PolynesianBride'sPJ 12/6/10 Sunset Pointe- TEASER PICS UP!

[polynesianbride]

Thanks so much for all the kind words everyone! I had a wonderful weekend, my good friend Jackie who I used to do travel nursing with came up with her 13 month old baby who's name is Adelia (yep she's named after me). Anyways we had a ton of fun but when we were out shopping I decided to stop in the Macy's Bridal Salon (it's only a few blocks away from me- I live right downtown) and see if they had my dream dress- I knew from the Romona Keveza website that they were the only store in MN that carries her line. And they had it!!!

The price was pretty much the same as in FL (actually $10 cheaper) but the great news is that there is going to be a Ramona Keveza trunk show the last weekend of this month and they offer 10% off all dresses bought at the trunk show! Plus in MN there is no sales tax on clothes so that will save me I think another 6% in tax... that puts us up to 16% "savings"!!! Plus I was going to look into getting a Macy's card when I get the dress... you know how they always ask you if you want to "save an additional 15% today by opening a Macy's card?" I ALWAYS say no to that question but 15% off a purchase like this would be totally worth it and then I'd just pay it off right away!

The sales lady said it's actually better to get your dress at a trunk show bc then all your measurements are taken right by the designer and she said they watch the production of the dress more closely then than their other orders... she also said they also throw some "bonuses" in sometimes- I don't really know what that means though. I guess I don't know much about trunk shows- anyone have any experience with this? I thought maybe she was just saying it to try to convince me to buy my gown there and not in FL. I think I've heard other brides talk about trunk shows but remember them mainly saying they have gowns on sale for cheap if you buy them as is... however I could never imagine them having one in my size so I never thought to check one out.

At first I still thought I would get the dress in FL bc they are the one's that helped me find the dress... plus it's closer to Disney and my parents could transport the dress for me rather than shipping it but then fitting would be tough to do and with the potential savings and if there really is a benefit to getting it done at a trunk show I think I will get it here in MN.

My friend Jackie is so sweet too, after seeing me in the gown she told me I just had to have it and offered to put $600 down on the dress for me as my "wedding present"... very nice thought but definately can't let her do that... I told her to put the $ in baby Adelia's college fund! So I'm one step closer to actually giving in and buying my dream dress! Part of me still feels like it's completely ridiculous but my new latest justification is that plenty of brides splurge on Cinderella's coach which is the same price as my dream dress... so maybe every bride deserves atleast one completely overpriced splurge

I still am going to make myself go try on more dresses before the trunk show too. In fact I think I'll call and make an appt right now before I put it off any longer! If you have any experience with trunk shows please share though!

 

[tiggersam00]

First of all what an honor to have a baby named after you! You are going to be such an amazing role in her life, and how sweet of your friend to offer the $ to help you! Now that being said, I think you are allowed to splurge. I think we all splurge on one thing of another! The dress is made for you for sure and you really need to indulge.

Trunk shows from what I hear are very crazy, lots of people so try and get an early appt (if they take appts that day) or just wake up and be 1st in line so you can get the best selection and be able to try your dress on.

Other then that just have fun and enjoy, you deserve it girl

 

[Petals & Pixie Dust]

YEAH for being one step closer to your dream dress!!!
I love your game plan and all your work to get discounts!!!

 

[tiggerrifficheidi]

Oh, I'm so happy you're getting YOUR dress! I think there is a big difference between a dress that fits like a glove and is made for you vs. just a dress. I'm really happy you didn't have to settle. I know it's a lot of money, but it sounds like you're going to get a break, so that's AWESOME! Can't wait to hear about the trunk show!

 

[figment fan21]

For the savings i would buy it in MN!!! And what a great friend offering to do that for you. Makes you feel all warm inside to know you have a person like that in your life Very cool! I definatly think that if you want to splurge one something like the dress, go for it! I'm so excited that you can get all those percentages off!

 

[MainStMandy]

Ohh that is such exciting news!! That dress is just to die for!!! Congratulations

 

[polynesianbride]

First of all what an honor to have a baby named after you! You are going to be such an amazing role in her life, and how sweet of your friend to offer the $ to help you! Now that being said, I think you are allowed to splurge. I think we all splurge on one thing of another! The dress is made for you for sure and you really need to indulge.
Trunk shows from what I hear are very crazy, lots of people so try and get an early appt (if they take appts that day) or just wake up and be 1st in line so you can get the best selection and be able to try your dress on.

Other then that just have fun and enjoy, you deserve it girl

Thanks Sam! I know I was so excited when they told me they were naming her after me I go so teary eyed. She is just the cutest baby too! My friend Jackie is just the best... I just wish we lived closer!
I took your advice and I made an appt for 10 am (first appt) on Sat 5/30! The show is going on Friday too but I have a conference that day and won't be able to make it... wish me luck!

YEAH for being one step closer to your dream dress!!!
I love your game plan and all your work to get discounts!!!

I'm soooo excited about it's a bit ridiculous! I told DF all my plans to get discounts and he says in a very sarcastic tone "WOW baby you are just "saving" us soooo much money by buying this dress" We always laugh bc my mom is always buying all these things she doesn't really want or need that are on mega-sale bc she just can't pass them up because she is "saving" so much money... I guess I'm ending up just like her. "Saving" my way into the poor house!

Oh, I'm so happy you're getting YOUR dress! I think there is a big difference between a dress that fits like a glove and is made for you vs. just a dress. I'm really happy you didn't have to settle. I know it's a lot of money, but it sounds like you're going to get a break, so that's AWESOME! Can't wait to hear about the trunk show!

Thanks Heidi! A fitted dress like this really will need to fit like a glove so I am very excited!I will write all about the trunk show... and maybe since I'm actually buying the dress and putting money down hopefully I can take pictures!

For the savings i would buy it in MN!!! And what a great friend offering to do that for you. Makes you feel all warm inside to know you have a person like that in your life Very cool! I definatly think that if you want to splurge one something like the dress, go for it! I'm so excited that you can get all those percentages off!

She is just the sweetest friend, it was such a nice offer and really touched my heart. I talked with my mom and she agreed that I should definately get the dress here in MN... she told me my #1 loyalty should be to my checking account SOOOO TRUE!

Ohh that is such exciting news!! That dress is just to die for!!! Congratulations

Thanks Mandy!

 

[malibustacey]

Hunny you need your dream dress so splurge away! Its so nice your friend offered- it shows how much she cares plusssss it must be a damn great dress for her to want to offer that! Well, we all know its one fineeee dress!

 

[polynesianbride]

Hunny you need your dream dress so splurge away! Its so nice your friend offered- it shows how much she cares plusssss it must be a damn great dress for her to want to offer that! Well, we all know its one fineeee dress!

HAHA! I never thought of it that way... I must look good enough to make people loose their mind and hand over their wallet

 

[polynesianbride]

So the past few days I have found myself obsessing over the exact wedding date. When I first started planning you could only have an Escape Monday through Friday... so originally we had thought we would do Friday 12/10. Then after being in OHana on a Friday and it was a zoo we decided to switch to Monday 12/6. Our plan was always that we would stay for 2 weeks... the week before the wedding our families will be there- we'll get married on their last full day there... then the day after the wedding they will go home and we'll spend a week disneymooning. Now I'm looking at the calendar and realizing that we would be arriving in Disney the weekend right after Thanksgiving... which is not value season. DF doesn't think it will be a big deal bc he says it will only be a day or 2 but I figure people aren't going to want to show up on Sun when they've had work off since Thursday. I just feel like trying to arrive in WDW 2 days after a holiday is just going to stress everyone out. I think coordinating a wedding is enough for me without me having to try to coordinate everyone's holiday weekend... so now I want to move it to Sunday 12/12. So then there will be the craziness of Thanksgiving, a whole week off, then the wedding festivities begin. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Has anyone been to OHana on a Sunday night in December? Am I just obsessing too much? I realize everything could change at 8 months anyways if I can't get my date but I would like to somewhat commit to a date now bc I would like to put a deposit down on Misty... I'm almost at the 18 month mark and I know people book her early.

 

[Chilly]

SPLURGE!!!!

But do try on other dresses just to be sure.

 

[figment fan21]

I know what you mean about the date. DF and I wanted 10/16/2010 but i'm becoming obsessive about it too. I'm almost wondering if we should change in to early november instead but you're right.... you dont know whats going to happen 8 months out. I think its incredibly hard to try planning a wedding, even an escape, not having everything pinned down until 8 months before.
I've never been to ohana on a sunday night and have never been to disney in December BUT i do know someone who went two weeks after thanksgiving and she said the crowds were VERY light. People go down the wend. before and sometimes stay into the middle of the next week, but once they're all gone its smooth sailing from there. So that might work out for you! HTH!

 

[tiggersam00]

Hey there, I went to WDW this past year on the Sunday after Thanksgiving and stayed for a week. The 1st day was a bit crazy (but we just went to DTD and it was fine) After that the crowds were very low... we did pay about $90 more per plane ticket then normal though, not sure if that makes a difference for you guys on your guests but it was an added cost. HTH

 

[polynesianbride]

SPLURGE!!!!

But do try on other dresses just to be sure.

I'm going today to try on some other dresses but I'm definately going to allow myself the splurge unless I find someting I really love more!

I know what you mean about the date. DF and I wanted 10/16/2010 but i'm becoming obsessive about it too. I'm almost wondering if we should change in to early november instead but you're right.... you dont know whats going to happen 8 months out. I think its incredibly hard to try planning a wedding, even an escape, not having everything pinned down until 8 months before.
I've never been to ohana on a sunday night and have never been to disney in December BUT i do know someone who went two weeks after thanksgiving and she said the crowds were VERY light. People go down the wend. before and sometimes stay into the middle of the next week, but once they're all gone its smooth sailing from there. So that might work out for you! HTH!

I was having a hard time waiting til 1 year out to book... then they changed it to 8 months! It's just killing me! I know I should probably just pick a date and go with it... I think I just have too much time to read into things!

Hey there, I went to WDW this past year on the Sunday after Thanksgiving and stayed for a week. The 1st day was a bit crazy (but we just went to DTD and it was fine) After that the crowds were very low... we did pay about $90 more per plane ticket then normal though, not sure if that makes a difference for you guys on your guests but it was an added cost. HTH

Thanks Sam! That helps alot! We were there Dec 13-18 and it wasn't crowded in the beginning but each day got progressively busier. So hearing what that first week of Dec was like is just what I needed! I think there are pluses and minuses to both the 6th and the 12th. The 6th we will probably hit the tail end of the Thanksgiving crowd and pay a bit more for plane tickets... but if we wait a week each day gets progressively more crowded as you get closer to Christmas! The deciding factor may end up being that I forgot Misty only offers her smaller packages Monday-Thursday- I have an e-mail out just to verify this but that would make me probably choose the 6th (...hmmm I could do the 13th...arrrgh I just need to draw a date out of a hat)

 

[polynesianbride]

So I went dress shopping again yesterday with one of my best friends. We have known each other our whole lives, our moms are friends and her mom is actually my godmother. We both just happen to live in Minneapolis now and she is really my only really good friend that lives near by. So first we went to try on the Romona Keveza dress and she liked it but I'm not sure that she loved it... but I also don't think she realized that the dresses are no where near your size I put it on and she said... "don't they have one that fits better" After I explained how bridal dresses work and that part of it she really liked it. She tried to sneak some pics for me and is going to e-mail them to me later today hopefully!!! I will post them ASAP!

So then we went on to the next bridal place which is a big bridal mega store in St Paul. It's set up in 4 houses and was quite overwhelming for me. And they were very strict on the no picture policy. We were in an upstairs part and they make everyone take off their shoes when they go up there... but the staff wears shoes and there was this one staff lady stepped on my dress several times and then was acting like I was totally in the way. It looked like there were several good sized dressing rooms but for some reason I got the one that was literally in a rack of dresses! It was like a hidden dressing room- you would push a bunch of dress to the side on a certain spot in the rack and BAM super secret dressing room.

I actually feel a combination of being overwhelmed and discouraged after going. My consultant there was nice enough but not very enthusiastic about her job. I tried on atleast 15-20 dresses and thought lots of them were pretty but was not in love with any of them. We had 3 "maybe "dresses and I think there was one I liked better than the others... and it was probably prettier than my dream dress but it was just lacking something. It was strapless (which I dislike only bc my other dress was strapless) and a really pretty satin material and was completely ruched... the fabric just flowed really nicely. It was very pretty and more traditional but lacked that subtle sexy glam that I love about the other dress.

I really like the way it looked it was soooo pretty but I just didn't get that feeling. It's a more traditional wedding dress and when I would look in the mirror all I could think is "I am in a wedding dress" and that feeling makes me somewhat panic I am the worst bride ever! When I put on the other dress (the Romona one) I think "this is the dress I'm going to get married in"- which is a happy excited feeling and for some reason doesn't make me panic. Probably doesn't make sense to anyone but me but hey I'm just crazy like that. Maybe I just should get married wearing a garbage bag so I don't have to freak out!

So after all my rambling you're probably thinking well shut up already and buy the dress! But I think I still feel silly spending that much on a dress when there are sooo many other really pretty dresses out there! Oh and I found out they won't let you use the discount from opening a Macy's card in the bridal salon Well thanks for listening to me rant and rave like bridezilla, I'll post pics as soon as I get them!

 

[Petals & Pixie Dust]

I hear ya! and understand exactly what you're talking about. I've been shopping once and was so discouraged when I left that I pretty much told my mother that the dresses in the shop sucked and that the staff was just as bad. Check my PJ at the first dress shopping experience and you'll see one of the consultants looking bored and irritated...UM HELLO! IT'S YOUR JOB...

I have told DF that I want a $100 dress and I say this and tell him that I want to do the Trash The Dress photos. His response to me is "Get the dress you want b/c you won't be happy or feel right in just any dress."

It sucks that you can't open the Macy's card at the bridal store...but you still get the 10% off of the dress at the trunk show. AND the dress will be fitted for you...(at least that is the feel I've gotten from your other post) You could very easily be saving a TON of $$$ in alterations!

You get "that feeling" with the Romona dress. That is your dress. It will work out.

 

[Chilly]

Some wedding dress shops are just terrible.

 

[malibustacey]

yes i agree- most shops are horrible to people, and i cant understand why because surely they should be crawling up our backsides wanting business!! I felt that because i am young they didnt want to show me the dresses because they thought i wasnt serious and wernt even getting married but hey- i dont care, its thier loss when i dont buy a dress from their shop!

cant wait to see piccys!

 

[tiggersam00]

It's a more traditional wedding dress and when I would look in the mirror all I could think is "I am in a wedding dress" and that feeling makes me somewhat panic I am the worst bride ever! Maybe I just should get married wearing a garbage bag so I don't have to freak out!

After my dress didn't fit I told my mom I was going to wear white jeans and a tank top down the aisle and call it a day

And I don't like feeling "bride-y" eithier, so I guess we may be bad "normal" brides... but we are awesome Disney Brides

 

[malibustacey]

- i did do a small freak out when i saw myself in the mirror- like the shock ''oh crap- thats me!?'' kinda thing- the thought that makes your stomach flip and get butterflies?!
But i think mine is because i dont have a great self confidence thing going on- and i freaked because everyone was looking at me in the shop and ya know- that makes me nervous.

Youre not a bad bride! Dont ever say that! Although...It'd be pretty unusual to wear a garbage bad at your disney wedding, im not sure if i have seen that one before ...at least you'd know no one else has done it and you'd be the first!! :rotfl Im playing! (i wonder if anyone has ever got married in a garbage bag?) HAHA!

you need to feel comfy and relaxed in your dress, so if the Romana dress does that- then you know its 'the one'. I know its expensive, but you dont want to be feeling like you did on your wedding day - you need to feel fabulous, so if thats the dress that makes you feel that way- then its your dress.