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}

Accountability and Healthy Attitude

I am a big time blamer.

I try to temper it with "I know I should have ____," but the sentence continues, "But I had so much going on/but it was raining/but I only had a dollar for a slice of pizza."

I have allowed the stresses of the last several weeks get the best of me an take over my entire body. I was picking fights, slacking off (our apartment looks like a frat house!), and eating poorly.

There is (in my defense because I can't help it) a connection between stress hormones and eating extra carbs. Your fight-or-flight hormone kicks in and your body craves high-calorie carbohydrates and sugar for the fast burn and to store it away in case you never see food again. However, sitting on your butt at your desk all day at work, you do NOT need this extra energy. It's the wacked-out way of the modern industrialized world. So, instead of burning these calories by running for our lives and climbing up trees to get away from a hungry cheetah; we become sluggish, grumpy, lazy, and we make excuses for ourselves.

I read an article in this month's Body + Soul/ Whole Living about this, and it was so beyond incredibly true for me in that very moment that it was- I hope- life changing. All of the aforementioned out-of-my-control stresses had come to a head this week, and I finally cried and talked it out with Marc on Wednesday night.  For the first time in weeks, no kidding, I actually had a positive outlook on Thursday morning. I felt like going back to the gym, I craved a salad, my shoulders felt lighter. And I was reading an article (different but very similar to the one I linked to) telling me that my fight-or-flight stress hormones had been encouraging my poor eating habits and behavior. Like- eating Fat Sal's baked ziti and garlic bread for three days in a a row for lunch, and whatever was convenient for dinner. Like- no veggies or fruit even crossed my mind let alone my lips. The proof was in my better mood and my healthier cravings.

It's weird when something you've been told and understood on an intellectual level for years just hits you over the head with tactile reality.

So now that I get it, what am I going to do about it?

This week, I want to start fresh. And I'll start by making a to-do list because, as probably the most disorganized person I have ever known, I hardly ever make to-do lists and I hear they're helpful for stress management.

My Stress-Managing To-Do List of Stuff to Manage My Stress:

1. Gym it up 2-3 times a week regardless of other crap in my life. (My preferred methods are spin class, "virgin" yoga, and lyrical dance even though I can never really keep up in that class.)
2. Eat better. I love healthy foods- especially anything than incorporates avocados. I just forget sometimes. 
3. Make a GRE study plan and start it. I'll thank myself later.
4. Motivate myself to take care of routine life-things. What I mean is:
1. Grocery Shop (and therefore COOK)
2. Do Laundry
3. Pick Up After Myself
5. Use my planner and make more lists. And then actually refer to said organizational tools.

See? This life-reboot isn't so bad.  I Can Do This.

What other things should I add to my list- what has helped y'all out in your experiences? Does anyone want to join me on my journey to mental and physical health?

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

okay. this is stressful.

I admit, I talked a bighuge, full-of-myself game in my early posts on wedding planning and I as soul mates. I was having a blast picking my game-day team who would help bring my vision to life. Bringing two families together was easy as pie. DIY nonsense projects to make the day homespun and girly? Sure that was a daunting list, but I look forward to working on every little labor of love.

Indecision (aka Crazybride) is not the source of my stress either, but rather the result of handling my stress in inappropriate ways. It's just the part of me that makes me hesitate when someone asks me how wedding plans are coming along because I'm not sure they really want to get into the benefits of letterpressed invitations or cardigans over shawls- but that's where my mind is.

I am stressed because I'm a guilt-ridden people-pleaser. And I'm planning an interfaith ceremony.