The Dress, Unabridged

Raf is off hiking with the boys this morning, and I have a stack of sewing to work on...hence--a perfect time for blogging!

Evidently a glimpse of the gown on TFOW wasn't enough for my more demanding blog readers (Jordan), so here's the dish.

My gown was the Oceano by Pronovias, and it was perfect in (almost) every way. It was lacy and sparkly and girly (as I'm told a wedding gown should be), but there was nothing about it that felt over-the-top to me. I loved having the vintage feel with the layers of lace, without having to pull off vintage lines. I loved that it had straps and no volume, making it comfortable and mobile. I loved being able to slip in and out of it without it being a 15 minute extravaganza.

The only thing I didn't love about it was paying full price--then paying yet another outlandish amount for alterations. Was it worth it in the end? Of course it was. It was the only dress I put on that I knew I could never sell--thus leaving me completely aggravated, and simultaneously totally sure that it was The One.

I did search high and low for a better price, but to no avail. Being a 2006 design, I'm sure it can be found on a discount rack in some obscure boutique somewhere, but not here. There was one website selling it at a discount--but it was one of those shady looking sites that doesn't look or function well enough to give you confidence that it's legit. And with my height and shape, buying second hand is almost never an option.

The one thing I would have done differently--and would advise of any brides-to-be who are currently out gown searching--is to not have your dress altered at the boutique where you purchase it. Rather, shop around. Get recommendations for a great seamstress in your area, and hopefully save yourself a couple hundred bucks (and stupid tears) in the process!

While we're on the subject of alterations--when your seamstress tells you to bring a friend with you to your final fitting to learn how to bustle the gown--she means it! I didn't listen--I picked up the dress while everyone else was at work. And I paid for it, most hilariously!

This little button search with the full Bridal Brigade (plus Raf) went on for a good 10 minutes at the cocktail reception...right out in front of everyone! It was classic.

And I can't finish a post about the dress, without a note about what made the dress better--the sweater! My sister made this sweet yellow find in downtown SLO the day before the wedding. And thank goodness she did--otherwise I'd have hundreds of photos of me swimming in Raf's suit jacket all night! I love San Luis weather, but when the wind picks up at night--it's cold!

She keeps making blatant remarks about how I was "borrowing" it and when she'll be "getting it back"--to which I say: HA! You wear it on your wedding day--it's yours, buddy! :)