Something to think about

Hmmm. We met with Chris the photog extraordinaire last and discussed how to use our "engagement session". We basically forgot to take our engagement photos. Nice.

So Chris suggested a Trash The Dress session. I'm all over it, but poor D$ said "what about all the money you spent on the dress?" Yeah, yeah, but now I really want to hike up Sabino Canyon in my dress. I want to go tromp around town and in dive bars in my dress (wait, already did that!). So now I have to either convince D$ that selling my dress is a lost cause and do the TTD, or just do a nice tame photography session with my husband.

(On a side note, we picked out the style of album we are getting, now we just have to narrow down our pictures!)

Confession

I have something to confess. My wedding dress is balled up in the corner of my den.

I look at it sometimes. I inspect its damage (broken boning on the right side, all of Tucson's downtown dirt caught in tulle and silk), I smell the silk and I play with the beading. I try to get out the knot from the corset undone, still with no avail. Mainly I ignore it. Tossed aside like a shirt from Target rather than the most expensive garment I'll ever own.

I don't know what to do with it. I don't know if I should clean it and think about selling it, or donate it or keep it. I SHOULD clean it. But that is expensive and not something I want to do right now. Cause if it is clean, then I have to make a decision, right?

Like some brides before me, I'm not attached to my dress. It served me well, I looked good, it held up well....but if I sell it, will I some day regret it? If I keep it, will I regret that too? It already is a season old, how long will it be in style? And where will I store it? Ugghh.

Advice? Offers to buy?

Photos.

Dude, if you happen to secretly read my blog and not tell me about it...fine, just don't read any further today, mkay? Love.





I really didn't mean to make you beg, but I was on the fence about posting pictures. Since some guests do read the blog I was wary of them seeing me pre-wedding day in my gown, but I think I'm over it now.

Go photos go.


All strapped in and hemmed! Whatchu think? (also notice bright pink sign that say "NO PHOTOS Allowed!", yeah, this isn't the first time I've broken that rule, plus this is my dress).

I like the angle of this picture, I was up on the tailor step thingy and Melisa is not even 5 feet tall....I also love the lines on my dress, very flattering on me I think.

Practicing sitting. I have horrible posture, but the combo of the corset and the boning in the dress will help with that. Ignore the armpit issue...hopefully it won't be as bad when I am sitting more naturally.



The bustle. Notice the gap above my butt, below the lacing? The seamstress will be putting in two more loops on each side so the lacing will come down further and not be as noticeable...and maybe in the next 34 days I can run an inch off my ass...

Overall I felt good in the dress. I'll definitely be watching every calorie that goes in my mouth from now until the wedding, I just felt snug. Although this was sans spanx, maybe I should go get some? Besides the hem and the little loops she'll be adding the seamstress has no other alterations...I do feel lucky about that! Oh and best part ever...no bra necessary! SWEET!

First Fitting!

Wanna see the pictures? Do you? Do you? Let me know and I'll post 'em (fi doesn't read this, so its safe)! Good news it fit!

Highlights from the fitting, in no particular order:
~Melisa (who is 3-4 inches shorter than me) trying to put the dress over my head...we were very happy when we found each other within all that dress!
~A customer in the shop wanted my dress, then was shocked when I said it was mine, until I explained, like no, I own it.
~When Jamie my favorite hairdresser, and yours, popped over to see me!
~Melisa and I trying to figure out how to get me OUT of the dress, with pins intact. It involved me dropping to my knees at just the right moment.
~When the up until then professional seamstress reached in and squeezed my boobs together, to then exclaim "Much better!" Then whisper to Melisa, "you'll need to make her bend-over to get her boobs in right". Oy vey.
~Last, but not least: the beer I drank post fitting (and the last one I drink until the wedding) and watching football for the rest of the day!

These are the times I realize I'm not a normal bride

My FMIL has been storing my dress for ever and a day. Saturday, Fi and I are meeting his folks for lunch so I can get the dress. Then I go to my seamstress at 3:30 that day for my first fitting.

Great, that SEEMS normal, right? Its not. I picked my seamstress due to her proximity to Touchdowns, the local bar where my alumni group meets to watch football. And 3:30?...yeah kick off is at 4:00.

So my day will look a little something like this:
5:30 run
7:00- 10:00 nap
11:30-1:30 dress transfer/lunch
3:30 Mel and I hit the first fitting
4:00 kick-off for alumni team
6:00 head out to go to local college football

That's not really normal is it?

Lifts and separates.

I am in love with a bra. I love it so much I just ordered 3 more.

I am well endowed and I hate buying bras. For a long time I was stuck in a rut at Victoria Secret. Although, not the worst bras out there, I would like a style, go back to get another and it would be discontinued, or worse, only be offered in a demi-cup. Well my cup runneth over and I need a full coverage bra.

A few years ago my bra broke at work, the underwire snapped. Luckily for me there was a lingerie store in the same complex. So I ran into the store and they helped me buy a new bra. It was one of those full-service lingerie stores. They fit you and not like Victoria Secret fit you, where they measure you. At this store, they go in the room with you and put you in the bra. They are professional and nice, but its still a little weird to be standing nude from the waist up in front of a lady old enough to be my grandma. I loved that bra. But I never went back, until about 3 weeks ago.

I walked in, same old ladies still working there. They fit me (nay dressed me) and I found the worlds best bra for me. It is a Lunaire bra, they only make bras for cup size C and bigger. I love style 13211 and it wears well under t-shirts. Unfortunately the store in town only carries "nude" color, so I ordered online the black and two white bras. At $32 each it is very affordable too, especially since Victoria Secret charges more money for bigger bras.

Many people at work asked if I had lost weight (I have) but the main difference I think is how well the bra lifts "the girls" up and supports me. My boobs are where they should be and not near my belly button anymore!

I just thought since I found a good thing, I'd share it with the blogging world.

Shopping for someone else's wedding

We have a wedding to go to in 12 days. In Florida! This wedding kind of yanked us out of our wedding planning focus and made us realize other people get married too. Since we'll be in Florida for a few days and have 3 wedding activities ( 2 of them formal) to go to and we were directed not to wear black (damn it) so I had to go shopping.

First off we will have 2 days on the beach (maybe more) so I needed a new suit that wouldn't give me awful tan lines. I found this cute suit yesterday at Target. I wasn't even looking for a new suit. The tie is removable and the suit stays up even while jumping (yup I jumped around the house last night like an idiot. Fi sat on the couch and laughed and hoped to catch a glimpse of "the girls"). Alas, this suit stays up!!!
Second...Shoes. So I can't wear black (religious and cultural guidelines) so I have substituted Brown for Black. I have two dresses for 2 of the events that are brown, so I was hoping for one shoe. Luckily DSW came to my rescue. I found this lovely shoe for $35. It also comes in blue, so I'll see how I do wearing it all night for two nights in a row, if it holds up, I may have found my wedding shoe! :)
Finally, I broke down and bought this dress from Dillard's. It was a bit more than I wanted to spend ($148), but the dress I am wearing to the rehearsal dinner was only $22 (sorry no pics on line, I'll post some later) so $168 for 2 dresses, not too shabby. I'll actually do my hair and I won't wear that awful heart necklace, and I think it'll be perfect. Its very flattering and comfy and since the festivities begin at noon and run all day and evening long, comfort was key.
Tonight, we go buy Fi an new suit for this wedding. 1 suit, 3 ties, I think he'll look great!

Bridesmaid Dresses

I always knew that I would let my BMs pick their own dresses (within reason). That's why I heart J Crew. The colors are awesome, dresses are pretty, decently affordable and they have lots of choices! So after months of agonizing over the colors, I finally decided on Kelly green and black as our colors. Here are a *few* of the dresses J Crew offers in Kelly Green!

Go!



Sophia Dress $165 ..I like the chiffon, but I am more of a silk fan myself.
Silk Taffeta Ballerina dress $195. I love the crispness and playfulness of this dress!


Sydney Print dress $165 The print is fun! I love the gathered, pleated thing happening.
Lia Dress $88 Shoot man, this dress is EIGHTY EIGHT DOLLARS. And flattering too!
Strapless Florence Dress $250 Yum! Most expensive, but I heart this dress!



Any of these dresses (or like the 6 other options) will look great with black accessories and on my beautiful BMs!

A new dress!

I bought a new dress for the shower on Saturday. I love this dress and have been eyeing it for weeks on the Ann Taylor Loft website. I think it may double nicely for some engagement pictures as well as a nice dress for work and play! It is very comfortable. They were out of the size in Petites that I needed, so I went ahead and got it in regular, so it is a little longer on me than in the picture. I am really looking forward to the shower on Saturday and now that I have a nifty new outfit, I feel more at ease!

Day of Jewelry

This is what I want. I want a multiple strand twisted pearl necklace. But for $1,850 from Tiffany & Co, I will not be wearing this particular necklace. It is exactly what I want. 16 inches in length and a lovely simple clasp.






This more affordable version for $135 from JC Penney is nice, but I don't want the mulitple colors. But I like the qualities. Again it is 16" and the clasp looks more sturdy than above.









Worn with my pearl studs, I think the necklace would really compliment my dress and add the right about of class, classic-ness (is this a word?) and bling to my day. More than just a single strand, a twisted strand would really add some punch!

My dress!

A week ago, when my mamma was still here, we went to get my dress. I was a bit worried cause it was a rainy day. But the sales ladies all assured me, my dress could handle the rain.

At Maya Palace, I got to try it on for my mom. We had a nice moment together with tears and then I tried on some veils, so that when my mom makes it, we could get a good idea of length and style.

Then after a lovely lunch with the Tootsies at the Arizona Inn, I passed the dress over to Monica to store. She sent the above picture on to me to show me that it is safe and sound.