Ever since I announced Marc and I were engaged and planning our wedding, lots of people have jokingly joshed around about how I'm going to be such an insufferable diva, meaning--I hope--that they expect I'll actually be a pretty mellow bride. Even Marc got in on the act, calling me a Bridezilla when I timidly requested that we maybe not have our wedding on Sept. 11. It's been a pretty great compliment--but in a weird way a hard persona to live up to.
Hence the four-dress saga.
I even feel a little diva-ish writing about it, but people asked so here goes. I went shopping with my mom and, ignoring a longer, more formal dress, picked out what I thought I wanted: a short, sophisticated dress that to me said. "I am a grown up. And I am having a tasteful civil ceremony that has nothing to do with fairy princesses or enchanted magic or even Spanx." So that's how I ended up choosing this guy:
(imagine it minus cheesy sunglasses and sandals)
Back in Chicago, I took my friend Shannon to see the dress and get a second opinion before I ordered it. BUT. When we were at the store, she forced me to try on that longer, more formal dress I studiously ignored in the first place (this is a lie). It looked great on. I even thought about buying it and cutting it off into a short dress. I even dragged another bride-to-be friend to the and forced her to try it on for her wedding (this is not a lie). My insane-o logic was, "well, if I can't have it, somebody I know had better wear this to something so I can bask it its glorious presence." She wasn't having it.
Then what did I do? I ordered dress #1. Like a fool. Then, like a fool, I looked at the catalog that came with it and decided this dress (#2)...
...was just the swinging retro look I was going for. Plus that model is at least as pale as I am and she looks pretty alive-ish in it, right? And then I sat on it. For weeks. Of course, this dress was not available in stores, so I'd have to order it online to try it on. By the time I got around to ordering it, the dress was on sale (score!) but was non-returnable (burn!). So I ordered it anyway. Tried it on for my friends, and everyone was underwhelmed. Tried on trusty ole #1 and decided it wasn't as great as I thought. At this point it time, I have owned #1 too long to return it, so now I have two un-returnable dresses on my hands.
While trying it on, I thought of a vintage sundress (#3 but sort of doesn't count) I bought at a garage sale for $6 (and also wore as part of a Halloween costume in 2006). I tried it on for the friends, who decided this was the most "me" and most flattering dress of the lot. Ugh, of course. That works for me, but being a secret Bridezilla, I didn't know how excited I was about wearing a dress that I just happened to have and had already worn as a costume. I mean, maybe if Marc agreed to wear the Batman suit he'd donned that year...
Sorry, I don't have a picture of it, but it's very dance-contest Sandy from Grease:
I thought that if I Brigitte Bardot'd my hair all up and got a super poofy crinoline and just went all the way with the vintage look, I'd get more excited about it, but the whole thing felt sort of costume-y to me. Which got me thinking about that long, elegant dress from way back in the day.
Since I seem to be unable to make a definitive decision regarding anything clothing related, the smart thing seemed to be to go try it on again and see if I really loved it or just wanted what I didn't have. Of course. Of course, no store has the dress now. I know because I went to six places to try it on.
And then I went and found it on ebay and ordered it (Non-returnable. Of. Freaking. Course.)
I give you #4:
Thar she blows. We'll see if I'm still into her when she arrives.
So, not only have I given in to fairy princess, I've taken a couple of dresses hostage in the process. And I'm in full-blown indecisive diva glory. At least we know I won't be naked. Marc, on the other hand, I'm not so sure about. He's been joking that he's going to have to wear one of these babies because I may have just exhausted our wardrobe budget for the wedding.
Oh yeah, scoldings and suggestions (and offers for any of these lovely frocks) are more than welcome!
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12 comments:
Oh, wow, I love this tale. Oh yes.
And I'm a short dress type of lady, too, but dare I say I far more love the last one than all of the above? It's really, really lovely!
Oh Alison, its ok to be a little bit of a diva on your wedding! I was 23 and no effing clue what to do, I got the first dress I tried on and I just knew it was right. You will know when you get the right one...as for the ones you don't end up wearing...ebay? and PS I love the fourth one!
love the long one!
I don't know you but - even though I'm not into the whole fairy-tale wedding thing either - I love the long one. It still has a lot of personality & is definitely not "typical" bride. good luck choosing!!
I must admit, although the first dress is nice (you could dye it and wear it to someone elses wedding) no. 4 is the nicest. Not fairy-princess like at all. No crinoline, no glitter, no sequins... come on, it's just longer than the others. So put number two up for sale on eBay (and no. 1 too, if you don't want to go the Dylon way) and buy Marc a lovely frilly white tuxedo shirt from the cash make ;-)
I have a picture of the garage sale dress...as soon as Alison shows me how to post a pic in a comment, it'll be up! And of course i'd wear the batman costume!
I love it. still modern and stylish but special for your day. Number two is so incredible but for this occasion I think you made a wonderful choice!
The long one is gorgeous, the others are cute, too. It's ok to be kind of princessy on your big day... really.
Definitely the long dress. Oh, yes.
Ok, verdict is in! Thanks guys. Stick around for Round 2: Baby Names!
JUST KIDDING!
I think #4 is gorgeous, AND it's the dress you kept thinking about (which is how I figured out which dress I ACTUALLY wanted). Sometimes what you THINK you want, isn't what you end up LOVING.
Good for you! I'm sure you'll adore it.
This post is hilarious...but not in a "laughing at your misery" kind of way. More in a "you seem so down to earth and therefore I'll bet you were really funny while participating in the dress debate" kind of way. That final dress is just plain gorgeous!
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