Where I am so far- the most important part- The dress

The Dress. The ONE dress. I started thinking about wedding dress styles when I was about 6. I got a Wedding Day Midge (Barbie’s friend) for my birthday. She had a little white mini dress, and you clipped this huge puffy skirt over it. And then at the end of the night when her and Ken left the reception, she changed into the mini dress and added a superfab very 80’s purple jacket.

And ever since then I’ve been hooked!

When my friends started getting married for real (not say-to each other in the backyard taking turns being the groom) I started looking for research purposes only of source- with them. I was amazed at how each bride found a dress that was so unique to her.

I wondered when it was my turn how I would find a unique dress? You see I was maid of honor 3 times in the last couple years. Plus I officiated my Dad’s wedding and I was a bridesmaid for another friend, and David’s close friend was married too. My first friend wore a modern off the shoulder side ruched gown. Another bride wore the modern version of what midge is wearing in that picture. Another wore an all silk puffy a-line with beading. Another wore a long flow-y empire waist dress. And lastly my best friend wore a 100% cotton bubble dress that came to her knees. So where did I fit in? With all those dresses I didn’t think I would find one that could be unique.

And then I discovered the lace dresses. How could I forget about lace?

Being a plus sized bride is depressing. The skinny models look awesome in lace! But when you go to the store they don’t ever have any actual lace dresses you can try on- they hold a size 4 in front of you so you can imagine how good you would look in it if you were a size 4.

Is it just me or do bridal stores seem to only get in dresses above a size 14 that are designed to make you look fat? Extra wide straps, that 90’s part from an empire waist- ugh. All the dresses come in all the sizes so why do they do this to us?

In general I don’t feel happy with my weight, but I promised myself that while wedding dress shopping I wouldn’t let it make me feel bad. Accompanied by my mom and Maid of Honor, I went out one day with the goal of finding “the one” with these requirements and rules:

1) the dress had to be well made. I don’t care what the label says but the fabric had better be nice

2) I absolutely will not stand behind size 4’s and pretend that is trying dresses on

3) No mermaids no pick ups and I was ok buying strapless but it wasn’t going to stay that way!

4) No rude sales people. This is a huge purchase and I was going to buy from a person I liked!

Anyone reading this who has yet to shop for her wedding gown should know one thing- CORSET BACK!!

It makes the dress fit so much better in the store- you don’t need to imagine as many alterations.

So back to the story- I had an appointment at a great little store in Clackamas OR- which I chose because they had a dress I loved- Gatsby by Maggie Sottero. And because they ordered a variety of sizes in a variety of dresses!

(gatsby)

So Pretty. Also dropped waist- only if you have a tiny waist! So It wasn’t for me.


I tried on a pile of dresses in lace in tulle in both and then the sales lady brought out a dress I NEVER would have pulled off the rack. I was looking for alencon lace, no beading, simple timeless. But this dress was amazing. It reminds me a bit of Audrey Hepburn’s dress in “My Fair Lady” I was sold.

It took my mom and best friend 20 minutes to convince me I should change my clothes so we could leave the store in not the dress. But with a price tag of $1200 before any alterations- I decided to hold off and continue the search.

Fast forward a month or so to the bridesmaid road trip extravaganza (details in the next post)

With my maids I went to try on more dresses. More expensive, cheaper, none of them could hold a candle to the Maggie dress. So I bought it. I went over the budget and I don’t even know what the alterations will cost- but I know that it is me.