Wedding Dress Shopping

This is going to be very difficult. Mom and I went out for round one of wedding dress shopping and I actually surprised myself by enjoying it and learn that I do have preferences :)

I've never been that girl to have a dress vision. And honestly I wasn't looking forward to shopping for one. I guess I felt like it was such a daunting task especially going into it not sure what I wanted or liked. Which led to me being very nervous when we first sat down with the salesperson at the bridal boutique.

Q: What do you want your dress to look like?
A: I'm not sure.
Q: Ok, do you like strapless or straps?
A: Maybe strapless, but open to straps.
Q: Ok, sweetheart or no?
A: Huh?
Q: How do you want the neckline to look?
A: Um.... pretty?
Q: Moving on, do you like lace or no?
A: I'm not sure.
Q: Do you want it to be white?
A: (a very excited) Yes! (because I could finally answer a question)
Q: Ok, do you like embellishments?
A: Yes, wait no, not really, well maybe. Can I just start trying on dresses??

I thought I was going to slowly get up, act like I was looking around and bolt for the door. What part of "I have no idea what it is that I want" did she not understand? I get it, I'm a difficult customer - I have them too. But I take them to the product and start guiding them through different options. Not drill them with a bunch of questions that I know they can't answer yet.

Luckily that was the best way to go. As soon as I started trying on different kinds I slowly realized what I liked and what I didn't like. And that's when the fun started. Those things are difficult to get into and it's a crazy process getting it on, strapped into, clipped on, and trying to walk out to show Mom. But fun all the same.

Neither one of us were emotional with the first dress. It was an immediate no. Then came the second one and it had potential. So we tried a veil. Waterworks immediately followed. I'm not sure what it was about the veil, but it made Mom and I tear up.

I think I tried on 5 dresses and the last one was FABULOUS! I loved it. A lot. And so did Mom. But I didn't want to buy on the spot since I had only learned what I wanted and it was the first boutique we had been to. So we walked away.

The other weekend we went for round two. I was pretty certain I wouldn't find another option & figured looking more would just help confirm my love for at the first boutique. Nope. Wrong!

The lady that helped me was from MI. She likes/dislikes DC & MI the same reasons I do. She's getting married ... in St. John ... at the Westin ... which was our second option for our wedding. Fate?

So naturally I fell in love with two more dresses. Rats! I went home more confused than I started. I'm trying to focus on that being a good problem to have.

Mom took lots of pictures and it's weird to not be able to share them with Nate. We've decided that Nate will not see the dress, not even a peek, until our wedding day. I can barely keep him from Christmas presents a week before Christmas. Hiding something like this for almost a year seems like torture. But we know it will be worth it, so we're going for it!

Now on to making the second hardest wedding decision...