My Dress 4

The last time I was in David's Bridal, I was on the hunt for accessories for prom. I'm among the first to wed in my group of girlfriends, so I haven't had the pleasure of popping in to try out a bridesmaid's dress or shop with a friend. It would seem that my rubber necking drive-bys did not prepare me for what was beyond the window display:

[images from David's Bridal and The Knot]

Luxe-looking fabrics with thoughtful embellishments and the fluffy chiffon-tulle trend strumming my heart strings. That's what awaited us beyond the DB franchise doors. It's like they KNEW I had zero expectations and had made it their mission to prove me wrong.

My mom and I told the girl at the front desk that we were just looking at bridal party dresses- no need for a consultant or a dressing room. And within minutes we were back, tails between our legs, apologetically asking for some help with bridal gowns in the busy pre-Spring Sunday rush.

My Dress 3

Quickie recap: I fell in love with a costy dress in December '08, and I purchased a different (albeit similarly vintagey) designer sample in Spring '09 and the money went to charity {Huzaaah!!}. But my heart wasn't in it.

By the time this past February came around, I was coming up on major crunchydecision time. I'd had little luck finding a used Bee and with a nearly year long search I had pretty much desensitized myself to the gown's beauty as I had with Fern. It was time to turn my attention elsewhere and embrace the undeniably gorgeous gown hanging in my parents' office, waiting for the go-ahead for a good dry cleaning and alterations.

With some time to kill on an unseasonably warm Sunday in Pennsylvania, and a hankering for some wedding fun {I'd been laying low since the holidays}, my mom and I decided to take a gander at David's Bridal's bridesmaids gowns. And I- genius that I am- thought it would be a fine opportunity to take some pictures of me in my gown before we left for reference when choosing dresses- and possibly maybe for reassurance that I stilled loved it but I would never admit to that.

For the rest of this post I declare:

My Dress 2

And so the boring titles continue in an effort to balance out the turmoil of my dress search....

To recap a bit, after my first shopping excursion to Priscilla of Boston in search of Fern, I was newly obsessed with Melissa Sweet's Bee. However, I was not ready to make a purchase 2 years out from my wedding day, and the price was steep.

My new plan of action? To find a second-hand Bee. It would be cost effective, eco-friendly, and it would give me something to focus on for the next year. The problem? Bee was brand-spankin new and second-hand Bees wouldn't hit the used dress market until... well... spring 2010 it would seem. Nevertheless, I scoured the web and penciled in sample sales on my calendar. In March 2009, I needed another tangible dress shoppe experience. My mother came up to Manhattan on a Saturday for an appointment at The Bridal Garden in the Grammercy/Flat Iron/Chelsea-ish area. On the same block as the famous Kleinfeld bridal salon.

My Dress

Yep, there it is. The plainest title of them all for this overthinking, label-loving, wandering-eyed bride's dress. I've put off talking about my dress or my dress search in any specific terms, and you're about to find out why. So hold on to your hair fasteners- we're starting at the beginning!

{Source clockwise from top left: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}

Bridesmaids' dresses: color theory

I did it! I decided. Despite my over-analyzining round one shopping aftermath, despite my fear of defining formality, I picked a dress for my ladies. We're keeping it easy, cheapy, and mossy green:

B2 #2078 in Pure Jade

Wait a tick. You're confused by my description of this green as "mossy" and B2's chosen adjective combo "Pure Jade?" Well friends, so am I.  And while I'm ready to email all my ladies and pull the trigger on this purchase, this color controversy has given me pause. So I looked up Jade Green in Google images and found the following:

{source}, {source}

Just as I suspected, Jade is of the Aqua/Turquoise/Sea Green family. It does not have a place card at my wedding color palette's table. Fortunately, the dress is definitely not Jade but rather much closer to a forest or moss green. Unfortunately my mother is convinced it's Jade because it's called Jade and hates it as a result.

My position: This dress is the most flattering of the bunch, and while it is not as rich a moss green as the runner up Jim Hjelm, it is $100 cheaper:

A faceless NY MoH models B2 on the left, Jim Hjelm on the right

The pictures above are black and white to prevent any further color confusion. Droid camera compounded with bad dressing room lighting and no flash because it's a "no pictures" zone yields faded colors that could actually be "jade." But I assure you, it's more like the pic up top in person.

Whats with trying to name colors and confusing discerning brides and their mothers? All dress colors should be coded to Pantone colors so we can know what we're getting! (Dessy knows what I'm talkin' about).

As for the whimsy and details I had asked for in a bridesmaid's dress? The bodice on this B2 bargain is beautifully draped, and I'm going to add a flower sash to each one a la Mrs. Cowboy Boot's gown on Weddingbee:

sigh....

How did you decide on your bridesmaids' dresses? Did you have to compromise anything?

Dear Bridal Fashion Industry...

OHMIGoD.

OH


MAH


GAH!!

{from AisleDash by way of Junebug}

{brides.com}

How can you expect me to wear a Spring 2011 gown to my Fall 2010 wedding?

It's the perfect little bits of everything wonderful about bridal all fluffed up into one chiffonytulle ballgown dream: Precisely perfect use of appliqued flowers leading into the grand beautiful finale of demur lace at the hem. Polished with a feminine satin ribbon tied in a bow in the back just under the delicate wrapped buttons that hold together a simple draped chiffon bodice with a flattering sweetheart neckline.

Just LOOK AT IT!

I cannot have this dress.

I already own TWO dresses.

This dress is from the future.

Even if I had the money and found it at a trunk show I'd never have it in time.

What does that southern belle delicate lace remind me of at the hem....?

OH yes.

{random-find source, source}

This gown is like if Cinderella combined her mother's heirloom gown with the head turning chic design by the Fairy Godmother.

But maybe... MAYBE... I can hire some mice to spiffy up my gown?

{my fave scene: source}

Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is. BRAVO Christos! Bravo!! You have tweaked your beautiful flowy chiffon designs into my absolute dream gown by adding a touch of lace. THANK you, for your inspiration.

xoxo,

Heart the Day

bridesmaids' dress shopping today

Two of my bridesmaids are venturing up to New York today, taking time out of their busy schedules to humor me with a scouting/shopping trip for their dresses.

I thought I'd start the day off with some inspiration action. It is very much needed because I feel like I've lost all direction in the bridesmaids dress department- I used to be very firm about wanting the dresses to be short to the knee, detaily {Love pleats or bows or an interesting ruffle or neckline}, texturey fabric:

{I made this here}

But.. I feel like I'm being pushed pulled and prodded in a more formal direction... especially after scouting out some tuxes last weekend for the guys. So... does that have to mean long dresses for the girls? And would that be so terrible?

{I love this chiffon Jim Hjelm choice from KellyV's wedding posted on the Weddingbee boards}

Of course, if I'm going long, I'm going to want some drama:

{a silky long almost ballgowny Watters and Watters number in a chic ambiguous neutral}

{or this PERFECTION of a chiffon dream by Vera Wang... too costy for my party- also posted with more photographic delish detail on iloveyoumuch}

I'm sure we'll come up with some great options today- I can't wait to get started, but I'm surprised how frightened I am... maybe because I'm finally letting these girls in my crazy bride head and dragging them along for the ride... please be patient with me today! hehe...

Also, a question for the world: does short dress mean no classic tux, just a dapper suit? Does classic tux mean gotta-have-a-long dress? Can we request "formal attire" and show off girlies in short dresses down the aisle or does that mean "cocktail attire?" I was loving this modern anything goes motto for a long while, but now it's making my head spin as my brain hits up against the walls of traditional etiquette rules. {I secretly love traditional etiquette rules.}