Wedding Wednesday: The Dress

My hunt for a wedding dress all began with an extensive photo search online and in magazines to get an idea of what I liked. There I found pictures of two dresses I loved. I took these pictures with me when I went dress shopping to show the consultants what I liked.

On left - Demetrios B162, on right - Sophia Tolli Y2804 Irene

At first, I thought I really wanted a strapless ballgown with a lot of tulle layers. I hated satin because I didn't like the feel and just thought it looked cheap. I also didn't want a lot of embellishment and sequins because I thought it usually looked tacky. Yet I ended up with a silk satin gown encrusted with Swarovski crystals on the bodice. How did that happen?!

I really only went wedding dress shopping twice before finding my gown. Which was quite sad really, being that I loved trying on wedding dresses. My first time was when I was in La Crosse for Easter. It was with my mom, sister and Laura B. There was one dress I liked, but knew it just wasn't "the one." It reminded me of a snowflake, and would have been perfect for a winter wedding.

I believe it was a Maggie Sottero. It had everything I was looking for (strapless, ballgown with tulle skirt), but I just didn't love the dropped waist, lace up back, or sweetheart neckline. This shopping excursion was productive though, because I determined I absolutely had to have a long veil with blusher.

Another dress I liked on my first shopping trip was this San Patrick - only because I loved the train. It was a separate piece from the dress that attached on the back, and it was just so different.

A few weeks after my first wedding dress shopping experience, I met my mom and sister at Mestad's in Rochester. I definitely didn't think I would find the dress on this trip, and before we went in, handed my mom a list of places to call to see if they had the Sophia Tolli gown I was obsessed with and REALLY wanted to try.

At Mestad's, I went through the racks of dresses and found quite a few to try that were tulle. I walked by one of the displays, and saw a beaded satin one. Now I didn't really want satin, but thought I'd give it a try because I just loved the beading (which was rare for me). I tried it on, and LOVED it. But how? I hated satin dresses. Was I missing out on all kinds of satin dresses that could have been "the one" just because of my prejudice? Then the consultant told me it was silk, which is a completely different material than the polyester satin most dresses are made of. He also informed me the beading was Swarovski crystal, which would explain why I liked it when I usually hated the beading and sequins. This was an Eve of Milady gown.

He had me try on a similar dress that he had girls who liked the Eve but didn't want to pay the price for it try. I hated it. It was heavy, shiny like I hate, and had in my opinion tacky beading and sequins (which puckered as they usually do). I tried on at least 15 different dresses, but I kept coming back to the Eve of Milady and another gown by Emerald Bridal. I loved the Emerald gown's full tulle skirt, but really didn't like the bodice. I loved the Eve as well, but couldn't quite get over my hang-up on having a poofy tulle skirt.

I loved the tulle skirt, but the bodice was underwhelming.

 

But after trying on the Eve with a big crinoline on underneath, it was poofy enough for me and I knew it was the gown. After I decided, my consultant told me it was really the only dress that I smiled and glowed in.

 I never did try on the Sophia Tolli, and to this day, still think it looks like a gorgeous dress. But I am happy with the dress I got, even though it was completely different than what I thought I wanted.

Beading on the bodice detail

Trying on the dress before alterations: