I just have a little update today- about more dresses and my meeting with Shelley from Impressions. I'm going to start with my experience at David's Bridal because it's a big chain that I know a lot of brides end up going to.
So, even though I swore I would never go to David's Bridal after the terrible service one of my friends received there, they had a sale going on for bridesmaid dresses so I thought I'd drop in and take a look. I was trying to find something for engagement pictures and I didn't want to spend a lot on something I'd probably never wear again; that's the job of the wedding dress, right?
So I go in, and this really nice lady greets me and takes my name and points me to where I'm supposed to go. She tells me someone will be there shortly to help me and to get me a room. I start looking at the clearance wall and I'm disgusted by the condition that these dresses are in. Rips, tears, some even stained. Unless you know how to sew (and I sure as hell don't) it would cost more money to fix one of these dresses enough to wear it anyway. So I start looking at their other dresses, and I have questions, and I need a room... It's been at least 15 minutes and this unknown lady that's supposed to help me still isn't around. Eventually I go back to the woman up front and she helps me and has to hunt down the consultant that was supposed to come greet me. I'd already seen this consultant pass right by me a few times and never said a damn word to me! Even now that she's being introduced to me, she barely says two words- I can already tell she's going to be no help. So after having a few of my questions answered by the woman up front, I start pulling my own dresses and trying them on. I find a couple that I like, but I had more questions. I hunt down my consultant, and she's helping this other woman look at tiaras. She sees me, doesn't acknowledge me, turns away and completely ignores me. All I wanted was an "I'll be with you in a moment" or something along those lines, but nope, I get nada.
So I'm furious, I'm about to leave... And this GORGEOUS wedding dress on a mannequin catches my eye. Instant love. I had to try it on. I asked the woman up front if I could try on a wedding dress, and she made me fill out this form and told me I'd have a different consultant for that. Hell yes, that's fine with me!! So I wait a few minutes, and I'm looking through the wedding dresses and I see this adorable tea length dress I'd seen on their site. I love it, but it didn't list it in my size so I never gave it a 2nd thought. It was even prettier in person. I check the size, and keep moving because I'd never fit into it. I get called up front to meet my new consultant. The difference was night and day! This woman was very sweet, very friendly and helpful. She even apologized for making me wait. I pointed out the dress I wanted to try, and she went and got it and helped me try it on. Oh my gosh!! I loved it, I knew I had to have it. I didn't take a picture of myself in it because I was alone and never even thought about it, but here's the picture from the website.
Of course, this picture doesn't do it justice. The fabric was so soft, there were sparkles but not TOO much. The one-shoulder strap sparkled too. It was the princess feeling I wanted for the ceremony that I didn't get out of my other dress. Okay, I'm sold. I don't think the consultant understood that though. I made the mistake of mentioning that I'm getting married at Disney. You might ask, "Stephanie, why would that be a mistake?" Well, let me tell you, everyone has a different interpretation of what a "princess" dress is. This consultant ran and started pulling these satin gowns with typical princess waistlines and obviously acrylic boning through the top of the dress... Oh boy, SO not my thing! I told her 3 times I don't like satin and I don't want satin and she pretty much forced me into 3 satin dresses that I just couldn't stand. After that, I think she finally got the hint. "I think that first one is your dress, you keep looking at it." Well no sh*t lady, I told you that when I had it on! (I'm so nice, aren't I? I was at my limit and beyond by this point)
Well, she was ready to go check me out, but I mentioned that I still hadn't gotten answers to my questions about the engagement dress. I told her about my other consultant's lack of interest so she ran right off to go find answers for me and help me out with that dress, too! We get that settled, she even pulled other dresses I the colors I was thinking of to help me decide on a color, and then we're finally done with that.
This is the dress and color I chose for engagement pictures at Grand Floridian and Animal Kingdom Lodge during Christmas time.
So now we're up at the register, going over payment options and all that, and she pulls open the bridal gown book to get the info she needs to order my dress. Do you remember the tea length dress I mentioned earlier? Well apparently it's by the same designer as this one-shoulder dress that I'm getting. So I point it out and whine a little about how I love that dress and I can't get it because it doesn't come in my size. She looks at it and said "Yes, I think it does. Would you like me to check?" So she looks, and they do have it in plus sizes! It's just a special order. So, of course, I ordered it and now I have my tea length gown for my rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, farewell breakfast, Victoria and Albert's, and whatever else I can squeeze it in for! I was so excited!
Here's a picture of the tea length dress.
I'm going to get a light pink crinoline to go under this one, too. I think it'll be adorable. Oh, and when I got home, I got back on the site and checked the page for the tea length dress to see if it mentioned plus sizes. I realize I'm an idiot because it's right there under the description with all the other print- Available as a special order in extended sizes. Oops! Well good thing I spoke up because I sure as hell can't read.
). One of my chief bridesmaids is getting married next year and we're doing teapot centrepieces for her - we've seen them at a wedding show and they look so quirky and cool. 
Yay for teapot centerpieces! I've seen them so many ways and I always love them, I'm sure hers will be great too!
