How I Got My Gown

Shopping for my gown wasn't the horror that others had made it out to be, but it wasn't the fairytale *gasp* *tear* *this is it* experience, either.

I actually ended up going to 5 different places, multiple times, before I finally worked up the courage to plunk down the Amex for a deposit: Wendy's Bridal (Cincinnati, OH), Bridal and Formal (Cincinnati, OH), RK Bridal (New York, NY), Adrienne's (New York, NY) and the ever-popular Kleinfeld Bridal (New York, NY).

I thought I knew exactly what I wanted - simple A-line, no lace, a little beading, no poufy skirts, and no mermaid/trumpet gowns - but found that some of my requests really didn't do a lot for my body. My first shopping experience (at Wendy's) was HORRIBLE, and I actually wrote off dress shopping for a bit because of it. RK Bridal was just as bad, if not worse - I say avoid that store like the plague! My experience at B&F was a lot better, if a bit tame in terms of pushing my creative options, and then I actually found my "bridal style" at Adrienne's in NYC. If you've never been there, go! The owner is actually a dress maker, and has a knack for knowing what you'll look great in - and actually uses real pins instead of plastic binder clips to fit samples to your body so you know what the dress will look like on you.

Here are some of the gowns (the good, the bad, and the just plain ugly) that consultants pushed my way:

I finally found "my" gown at Kleinfeld Bridal (a fellow knottie made me go) and went WAY over budget, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE my dress. I didn't exactly cry when I put it on, but I knew I wouldn't be happy in any other gown once I saw myself in it. I brought my knottie friend and FMIL back the next day w/ me, and worked up the gumption to put down the hefty 60% deposit.

Done, done, and done! Now I've just got to wait the 9 months for it to arrive...

[Images: Christina Wu, Jim Hjelm, Melissa Sweet, Paloma Blanca]