Playing Dress Up: Part 1
July 16, 2009 · Posted in beauty, what to wear, dress shopping by mo
It took me about six months to buy a wedding dress, and in those six months I visited five different salons and probably tried on about forty dresses. Can you imagine? FORTY DRESSES. I remember going to my first appointment and asking “what’s a sweetheart neckline?” and by the end of round 2 of dress shopping I was a pro at all the terminology.
Some things that I learned while dress shopping:
1. Ballgowns swallow me whole (I am petite at 5′1″1/2).
2. Designer gowns can easily cost the same amount of money as my annual rent.
3. White is not ivory. Ivory is not white. And if you mention getting something not in the white family, (most) people give you a funny look.
4. I am able to watch more episodes of Say Yes to the Dress than I ever thought possible.
One of my first stops on the grand tour of wedding gowns was the incredibly delightful Bliss Bride in Del Mar, CA. They close the entire store while you try on dresses, and they let me take as many photos and twirl around the store. It truly was a princess experience. Everything about the place was so charming, and I’d highly recommend a visit if you live in the San Diego area.
[Totally cute, no? Photo from Bliss Bride]
They were having an Amy Kuschel trunk show, and I fell in love with Amy that day, along with Claire and Christos.
[Amy Kuschel's Parfait, that's my patient big sis with me!]
After I went over the pictures with the boy (yes, I let him see me in them!) and talked about the budget, we decided it would be best to buy something at a lower price. I went back to my computer and continued to look (late into the night) at wedding gowns, trying to stay away from the high-end designer websites, and constantly searching on PreOwned Wedding Dresses and Ebay. Boy are my eyes tired.
Stay tuned dear readers–more wedding dresses to come! :)
Hey!
If you are looking for used dresses that are cheaper you may want to check out Smart Bride. It is fairly new, but you might as well check and see if there is anything on it!
or if you end up going over budget and buying one-you can sell it on this site after for free ! :)
But anyways-hope it helps!
Allison’s most recent blog post: Jesica Milton - (and a sale!)
oh my goodness!! you look gorgeous in all of these dresses! I’ve always loved the Margherita…and it looks absolutely stunning on you! I’m short too (5′2) so I can relate with the big ballgowns…haha! can’t wait to see more!!
Stephanie’s most recent blog post: It’s a Girl!
@Allison: Thanks for the tip! I have never seen that site before.
@Stephanie: Thank you!! I had my eye on the Margherita before the appointment as well–it’s even better in person and was very comfortable.
Mo’s most recent blog post: Sprinkles BFF Contest
Mo, you look great it all the dresses. If I didn’t already know about THE dress I would be all for Parfait. But THE dress is even better.
@julia: Thanks for the sweet comment about THE dress. :)
Parfait was definitely on the stalking list when I was checking out websites for people selling their dresses–alas it never showed up, but good thing it didn’t!
For anyone looking into Parfait, it is a GORGEOUS dress. What you can’t see in the photo is that the bust is intricately embroidered–definitely a stunning design.
mo’s most recent blog post: Animals with Casts
I love the Christos on you. Gorgeous. What made you buck tradition and show the boy photos of the dresses?
The Professional Bridesmaid’s most recent blog post: Harry Madness!!
@The Professional Bridesmaid: Good question! I’ll write about it in an upcoming post. :)
Mo’s most recent blog post: Leaving on a jet plane…again!
how much was the Lalique dress? Looks amazing on you!
I bought my dress from Bliss Bride and I 100% agree with you that it was an enchanting experience. I highly recommend the store to any bride. I actually drove from the LA area because they were the only store that carried a dress that I was looking for. Totally worth it.
