Weddingbee boards

Word of warning: this is long and VERY pic heavy! I couldnt help myself!! Im so sorry!

Hello lovely Bees,

I have browsed this site a LOT since my engagement (6 months ago) but have only posted once, recently about my e-ring. We were engaged for around 5 months before we even THOUGHT about planning (our wedding is not until May 2013) so I have enjoyed reading everyone's posts without having much to add myself.

My fiance and I live in Scotland and got engaged here at the end of June. I did not try on a SINGLE dress until December (not even just for fun!). My mother lives in Houston, my younger sister in Austin and my older sister in Vancouver....I wanted to have all my ladies together for the first ever dress try-on! The first opportunity for this was Christmas just passed. The whole family got together and it was the first time I had seen my sister since our engagement!! 

My sisters organised a 'Wedding Dress Extravaganza!' for me on Dec 28th. They even sent out a little itinerary (9am- wake up & get GORGEOUS, 10am- Starbucks 11am- first appointment etc). Loved it! 

We were going JUST for fun & JUST to try on lots of different shapes and styles and have a great girlie day. My sisters made 3 appointments in one day (separated by lunch & dinner at the end!). They ensured that the first store carried Pronovias dresses (I had drooooooled at these online!) and that almost 100% of the dresses in the store would be in my budget! The second store was a gorgeous boutique & definitely had dresses WAY out of my budget but they confirmed with the owner that there was definitely a good selection within my budget. The third store was BHLDN.....for fun!!

I had learned from a friend that I should try on ALL shapes & styles of dresses, even ones I dont take to on the hanger, as you NEVER know what they look like on! I had pinned several gorgeous soft delicate tulle ballgowns onto my pinterest board, but also pinned several fit & flare gowns! I'm 5'8" and slim so I wondered if the fit & flare would show off my figure better (I am VERY small busted so a bustier is not my strong point!) but who can deny the appeal of a gorgeous big floaty gown?!?!

The following are some photos of my dress journey! In the first store I pulled about 6 dresses. My mother & sisters liked ALL of them! So did I! There were things about all of them that I really loved, and yet none of them had a big emotional response. I half expected my mum and sisters to cry but there were no tears. We even had a discussion about how maybe we wouldnt have a big 'THE ONE' moment!

First dress EVER tried on: Satin ballgown (i think this was pronovias). I thought it was a good start but the satin was very heavy for my spring wedding & I didnt like the straight neckline on my small bust.

The next one was also a ballgown, this time a slightly lighter material with a different neckline (we were trying to figure out which neckline would suit me best so I tried on a few). I wasnt a big fan of this. It looked beautiful but it felt a bit flat on me. I wanted something different & unique!

Then we moved onto something VERY different. This is Matthew Christopher Lalique I wanted to try this on because i LOVED the structural element of the body with all of the art-deco style stitching. I liked the fit but there wasnt enough flare & I wasnt a big fan of the ruffles along the hemline. 

The next one was Pronovias Barbate. This was a big tulle cloud & we liked the feathers at the neckline (again in a search for the most flattering neckline!). It felt like a dream to wear! It made me feel like a princess. We liked this a LOT....but we felt like although it looked beautiful, it was not 'different' or unique enough for me. A little too expected? I wanted to WOW.

The last dress at this store was Matthew Christopher Dahlia. We all liked this one a lot. We took photos with a veil & everything. It had the structural stitching that I thought was 'different' and figure flattering, but enough of a train to feel bridal. Nobody cried & we all just complemented it in a very civilised fashion. After we left the store and went for lunch we looked back at photos & thought "maybe that COULD be the one!". We discussed having Dahlias in my bouquet.

The next store was completely different. A BEAUTIFUL boutque. Two sisters decided to open it after having less than wonderful experiences shopping for their own bridal gowns, they wanted to give other brides the 'fairytale' experience...and that it was!! Such a beautiful store. The dresses there were definitely higher price-range but I felt relaxed knowing that I had already seen some I liked at the first store they i KNEW i could easily afford with my budget. I didnt NEED to find one here.

The first dress I tried on had a corset top & a pick-up style at the skirt. I liked the corset top but over-all wasn't very keen on the dress on me. I wasn't feeling the flowers. I cannot remember the designer. 

I tried on one or two more...that I don't have photos of....I guess that shows how much we didnt like them!

The next one was a lace fit dress. I wanted to at least TRY one of these on. My sisters liked the idea of me wearing a low back dress & this one had that. I didn't ever imagine I'd wear a dress with straps & I thought a V neck was more suited to someone with a larger bust? I did think it was a beautiful dress and certainly looked nice, but not wow. I felt perhaps it had a little bit more of a 'mature bride' vibe. Perhaps that was just the darker colour. I THINK this was Anne Barge (correct me if I am wrong).

When I tried on the next dress the boutique owner opened the curtains to the dressing room & both of my sisters said together "THATS IT!". When i stepped out and did a little twirl in it my mum burst into tears! I was so shocked that they reacted so strongly that it made me cry too! I LOVED it. I went on to try a few after this one but eventually came back to it....I will show photos of 'THE ONE' at the end and continue with the 'maybes' for now.....

After the tearful reaction I asked the boutique owner to suggest a dress for me. She chose this Ines de Santo. It was a great choice on her part. A very figure flattering dress I felt. The rouched fabric at the waist made me feel body confident. I felt the band just below the tooshie was a little risque?! Maybe TOO dramatic? I did not like the flower so the boutique owner suggest we remove it and add a sash. I thought this was beautiful but such a shame to alter the dress from what the designer originally wished it to look like. The flower was the statement piece! My sisters and mother felt that the fabric (a heavy silky material) was a bit heavy for my spring wedding & over all a bit grand. I agreed. 

At the end of this appointment I was so overwhelmed with love for 'THE ONE' and even though I had NO expectations of buying a gown on this 'extravaganza' I just felt I HAD TO HAVE IT! (What did it look like?!?!?! You'll see at the end!). The decision to put down a deposit was not an easy one. The dress was over my budget by about 30% !!!!! A lot more than I had thought I would spend. Not completely unaffordable but definitely food for thought! My amazing sisters could not LET me out the store without that dress and they offered me about 15% of the price of the dress to help me out. They would not take no for an answer. This made me cry a lot!! They are ANGELS!! The boutique owner gave me 15% off the gown if I put a deposit down on day one (she said December was her slowest month). She told me that she would not order the dress yet (since my wedding is over a year away) and if I change my mind I could still use the deposit money towards another dress & she would still carry over the 15% discount to another dress. It seemed perfect. I pad the deposit! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! Day one and I bought my dress?!?!?

We went to BHLDN and had an awesome time looking at decorations & accessories. SUCH  beautiful store. I am an anthropologie-aholic so I adored this store. I did not try on any gowns there though. 

My fiance was SO SHOCKED that I had actually bought my dress but so thrilled for me that I was happy & supportive of my decision to go a little over budget for THE ONE! He's a total sweetheart!! 

In the days that followed I looked at the photos on my iphone A LOT! I started to panic! The day passed SO QUICKLY! It was such a whirlwind of emotions & thoughts! I couldnt remember  how i FELT in the dress. I seemed SO SURE it was THE ONE at the time but I couldnt remember how that felt! I analyzed the pictures constantly. Was the train not big enough? SHould I have gone for a big ball gown dream dress....after all this is my only opportunity for such a dramatic dress! Was it TOO structural? Was it timeless? I wanted timeless. Should I have gone for beading?!

In the end I phoned the boutique owner & asked if I could return to try the dress on again. I was returning to Scotland in a few days time & would have to wait 4-5 months before another opportunity arose to try it on again. I couldnt cope with the wait!

She was so sweet & I went the next day. My younger sister came with me & I brought my dad this time. I wanted his opinion too. My sister suggested I try on a few more dresses first, with everything I THOUGHT i might have regretted not chosing ( a HUGE SKIRT, a beaded corset top, a LONG train). This is what we tried.

Lazaro. When I tried this on i LOVED the beaded corset top! I thought "oh no, maybe i HAVE made a mistake?!?".

Another lazaro this time with a HUGE train. LOVED. I thought "maybe I DO want a huge train!!!"

Then another ballgown (just to get it out of my system). It confirmed instantly that I do not want a heavy silky fabric! 

The next one was on display in the store & the boutique owner suggested it for something different. It was badgley mischka mallory....a little mini dress with a tulle skirt on top. Such a unique idea although I dont think i'd wear the mini dress for anything. I loved the neckline and the skirt was full and floaty. 

Next was a Liancarlo dress. My dad liked this one a LOT. This made me happy that I was on to the right thing with my fitted dress & that ballgowns (although SO BEAUTIFUL) were ultimately not for me.

I was beginning to worry that my dress was not THE ONE as all of these were so beautiful & looked so nice on. The boutique owner told me that my heigh & dress size fit the samples so well that they all looked good on so maybe that was why.

Then I tried MY DRESS on again and.......i fell in love all over again. I remembered the EXACT feeling of why I chose it. It felt RIGHT. It is fitted with just enough volume & train at the bottom. The neckline is like nothing I ever imagined I should want but EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED. The fit was figure flattering. The material was light & fresh & young but the over all look was timeless I LOVE IT!

My dress: RIVINI BALIA 

on the Rivini model:

on me: 

My dad bought me the veil. He said that dress HAD to have THAT veil. I love my dad. It was a very special moment.

SO SO SO SO SOOOOOOOOOOOO happy! The owner told me "I knew all that you needed to do was try it on again and you would know it was yours". She put the order in that day. Bonus: I dont have to get it hemmed as the length is SPOT ON PERFECT with my heels!!! Money saving!

If any of you read this far then I commend you. xx

Also, in the side picture of 'the one' please excuse my little protruding belly. I am NOT  a few months pregnant as it appears. I obviously decided to stand with horrible posture for that photo!!! I almost did not upload it but I wanted to demonstrate the beautiful organze overlay going from front to low back.

@thanlon_88:  I dont blame you! I got carried away!! Thanks for your comment. 

@hanzabelle:  Thank you! It made me feel like I was going to BURST with happiness when I put it on again. I guess we just doubt ourselves when we make quick decisions...but obviously we chose right! The boutique owner told me that this was a 'mans dress' (as in it would make my fiance happy!) so I'm SOOO excited to see his face!! What dress did you get?! 

@shimi357:  Thank you... I love it so much too! Cant wait until I can try it again at alterations! I went to Houston Bridal Gallery first. It is just off of Katy Freeway. My consultant was Michelle & she was lovely. Helpful but relaxed & she wasn't TOO involved which I liked. (http://www.houstonbridalformalgallery.com/index.php ) They have Pronovias, Matthew Christopher, Watters, Paloma Blanca, Justin Alexander. Michelle even emailed me a week or so after my appointment to ask how I enjoyed it. The second store was Ivory Bridal Atelier ( http://www.ivorybridalhouston.com/ ). This is  just off of Kirby Drive near the wholefoods downtown. My consultant (one of the owners) was Ronit and she was WONDERFUL! When my sisters did their research into stores they said this looked like the most beautiful boutique in Houston & I think they were right. The dresses are higher priced designer dresses & the boutique is exquisite. I was worried the consultant might be snobby (in particular when I was looking at their lower price range!) but she was such a sweetheart. I never felt like they were snobby one single bit! They have champgne for your guests too!! Go even if just for the experience! They have Anne Barge, Rivini, Liancarlo, Lazaro, Badgley Mischka, Ines de Santo & Reem Acra.

I hope you enjoy your experience!

@LittleRiver:  The veil IS by Sara Gabriel. Isnt it just incredible? It is EXACTLY when I had my little heart set on. In the first store the consultant put a waist length one layer veil on me & it disappointed me a lot. She said it went best with the dress. When the consultant in the second store put the Sara Gabriel on me I felt like she could see into my dream vision. If I was buying it myself I probaby would have winced at the price...my dad is my hero for buying me it. I am so spoiled with love! She gave us 15% off of that too!

My sisters (both 5'2") kept saying how wonderful a 'dilemma' it was to fit the dresses well & have them all look nice. Which is very lovely of them....but it was SOOOO HARD to chose!!! Thank you for your kind comment.

@pccl:  Thank you! Even now that i have ordered my dress i still LOVE the pic heavy posts on WB. Everyone looks so special in their own unique choices & I cant get enough of looking at them!! 

@2ndtime:  Thank you! 

@slgbride:  Thank you so much! These comments make me feel happy in my choice & confident that my fiancé & friends will like it too. The dress was hard to find online on anyone other than the rivini model & I must admit I don't care for it in that photo much! I didn't let me friend know the designer name as I knew shed google it & maybe not like it lol. It's apparently not a very popular dress, I've not found any others on WB. Maybe that's good though! I'm glad my story made you feel more confident in your choice...try on your dress again, your gut is always right. I bet it's beautiful!!

@ccfwwedding:  It was a beautiful dress. I was actually really worried when my dad loved it so much! I loved the fitted element & the delicate layers. I think I didn't like the straight up & down...I prefer the dynamic element of the neck line on my dress.Thanks for your comment! 

@cejo13:  I wasn't expecting to be allowed photos!! I read so much on WB about boutiques that banned them. I had instructed my girls to try & sneak iPhone shots! In the end BOTH boutiques were completely happy with it. Although the consultant in the second store did tell me that mycover analysing of my pics was one of the reasons maybe she shouldn't allow them! Oops. 

@maudemaisha:  Thank you!! I hope I wow them but most of all I feel wow in it for me. I LOVE my Sara Gabriel veil...the horse hair edge is so delicate. I knew I didn't want lace but I wasn't set on a ribbon trim either. 

@mypinkshoes:  Oh my! I just googled the Marcela. It is absolutely beautiful!!! I LOVE the layers! Do you have a pic of you in it? Congrats! Im sure it's even more stunning on. I loved all pronovias dresses online. I browsed the site so much before I tried on. I had never even heard of rivini! If I hadn't found mine I would have been happy in almost any of the ones I tried I think! 

@MissTX:  Thank you! It is such a hard decision and I really went back and forth A LOT about picking a fitted dress over a big princess number!! After all it's the only opportunity I will have to wear such a big glamorous gown! I even said to the consultant that I was worried mine was not dramatic or big enough and maybe I wanted a bigger train etc. Once I tried it on again it felt big enough...the skirt is actually quite poofy underneath with tulle material & the train is long enough to feel dramatic. Its a personal choice but I think (hope!) that mine is enough of a mix of big & dream-like at the neckline and bottom.....and slim and figure flattering in the middle lol! I also had to remember that our ceremony will be outdoor in a garden in Spring and I didnt want an overwhelmingly large heavy gown. Aaaaand....I'm going to stop thinking about the other big ones or I'll risk getting confused all over again!!!! 

Will you be trying on the larazo dress? The tops & bottoms are interchangeable! You can order any bodice with any skirt in the larazo range.

@thisismeAXiD:  You deserve a gold star for making it through such a lengthy post :)

@his chippymunk:  YAY!! I'm glad you liked it. I hope my guests tear a little too!

@theredhead:  Thank you! I always love reading the dress stories on WB too so I was excited to add my own (lengthy) one :)

@J-Bride:  Great! I'm glad you think so. That's exactly what I wanted...something soft but that still suited my tall somewhat angular shape. My venue is an old Victorian mansion with the ceremony in the garden so I think it will suit nicely. Thanks for your comment! 

@EsqBride:  Sorry, the above post was supposed to be @ you. Don't know why I can't edit it anymore?

@Ms Bookworm:  Thank you! You are sweet for checking out my post :)

@miss.alice.m:  Thank you! I love reading all the other dress journeys too!