Wedding Dresses

[candykisses]

I saw mine on the cover of a bride magazine (don't remember which one, it's been too long), brought it with me to the store, tried it on along with two others, and went back to the one I saw on the cover and bought it!

That sounds like me. When I saw the dress on the cover of the of Modern Bride, I knew that was my dress. After 27 years I still think it's beautiful.

 

[TurboKitty]

This is my "i knew it when I saw it" story.

I tried on some dresses at one store, had sticker shock, went with Mom to the garment district in L.A., tried on dresses at two other stores.

Then I saw a little place having a sale. I tried on the ones I liked on the hangers. I tried on the ones Mom picked with the giant tulle skirts with daisies sewn on...then I tried on one that I thought was just okay hanging on the hanger.

Once I had it on, I loved it. I was wearing the dress, and not the other way around. My now DH was there that day and he saw me. The way his eyes lit up when he saw me...

Thankfully it was on sale. I forget for how much exactly. I think we paid $250 for the dress, the petticoat and the simple waist length veil on a garland of white flowers.

 

[kldmom2000]

I'd poured over bridal magazines for 2 yrs prior.... gone to a bunch of bridal shows... nothing grabbed me.... then I went shopping w/ my mom and I tried on a few dresses.... all different price ranges.... my mom pulled one off the rack and slipped it into the fitting room for me to try on. I opened the door and my mom burst into tears The dress looked great and then we asked the price.... $295! (This was back in 1994 and it was a steal! ) So-that's how I determined which dress was meant for me!!!

 

[Pin Wizard]

Never had it on my gown, but I did with the bridesmaids! Saw it in a bridal magazine. Went to a shop and chose five off the rack to take in the dressing room with a friend. The picture of the gown from the magazine was up on the wall! I told the person working there that it was the gown I really love!! She said...it's one in the five you chose to bring in. Needless to say, that was the first one my friend put on and the only one.

Mine? There were things I liked about it, but it wasn't exactly "the perfect" gown.

 

[Kimmielee]

I found my dress in a magazine.... when I wasn't even engaged....

Fast forward 2 years later... I met my future hubby and his sister and I go dress shopping. I looked and looked... tried on 20 some dresses and couldn't find "the one". So the dress shop clerk asked me to "draw" the dress so I could give her a better idea....

I proceeded to draw a rough version of what I remembered. I told her I had seen it in a magazine 2 years prior. She laughed and said... "Honey, that dress is long gone!"

All of a sudden my future SIL says... "Ya know... you've had enough for one day - let's go home, we'll get some current magazines and find one you will love just as much."

We went back to her house and she excused herself to "go to the bathroom" upstairs. Next thing I know... she's coming down the stairs IN MY DREAM DRESS!!!

She had gotten married 18 months prior and she had fell in love with MY DRESS and had worn it in her wedding. When I had sketched what the dress looked like she knew it was her dress!

We had to add some lace to the bottom and let out the bust... but I got to wear MY DREAM DRESS!!!

Now, this story would be even sweeter if I was still married... but alas, the dress was better than the husband...

 

[VAgal76]

I didn't have that happen with my wedding dress. I went with a very simple dress (strapless, A-line with lace overlay, t-length). It wasn't super, but it worked for the moment.

However, I recently had that kind of moment for my vow renewal dress. I found one online and it look super adorable. Then I went to a bridal store trying on different styles and found one that looked exactly like the one I loved online while browsing. I saved it for last to try on but when I did that was it. Everyone agreed including myself it was THE one.

I guess priorities really dominate what we choose for wedding gowns like budget, style that is most flattering, color. Budget was the issue for me when we got married. My dress was affordable while still looking like wedding attire. If I had a bigger budget and my figure was different I would've been on the prowl for a much different dress. I'm sure that had a lot to do with me not having that OMG moment the first time around.

I hope you find THE one that makes you the happiest.

 

[skuttle]

I knew I would drive myself crazy if I tried on too many dresses. I went in saying that the first dress I tried on that I liked, I would get it. I went in wanting an off-the-shoulder dress. Saleslady told me that I wouldn't be able to move in it, but let me try one on. She was right, I felt like I couldn't move.

So then I wanted to move on to sleeveless. She insisted that I try on strapless...hated it.

So then she finally let me try sleeveless dresses. I told her I didn't want much "shiny stuff" on it...didn't want any on the bottom and only a little on the top. First dress she gave me had zero shiny stuff, just embroidered stuff on the top. Hated it...I needed at least some shiny stuff. The next sleeveless dress I tried on was perfect and the one I bought. I think my mom was a bit disappointed that it didn't take longer! LOL!

 

[disneygirl725]

Thanks for all the input guys. I think I am going on one more place to try a few more on. I also really really like the second one I tried on, so I'll give that one a whirl.

Maybe I'm having a hard time because I'm a planner and I have to make carefully chosen decisions?

I'll post some pictures if I can find them online!!!

 

[Hixski]

I didn't have the "Oh this is my dress" moment but everyone that was with me did. Let me explain.

I got married in 1985. I wanted to run off to some exotic beach and get married buy oh no, nobody did that back then. DH talked me out of it and so did my parents. I thought fine nobody will let me do what I want I will go find a big bad a** dress. You know Scarlett O'Hara, big hoop skirt and all. We went to a bridal shop and I found one that was embossed satin, off the shoulders with lace. It took a 6 tier hoop slip. I tried it on and the salesgirl went nuts. She said she had loved that dress buy nobody that tried it on looked good in it except me. Everyone else agreed it was me. Even I thought I looked really good in it. So that was the one.

One of these days DH promised we will do a vow renewal on the beach. Maybe our 25 in 2010. We are going to Hawaii for a week and then another week for a Hawaiian cruise.

 

[fan_of_small_world]

I had "the moment." Within a few weeks of getting engaged, my mother and I went to look at dresses a couple of times, but I still hadn't fallen in love with any of them.

Then we had a snowstorm and decided to go shopping anyway (this was in January). That was the day! As soon as I tried the gown on I knew it was THE ONE.

OP, everyone is different. You may never have "the moment," or you may not have found "the dress" yet. Do you still have enough time to eep looking? If you do, then take the time to go to a lot of different stores. Even the mega stores don't carry everything, and I hated the one I tried. I liked the smaller boutiques much better. Good luck!

 

[KrnB]

I had the "Oh goodness this is the one" moment! I actually saw my dress online-- went to the store and then tried it on. I knew it was the one even though it was the first wedding dress I had ever tried on. The lady asked me to try on more and I humored her-- but after about 3 more dresses I told her that I was waisting both of our times because I KNEW that the dress I came after was the one..

...and so it was

GL and keep looking! Im sure youll find that dress and have that moment too!

My story is really similar. My DM was helping me look for dresses online to give me an idea of what was out there. She sent me a picture of one at work and I started crying. I knew it was it.

I went to the bridal shop that listed this designer as one they carried, gave the girl the picture and said I want this dress. She and DM made me try a couple more to be sure, but it was definitely the right one. I LOVED my dress!

The funny thing was, I had been engaged previously and got far enough into the process to have selected and ordered a dress. When DM and I were shopping then, I found one that I liked, but I didn't have that OMG moment. It was a totally different style, so I guess my gut was telling me that the dress - nor the man - wasn't right!

 

[Octoberbride03]

Yeah, I can't honestly say it was my moment that made me buy my dress. I too was in a dressing room with a shop attendant and about 20 dresses in or near my size. After about 5 or 6 of them i had 1 on that i really liked but wasn't quite sure so i had her get my sister and friend trying on BM dresses downstairs. They saw me and started crying. I bought the dress. My sister was with me each time i tried on dresses and that was the only 1 she cried for.

Long story i know, but my advice is to take some friends or family and try on the dresses for them. Could help. Good luck

 

[Octoberbride03]

Yup...I had it...actually, my mom did.


Anyway, she went with me grudgingly and we went to the cheap bridal salon first (I paid for my own wedding and had no money to speak of). I tried on what I thought would be the perfect dress and it was ok. On a whim, I decide to try the real bridal salon. The saleswoman brough me a dress (I didn't think I'd like) I put it on and my mother cried. My "I don't believe in traditional weddings" mother actually cried and said how beautiful I looked.

I bought the dress. It cost me $450.

I got my dress from a real bridal salon and it was cheaper than all the dresses I tried on at David's the cheapy place. And I'm glad your mom loved your dress.

 

[cybrkitn]

I knew mine the second I saw it in a bridal magazine! I didn't like the typical dress (aka straight, a-lines). I wanted ruffles and lots of it !! Found it with P.C. Mary's and it was under $1,000 ($800). It was more of a Southern Bell type of dress. That was in 1999.

 

[antmaril]

I bought the first dress I tried on. Of course, I didn't buy it right then and there. I had to keep looking, (part of the fun), but in the end I went back to that first dress. I don't know if it was seeing myself as a bride for the first time that made me like it so much, but for some reason I just knew that dress was the one.

That was 33 years ago.

I still have the husband, but I've lost track of the dress

 

[Tazicket]

I had the "Ohhhhh!!! This is IT!" Moment. I went bridal gown shopping with my Mom and we went to the bridal salon where she got her dress when she and my Dad got married. (We tried David's the week before and hated it. It felt like a cattle call and none of the dresses really struck me). It was pretty cool. I told the girl what I wanted (in general terms) and she went to the back and pulled stuff for me to try on. The first 3 or 4 or 5 where just kind of soso. So, she said, "Well...I have another one in the back and it's not exactly what you were describing, but I can bring it out for you." So we said sure why not and she brought it out.

My Mom started crying before she even got it out of the bag. I put it on and it was absolutely breathtaking. I knew that it was the one. We made a few trips back before the wedding (I bought it a year before we got married)just so I could put it on.

ETA: Here's a picture of it. You can't see all the detail, but there was a lot of intricate beading and such on it. Super girly, super frou frou. Everybody was shocked when they saw it b/c they all thought I'd go with something plain with straight lines.

 

[Becky2005]

I didn't think about it but I suppose I did have that moment.

For me it was hard though because I *love* ruffles and very girly girl stuff but knew for sure I did NOT want long sleeves or sleeveless but as long of a train as possible, etc...

I kept finding 1/2 my dress -- I would love the top of one & hate the bottom or vice versa.

I also had a $X that I wanted to spend.

I know I we went to 2 bridal shops, tried on a bunch of different dresses and the one I ended up with is one that if I had seen the style in a magazine would have said no way. It was just coming out at the time I think because I had never seen it before in a magazine but have since. The top looked almost like you had a wrap (shawl? -- don't know the proper name)? But I had tried it on and it fit my criteria and loved it.

I had a long ruffly train. I knew that was the dress and had hoped it was in the price range -- I looked at the price tag and it was $50 less than my *this is the top limit* which I thought was funny because I had not told the salesperson my limit so she had no way of knowing.

 

[Becky2005]

I knew mine the second I saw it in a bridal magazine! I didn't like the typical dress (aka straight, a-lines). I wanted ruffles and lots of it !!

That was ME too, mine was in 1991 and ruffles were not really in style (I remember at the first shop them saying something to that effect because they didn't have anything with a lot of ruffles!) I would find dresses with a few ruffles but those weren't quite as frilly as I wanted. I did eventually find one but mine was having to try them on.

 

[gypsydoodlebug]

Oooo. I love these stories.

I fell in love with a dress but it was expensive. Went back to the department store a couple of weeks later, and they were closing their bridal department. It was marked down to $200!! I bought it off the rack 14 months before our wedding and lost 65 lbs. to fit in it and it fit like a glove with no alterations. You're supposed to have a posse with you when you buy your wedding dress, but I was alone. I called my mom to come to the store, though...

Man, I love that dress. Heck, I'd wear it to work!!

 

[LoraJ]

I didn't have that "this is the one" moment either. I had gone through a bunch of magazines and ripped out photos of the ones I liked. When I tried them on, I didn't like any of them. The dress I ended up with was one that the lady helping me thought would look good. While I stood on the box in front of the mirror, I just wasn't sure. Someone walked by and said "WOW" and my friends were loving it too. It wasn't until they put a veil on me that I got the full picture and realized, maybe it was "the one". So I say, if you can't decided, put the veil on. That will help.