The Dress Quest: It’s ‘The One’

With a ton of other salons to visit, we were only going to David’s Bridal to look, get ideas, and so that I could show my mom and sister one special gown I had tried on and loved. But no decisions would be made that day, until I’d been to plenty of other shops to scope out all the options. Or so I told myself.

After we arrived and met with my consultant, I first tried on several gowns that had caught my eye in the catalog. But as beautiful as some of them looked on the hanger, they just didn’t work once I put them on.

       

       

Plus, none of these compared with the Oleg Cassini gown I had tried on previously and still loved best.

      

But then, the consultant brought out the next gown. This one, she said, was a sample the designer had initially considered introducing into the season’s lineup. In the end, the gown wasn’t chosen, and the shop was now selling it at a heavily discounted price of just $350. Looking at it on the hanger, I’ll admit I wasn’t impressed right away.

But when I tried it on, I fell completely in love, along with my sister, mom and bridesmaid Pooneh, who had also come along for the fun. The intricate crystal and pearl beading was gorgeous, and the gown felt like “me” – matching my personal style, plus our wedding style, without being too heavy or overwhelming on my petite frame. With this gown as my new favorite, I was prepared to think it over, head to a few other salons, and if necessary, come back for the gown after making up my mind. Then, the consultant told me the catch.

Because the gown was a sample, it was the very last one in stock in a size that would work for me. Wanting to be sure she wasn’t being disingenuous, we wandered the racks on our own, and also called a couple other David’s Bridal shops in the area. But as it turned out, she was being entirely honest. I loved the dress, but somehow worried that I was being too hasty. What about all the other salons we had planned to visit? Was I being too drawn in by the price? Was I sure this was the right one?

In the end, I took the dress on and off a couple more times, comparing it with other styles, including the Oleg Cassini gown that had been my original top choice. But I just loved the sample gown too much to leave it behind, especially as I saw another bride eying it anxiously. I left the store with my gown in tow, plus a fingertip veil that matched up perfectly with the dress’ crystal details.

Usually not one for impulse buys, especially with something as important as my wedding gown, I’ve second-guessed myself a couple times since that day, but never while wearing the gown. Every time I see myself in the dress, I absolutely love it, and I can’t wait to take some better pictures, in good lighting, once the gown has been altered and pressed. But for now, here's a link to a couple shots of me in my steal of a find!

(Please ignore the plastic gloves, which I wore to avoid getting anything on the fabric after we got the dress home. Yes, I’m that paranoid.)

The dress definitely needs a hem and also needs to be better fitted after my weight loss last year. Plus, I’m having the slit at the bust closed by placing an identical piece of satin behind it. But after that, it should hopefully be ready to go!

How many shops did you visit before you made a decision about your gown? Did you choose or try on any sample gowns that were discounted? Was finding your dress easier or harder than you originally thought it would be?

(Photo Credits: Personal Library)