Now that I have an idea of what kind of dress I am looking for, the only question left is "where can I get it for cheaper?" I already held an account on Ebay, and decided to check out my options there. There were thousands of ads for custom-made dresses, made to order, from high-quality bridal materials, from China. The cost was on average about $150.00. I hummed and hawed about it for awhile, but eventually decided to give it a shot. The way I reasoned it is that a large portion of designer dresses are made in China anyway, and the sellers and their dresses were getting very high reviews. I picked a dress that I really liked, and placed my order. A month later my dress arrived, and overall, I wasn't a huge fan. My fiance saw it on my face right away after trying the dress on in private, and he insisted that I would have to get another one, because he didn't want our wedding day marred by me not feeling like a hundred bucks. The moral of this part of the story: to anyone out there who is considering buying a custom-made wedding dress from China, really think hard about it. This is one of those cases where "you get what you pay for". The workmanship was just ok, the material was definitely not up to bridal quality as claimed, and every bride deserves to feel amazing on her wedding day.
However, I hadn't lost total faith in Ebay. Although I decided that a dress from China was out of the question, there were still lots of sellers that were selling honest-to-goodness designer dresses for a fraction of the cost. Then I found it. It wasn't quite what I had been expecting to wear on my wedding day, but it was beautiful, and I was drawn to it. I saved it to my "Watch" list, and checked on it numerous times a day to see if it had sold yet. Finally, I told myself "maybe it isn't what you expected, but you're hooked on just looking at it; how much more proof do you need that this is your dress!" So, I bought it! But wait, there's more!
There was another issue that I had been wrestling with in my mind. See, the dress that I had fallen in love with already is a ball gown, with an asymmetrical waistline, a sweetheart neckline, with a long train. Perfect for my formal ceremony. But while on my search around local bridal stores for my perfect wedding dress style, I also fell in love with the more informal, destination wedding dress style. I love the flow of chiffon, and the classic simplicity. So not only did I buy the perfect ball gown, but I also purchased an informal wedding dress for later in the reception. It's chiffon, with a sweetheart neckline, draped chiffon straps, and no train. Exactly what I wanted for later in the evening.
Now, you might be thinking to yourself "what kind of frugal bride is she? She doesn't stop at buying one dress, but she buys two! That doesn't sound frugal at all!" But, for the two high-quality, designer, new-with-tags wedding dresses, I paid $300.00! In case you didn't get that, it was THREE... HUNDRED... DOLLARS! How is this possible? This wonderful seller has designers donate dresses to her, so that she can sell them and give a portion of the profits to breast cancer research. If you ask me, it's a win-win: a bride gets a beautiful designer gown for a fraction of the cost, and you can feel good knowing that a portion of the cost is going to help a cause. If anyone out there is interested, here is the website:
www.pinkribbonbridals.com
I will be sure to post pictures of my dream dresses later.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The Dress part 1
I like to be very thorough. And when it comes to My Wedding Dress, I had to be sure that it was perfect. But in case you haven't noticed, there are a million options when it comes to a wedding dress! A-line or ball gown? Sweetheart or jewel neckline? Silk, taffeta, or chiffon? The best way to narrow my options down is to try dresses on. So, I made my way to all my local bridal stores to find out what my perfect wedding dress style is. Below is a list of the bridal stores that I visited, and what I thought about them.
1. Vals Bridal had a very large selection of designers, prices, and sizes, to accommodate many different brides. The store was a little crowded, but the consultants were very helpful, and they didn't rush me. Overall, I was very pleased with this store.
2. Bliss Bridal had a pleasant atmosphere. The variety was limited to 5 designers, and they only offered sample sizes in 8 and 10, which could be frustrating to petite brides, or brides over a size 10. Overall, I was satisfied with this store.
3. Everlasting Memories has been around for a long time and I'd heard good things about the store. However, my bridal consultant was not very knowledgeable and I found that the store had limited variety. On the plus side, I didn't feel pressure from anyone, and everyone in the store took the time to understand what I was interested in. Overall, it was a nice store.
4. Bridal Desires had a fairly small collection of gowns. The sample sizes were all in the 14 - 16 range, which was frustrating to me, being a size 8, as I couldn't get a clear picture of what a fitted gown would look like. Although I was the only customer in the store, the consultant made me feel very rushed. She did not give me a chance to look at the dresses myself; instead, she picked out 3 dresses for me, and ended my fitting after having only tried on the three dresses, none of which I loved. Also, I realize that the dresses in the store are sample dresses, but still I was not impressed to find that the dresses were very dirty. Overall, I was disappointed with this store.
5. San Jude Bridal was definitely my least favourite. I was excited to go to this bridal store, as I had read some very good reviews online and I was excited about some of the designers that they offered. Unfortunately, I found it to be a big let down. First of all, the store is located in a home, which might sound nice, and comfortable, and homey, but I just found it to be uncomfortable, picking out dresses to try on right beside someone making dinner. I came to this appointment prepared, having browsed through the designers collections, but was disappointed to find that none of the dresses on the rack were dresses from either the 2009 or 2010 collections. I don't know what collection they were from! And although the owner was definitely trying to be helpful, it seemed as though she were pushing dress after dress on me, in styles that I told her I would absolutely not wear. I realize that she's a professional, but it's one thing to encourage a bride to try on something different, and it's a totally different thing to push numerous dresses on a bride who flat out says that they don't like it. And lastly, I was very, very uncomfortable there. The "change room" was an empty, dark room, with a full wall mirror on one side, and a curtain on the other side. I was very uncomfortable changing in that room, and I made sure before I took my clothes off that the dress was ready, so I didn't have to spend any more time naked then necessary. (I would like to point out that this was my personal feeling.) Overall, I would not recommend this store to anyone.
So, after trying on many, many dresses, I didn't fall in love with anything. But I did learn some things. Fabric really does look different on every person; I'm definitely a taffeta and chiffon girl, but not a silk or satin girl. A sweetheart neckline is the most flattering on me. White washes me out. I should choose strapless. And lastly, DRESSES ARE STUPID EXPENSIVE!
1. Vals Bridal had a very large selection of designers, prices, and sizes, to accommodate many different brides. The store was a little crowded, but the consultants were very helpful, and they didn't rush me. Overall, I was very pleased with this store.
2. Bliss Bridal had a pleasant atmosphere. The variety was limited to 5 designers, and they only offered sample sizes in 8 and 10, which could be frustrating to petite brides, or brides over a size 10. Overall, I was satisfied with this store.
3. Everlasting Memories has been around for a long time and I'd heard good things about the store. However, my bridal consultant was not very knowledgeable and I found that the store had limited variety. On the plus side, I didn't feel pressure from anyone, and everyone in the store took the time to understand what I was interested in. Overall, it was a nice store.
4. Bridal Desires had a fairly small collection of gowns. The sample sizes were all in the 14 - 16 range, which was frustrating to me, being a size 8, as I couldn't get a clear picture of what a fitted gown would look like. Although I was the only customer in the store, the consultant made me feel very rushed. She did not give me a chance to look at the dresses myself; instead, she picked out 3 dresses for me, and ended my fitting after having only tried on the three dresses, none of which I loved. Also, I realize that the dresses in the store are sample dresses, but still I was not impressed to find that the dresses were very dirty. Overall, I was disappointed with this store.
5. San Jude Bridal was definitely my least favourite. I was excited to go to this bridal store, as I had read some very good reviews online and I was excited about some of the designers that they offered. Unfortunately, I found it to be a big let down. First of all, the store is located in a home, which might sound nice, and comfortable, and homey, but I just found it to be uncomfortable, picking out dresses to try on right beside someone making dinner. I came to this appointment prepared, having browsed through the designers collections, but was disappointed to find that none of the dresses on the rack were dresses from either the 2009 or 2010 collections. I don't know what collection they were from! And although the owner was definitely trying to be helpful, it seemed as though she were pushing dress after dress on me, in styles that I told her I would absolutely not wear. I realize that she's a professional, but it's one thing to encourage a bride to try on something different, and it's a totally different thing to push numerous dresses on a bride who flat out says that they don't like it. And lastly, I was very, very uncomfortable there. The "change room" was an empty, dark room, with a full wall mirror on one side, and a curtain on the other side. I was very uncomfortable changing in that room, and I made sure before I took my clothes off that the dress was ready, so I didn't have to spend any more time naked then necessary. (I would like to point out that this was my personal feeling.) Overall, I would not recommend this store to anyone.
So, after trying on many, many dresses, I didn't fall in love with anything. But I did learn some things. Fabric really does look different on every person; I'm definitely a taffeta and chiffon girl, but not a silk or satin girl. A sweetheart neckline is the most flattering on me. White washes me out. I should choose strapless. And lastly, DRESSES ARE STUPID EXPENSIVE!
My mission.
The moment finally came, when my then-was boyfriend got down on his knee, and "popped the question". Fast forward to the next morning, when the wheels start spinning in my head, because finally, I can begin the planning of my wedding. I've dreamed of my wedding day for a long time. The one thing that I am sure of right away; I want something elegant and formal. Anyone who has planned a wedding, knows that usually "elegant and formal" translates to expensive. That's where I'm going to have to get creative, because I am a FRUGAL BRIDE. Of course I want that beautiful designer ball gown, but I'm certainly not prepared to pay $2,000.00 for it! So, dear readers (if there are any of you out there), that is my mission. To plan an elegant and formal wedding without breaking the bank. I will bring you along for the ride; share my ideas, tell you about my successes, and my miserable failures. I hope you have fun, and who knows, maybe some other frugal brides out there will get an idea or two.
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