still pretty sure I liked another one better...but I'd gotten the best reactions from this one. The longer I stared in the mirror, the more I fell in love with it. I didn't really want to take it off.

Then, I had to pick. Juliette let me try on my two favorites, back to back, and my brain went to that place it does when I have to make a decision. All logical reasoning ceased. I had absolutely no idea which one I liked better. I felt paralyzed.

Brides, if no one else has told you, picking out a dress isn't all princess twirls and lace. It's stressful. And scary. And emotional. And, honestly, kinda sucks. There, I said it. Don't let anyone fool you.

Shopping for the dress: SUPER FUN. Choosing a dress: SUPREMELY AWFUL.

I must have gone back and forth between those two at least three times (which, with all those layers, was no easy task). And poor Juliette, my 1.5 hour appointment quickly became a 2 hour ordeal. I just couldn't decide. Finally, I had Momma send Daddy a photo of each dress. After she sent him the first photo - of the dress she'd found that I hadn't expected to love so much - he called, crying, saying he didn't need to see any others. That, coupled with the look on Kait's face when she saw it, and the way it made Momma tear up and hide in the other room...kinda sealed the deal. I loved the other one, too, but this was clearly the right choice.

So, we made the decision, changed clothes, paid for our treasure, and headed over to the local antique store + cafe for lunch.

It was such a fun time - and I'm so glad I got to share it with some of my favorite people. I ADORE my dress - it's perfect. It'll go so well with the venue, and the theme...it even has beadwork that looks a little like snowflakes! Everyone that's seen it has absolutely loved it. Plus, I feel amazing in it...and that's what really counts, right? Can't wait for y'all to see it in January!

Til then, here's a sneak peek.

Til next time, friends!