mrs. brewington confidential : gowns | to sample or not? pt. 1

Do you imagine yourself as the hidden princess waiting for your pumpkin, a fairy godmother and the perfect glass slipper? Or maybe you're a graceful Audrey Hepburn full of whimsy and silent beauty; think Breakfast at Tiffany's meets Roman Holiday. Weddings bring out the inner diva in every bride. It's a time to wear a beautiful gown, sparkling jewels and glam it up on your personal red carpet. The choices for gowns, and their price points, are endless! Let me start by saying I fell all in. I was helplessly head-over-heels overwhelmed with all of the choices. Ball gown, empire waist, goddess, strapless; the list is astounding. Although I spent months flipping through magazines, when it actually came to looking there was nothing like trying it on firsthand.

To prep for this adventure, I spent time watching several wedding shows, Say Yes To the Dress, Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? and Platinum Weddings. I knew I wanted 'that' experience; slowly emerging from the dressing room turning the corner and seeing the reaction of your mom and closest girlfriends. As you turn to look in the mirrors to get the full effect you hear gasps and see the tears of joy while onlookers remark how beautiful you look and you know ‘This is the dress’. At least that’s how it always played out on television.

My first outing I was accompanied by my mom, maid of honor, my planner and her assistant. Rule #1 - Anytime you plan your gown shopping search definitely book an appointment. It saves time confusion and frustration. The bridal consultant can help you navigate the daunting and exciting task of narrowing your selection. We had great fun and I liked each gown I tried on, but didn't love any one in particular. My entourage was not short of varying opinions and patience. Rule #2 - "Too many cooks spoil a great meal." In the end I had tried no less than ten gowns and didn't select one. At the end of the day Samara (Fab Wedding Planner Extraordinaire) gave me that great pep talk and said "you have to be happy and most of all comfortable."

This is just the beginning of the adventure of finding my fabulous wedding dress... stay tuned to see what happened!

Mrs. Brewington

photo credit: labor of love photography