Long gone, but not forgotten

I am finally, once again, on a break from work, with time to burn and time to reflect on the past 5 or so months of marriage (and the marriage itself).

I recently had the amazing opportunity, as a wedding gift, to participate in a photo shoot with my good friend and colleague Renee Clancy.

She can always make me look good! Thank you, Renee, for giving me the opportunity to put my dress on again! I love your work and hope to use you for our next special occasion.

Here is my favorite:

Still love my dress!

Since I forgot this hanger for my actual wedding, she was nice enough to photograph it for me!

Confession: I am a bad bride

Lately, I have had to face the realization that I am not a very good bride. I am not a Bridezilla, so don't take it that way, I am the opposite, I don't have enough opinions or enough "vision" in my mind to insist upon perfection.

For example, although my sisters found a fabulous bridesmaid dress that they both liked on the first day we shopped, I waited until recently to give the go-ahead for the dress. Then I have procrastinated sending out the information for ordering to all my other bridesmaids. I feel like such a slacker!

I tried to dissect this issue. I believe part of my problem is the fact that I'm afraid to disappoint my girls with my choice. Since day one, I've been worried about making everyone else at the wedding happy (as you've seen in previous posts). I also just think that I gave myself a LOT of time between the engagement and the wedding, so I am not working well without the pressure (once an AP kid, always an AP kid!)

But anyway, I hope that this is just paranoia and that I really am not falling behind in my planning, nor do I have as much to do as I fear (lurking behind every corner, more wedding must-haves that I missed).

Here's a teaser for you:

Which one

did I

choose????

 

 

 

 

 Dresses from Pinterest collection- Da Vinci, Impressions, Dessy, and the Perfect Palette blog

Wednesday Wish!

Although I truly just wish I had more vacation time to relax and hang out with the family (I shouldn't complain with 2 whole weeks for the holidays), I am also getting more and more checked off my wedding list so the wishes are narrowing to the details. The details are the fun part, anyway. Today's detail wish: cute shoes. When I got my dress last week, I was told that I had to know which shoes I thought I might be looking at wearing so that the dress doesn't wind up being too long or too short. I chose a medium heel height, but honestly I don't know what I'll wind up doing for shoes!! Here is one idea, which may hint at details from my dress... ;)

From Pinterest

I bought a DRESS!!!

I know I've already blogged about dress shopping, and discussed the bridal salon experiences I've gone through, but even with all my talk, I did not officially purchase a dress until now!

I am absolutely ecstatic that I waited and that this can now be marked off my long list of wedding to-dos. I am glad I waited because I got to really think about my decision, and I don't doubt my choice at all now. I am also glad it is over, because the 4-6 month delivery period puts me a little bit uncomfortably close to the wedding date!

I am sad that I did not choose the dress from my favorite bridal shop, Uptown Bridal, in Chandler. I realized, however, that their fabulous customer service could not distract me from thinking that another dress I had previously tried on was worth a second glance. Turns out, the old adage that brides choose the first dress they try on may be closer to reality than I thought. The dress I bought was among the first 5 I tried on the first day I went shopping for my dress in Denver. I should have gone with my gut and taken care of it then, but having waited I scored a $600 discount and got to give my patronage to a Chandler business as well. I wound up purchasing my Casablanca gown at Yes I Do Bridal from a very nice couple, who also had great customer service. And after trying on the dress a second and third time, I keep loving it more and more.

So the benefits go either way. Buy early and stop worrying about finding a better dress "out there" because you're probably wearing your favorite one right now anyway. However, if you do shop around, you can also solidify your choice and not wonder "what if there is another dress out there I'll love more" and you could save yourself some cash!

If there is one thing I learned, it is that it is beneficial to ask around when pricing your dresses as well, as each shop can charge what they want, and some will be cheaper than others for the same dress!

Sorry, can't show the dress online!!! You'll have to wait to see!

Confession: All I Want for Christmas

I must confess, I am having a hard time enjoying Christmas when the much more-anticipated wedding is getting nearer and nearer each day. Every year, people look forward to the spirit of the holidays and the time with family, gift giving, and of course food. Well, I'll see you one Christmas and raise you one Wedding!!

Why weddings are more fun than Christmas (not that anyone out there will argue):
1. The cake. I love Christmas cookies as much as the next person, but cake wins, hands down.
2. DANCING. Christmas dancing is really reserved for New Year's Eve, not Christmas.
3. Dresses. It is much too cold in Minnesota to dress up on Christmas and be comfortable, so until I spend Christmas in Phoenix (which can also be freezing in December,) I give one more point to Weddings.
4. More friends and family. I don't know about you, but we are lucky that my immediate family can be together for Christmas. Weddings are filled with all the people you love, not just a select few.
5. Christmas may mean happiness and joy for a month or two, but my wedding will mean a lifetime of happiness and joy. (I know, I am so cheesy now that I'm a bride to be).

On that note, all I really wanted for Christmas this year was a wedding, and I am getting exactly what I want.

Christmas 2010 in Minnesota!

Uptown Bridal!

By far, the best experience I had shopping for my dress was at Uptown Bridal in my own home of Chandler, AZ. I cannot say enough positive things about this shop. Although I have no officially ordered the dress yet, I have fallen more and more in love with it, so am feeling more assured that it is "the dress" as the time passes.

Upon making my appointment, I already had high expectations because of the recommendations of former brides. When I walked in I just felt as though I was not just surrounded by beautiful dresses but by a happy and optimistic vibe. Then I met Ali, my consultant. She was the first person who not only gave me freedom to browse dresses to try on, but then made suggestions based on both my preferences and my body type.

I was hesitant to ask to try on dresses that were on display on the mannequins in the windows, but Ali insisted that I try one, which turned out to be my favorite. I appreciate the extra effort it took to take the dress off the mannequin for me, and her carefree and helpful spirit helped lead me to "the dress"!

This shop is locally owned by amazing women, and I can't wait to accessory shop and return over and over when my dress comes in an I get fitted for alterations. I fell in love all over again, and finally feel less stress about the dress because of it.

And this is my favorite detail from the shop:

Stenciled on the wall of the roomy dressing room!

Dress Decisions

I am starting my new "pattern" of blogging to keep myself from slacking and to be inspired to write on a more regular basis. Every Monday I am hoping to share a personal story of my wedding planning experience. I hope that all friends and family who are active readers will enjoy watching and reading from afar, and that they all feel like a part of the process despite their distance (or busy schedule)!

Today I just went dress shopping at my 4th shop. While in Colorado (don't worry, lots of stories to come), I was fortunate enough to have my sisters and my mom, along with a bridesmaid, to help me while I dress shopped. The maids also got a chance to pick out some frocks. They were more successful than I was, I believe. I hear that it is much harder to pick out a dress 5-6 girls will love than to pick the bride's dress. This is turning out to NOT be my case...

In the interest of being totally honest with my lovely audience (over 2500 hits so far! Thanks guys!), I must admit that playing dress up was an anticlimactic experience for me. I may have worked it up in my own mind a bit too much, hearing from so many other brides (both friends and magazines) that it was "so special" and "you just know when it is 'the dress'", I guess I was hoping for that miraculous "I bought the first one I tried on" moment.

About 30 dresses later, no such moment.

My mom is probably losing it already!

I found dresses I liked, even some I REALLY liked, but didn't have an "I NEED THIS DRESS NOW" experience. Perhaps it is my procrastinating personality that tells me that I am in no hurry that keeps me from feeling the pressure to buy. Maybe it is because I don't want to regret my decision and find a better dress months down the road. As I read horror stories of missing dresses and bankrupt salons, I am finally starting to get a sense of urgency to settle on a dress.

I also wonder if any other brides worried that their husbands would react less than favorably when seeing them in their dresses for the first time. Not that I don't totally trust that Kyle will just love whatever dress I am wearing, but I just know that he has made some comments about my wardrobe choices in the past (and since he has no fashion sense he didn't know what he was talking about...), but I don't want him to reject the fashion just because of his lack of knowledge of the fashion world, thus making my "beautiful" day feel less than.

I wish I could upload pictures to share, but you know, as the superstition goes, no one must see me in the dress (namely Kyle) before the "big reveal" on my wedding day (which is now officially under 50 weeks away!)

Designer Dresses

I know I am not the only person out there who has humbly accepted that I have no personal fashion sense. I see some of my girl friends' outfits and wonder how in the world they can just find stuff THAT cute off the rack in any store. I read some fashion blogs and realize that I cannot AFFORD to look that good. So when it comes down to finding an ideal wedding dress, I guess what I first need to find is my true inner fashion diva.

I originally imagined myself in the most plain and boring white gown. Something simple but timeless. I didn't want to spend too much on a dress that had a label when I could get a replica for half the cost. I also wanted clean cut styles so I could look back on my wedding photos in 40 years and not be embarrassed about the "trendy" puffy sleeved dress with the giant butt bow (not a dig on the 80's, not at all...)

I, however, upon looking through the endless pile of bridal magazines (see previous post) and the online searching through every wedding dress store and designer website I could find, have come to the conclusion that I have no clue what my dress should or will look like. I am hoping that when I go to my first dress store appointment in 3 weeks, I will get a fabulous consultant who just knows what to put on me that will look awesome. I am mostly looking forward to getting to play dress up for a few hours with my sisters, mom, and close friends. I feel like I am not mentally ready for dress shopping, but at the same time I am kind of hoping that I find what I want the first time so I can stop stressing about it.

On a final note, my dress will not have any feathers attached, will not have a hoop skirt, and will have a maximum train length of 3 feet if I get my way! At least I can tell the stylist what I don't want to see in my outdoor, Colorado wedding.

Here is my favorite from blog surfing so far:

From Weddingchicks.com