The Hunt...The Dress Hunt That Is.

Back in November 2010 ( I know that seems like forever ago) just a short month into our engagement I had been talking to BM HL about all the fun wedding plans to come.  We were talking about colors, ideas, themes, and of course dresses.  She had asked me if I had any idea what I had wanted and when I was planning on going shopping.  Honestly, I hadn't really even thought about the dress shopping yet and quite frankly I was scared to death to go shopping for a dress.  Especially, "THE DRESS."  I was planning on putting it off until oh like July of 2011. 

The reason is because the last 4 years I had gained a hefty 40 pounds and I was not looking forward to it.  I just hadn't felt comfortable in my own body for quite some time.  I had this vision of this perfect self in my wedding dress.  This perfect image and that image was not what I looked like at the time.  So wedding dress shopping just didn't sound like fun.  Excited yes, because I was getting married but I just wasn't giddy about it like I thought I should be. I was almost even worried that their sample sizes wouldn't really fit. And if it didn't how embarrassing would that be?  I mean really I was not huge but I was sitting comfortably in a size 14 and that is fairly overweight for my 5'7 frame.  I really wanted to loose some weight and actually feel beautiful before dress shopping.

Well about a week or two after this conversation with BM H she called me back one day telling me she had a brilliant idea.  If you know BM HL her ideas are always brilliant so I was hooked before she even spilled the beans.  Then she spoke the words "Why don't we go wedding dress shopping on your visit to Buffalo!!!???" (You see I was going to Buffalo, NY for Christmas this year to visit my family). I could tell she was so friggin excited so I of course mustered up some excitement and said that that sounded great.  I really did think it would be fun to go and try on dresses with my best friend in the entire world.  With her and BM CB being so far away it would be the one aspect of the wedding they could share with me and be a part of.   After talking a bit more about it I had convinced her to let me bring my sister and BM CB and my cousin SB.  With that being said we were set.  I was going to try on dresses over Christmas vacation with my best girls!!

After a bit of this sinking in I decided it couldn't be too bad.  I mean all I was going to do was go and play dress up for my girls.  There was no way I would actually buy a dress in NY while I was on vacation.  Duh I live in Texas why would I buy a dress living that far away.  How would I get it home?

Well the date was set and BM CB was great and made all my appointments.  First up was LaRue's Bridal.

Upon arriving we were greeted by a sweet woman who told us to look around and we could start trying on soon.  She told us to go upstairs where the gowns were and pick out whatever we wanted.  I think my girls had a field day as there were nearly 20 dresses in the room before we decided that was enough.

I don't exactly remember all that I tried on but I tried on a lot.  I tried on nearly every style but unfortunately I just wasn't feeling any of them.  One I did like but I just liked it- I wasn't in LOVE with it.  We decided to write down the style number and price and go on to our next appointment.

Up next the Bridal Chateau.  When we walked in from the freezing rain, we were greeted and the lady asked who the bride was and shook my hand.  I immediately fell in love with a gown on the mannequin in the front so she took it right off so that I could try it on. 

It Looked something like this....

image via Shibawi.com



As we were walking she asked what I had thought I wanted my dress to look like. I told her, I like lace, I like vintage charm, and nothing too modern but still elegant. Her eyes lit up and she said she would be right back.  Meanwhile, the other girls had already wandered off to start their search.  BM HL and I started digging our way through more gowns and then our angel appeared.  She had this dress in her hand and said "How's this!" I think me and Heidi about fainted. Our jaws had hit the floor.  How could she pick that dress just by the few words that I spoke.  I had completely forgotten about mannequin dress and followed her to the dressing room.

I undressed and slipped into the beauty.  She was elegant, beautiful, charming, stunning.  I was in complete awe. I walked out into the main area and made my way to the pedestal.  I stepped up and looked in the mirror.  I felt like I was dreaming.  I felt beautiful.  I turned around to see that not only was BM HL in tears but so was BM CB and cousin SB.  My sister is a crier but not over gushy stuff but she even had a look of satisfaction on her face.  Then I turned back around to picture myself walking down the aisle.  I pictured Aaron at the other end looking at me in this dress and I knew it was the one.  At that moment I started tearing up and asked the girls what they thought.  They all nodded in agreement that this was the one.  BM CB even said "I don't know if I should say this but you look sexy!" We all kinda giggled and I told the lady I would take it. 

After getting dressed I asked her who the designer was and she joyfully proclaimed the words Maggie Sottero.  I was going to wear a Maggie.  I could not believe it!  I had ooooggled over her dresses the last few weeks and now I actually had one!! 

What you think I'm gonna give the actual name of my dress away?  Dream on ladies.... you still have to wait!

The White Dress Talk

So I realize I have talked about many things that are going into this wedding planning fun many things that is, except for the dress.  You know, the big, white, beautiful dress that all brides dream about trying on.  The most beautiful, and expensive dress one girl may ever wear. 

Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images via About.com

Well there is a reason for that.  And the reason is because I am trying my best to keep it a secret from the honey.  You see, he is quite snoopy. He keeps begging me to let him see a picture of it.  Or if I will tell him what it looks like.  I know he means well and I am really not sure if he would turn away if he knew I was writing a post on my dress.  He just may peek.

So to prevent that from happening I am going to postpone from telling y'all about it.  There are a handful of people that have seen my dress.  Those being my mom, bridesmaids and a few of my very close aunts.  I really really just don't want there to be any temptation for him to even have the inclination to look at it.

I keep a picture of it in my phone so that on those rough days at the gym I can browse at it on that skinny model to remind myself why I am working so hard to look as good (if not better) in that dress.    One day he was going through my pictures and when I realized what he was doing I snatched it out of his hand and went to go delete it.  I just hope he hadn't come across it before and he says he hadn't so I believe him.  I just don't want him to see it.

I want him to see it on me for the first time.  I want to take his breath away and for me to feel like the most beautiful girl on the earth surprising her love for the first time in a beautiful dress.

So with that being said I will refrain from showing you until we get back from our honeymoon.  So y'all have to wait just like the mister has to. 

Are there any other brides out there blogging that refuse to show their dress due to a peeping fiance?  What did you do to keep it a secret until the day of?

I will let you in on my journey of finding that perfect dress in my next post.  Stay tuned ladies!

Choosing the Perfect Venue: Lindsay Lakes

After visiting Amber Springs I really had felt like I had found the place for me and Aaron to marry but I knew that I should price other places and just see for myself just so that I was 100% sure in our decision. 

One Saturday morning me and MOH Sister had made arrangements to go and tour Lindsay Lakes.  The location was ideal.  It was in Cypress which is approximately 40 minutes from where most of our family lives in Spring give or take.  So we decided to check it out.

Upon arriving the place seemed fine enough.  There were a few buildings and we made our way to the main office where we were met by one of the coordinators.  I wish I remembered her name but what I do remember was not good. This lady talked.  And by talked I mean, talked and talked and talked and talked.  She didn't really give us time to interrupt with questions and she was very very pushy.  But putting that aside we ventured off with her to take a looksey at everything.

Traveling by golf cart we first rode out to the gazebo with the lake.  While this was very nice to be over looking a beautiful lake much like that of the venue in Austin I was so in love with there was one thing in the background I did not like...

See that thing on the Right?  The windmill.  Well while many Texas brides may like this little display of charm I did not.  I am not really into the "ranchy" feel.  I Just thought that it was one element of our wedding I could really go without.  As for the ceremony site though, this picture here below is pretty breathtaking and feels completely dreamy. 

Then after moving closer to the lake and taking in the scene I noticed this spring of water just sprouting up from the middle of that lake.  Call me crazy but I was not a fan of this.  It just didn't look natural.  I am all for water fountains and such but if its a fountain let it be a statement not just some sprinkler hose shooting water in the air. I had asked the coordinator about shutting it off and she said we could but there would be this ugly looking pump sticking up out of the water.  Nah, I'll pass.

Finally we made our way over the reception hall.  When we walked in she had all the lights already set as if  a wedding were about to happen and everything was set up for that evenings event. The tables were all decorated and set up ready to go.  It was beautiful. 

** All photos Via Lindsay Lakes**

I loved the open space and I loved the stone accents with the fireplaces flanking both sides of the room.  There was even built in up lighting that is normally an outrageous extra charge.  I really started to fall in love.  Could this be the place where We would share our first dance and our first meal as a married couple? 

After all was said and done we went back to talk to Ms. Talkative Coordinator and she broke down all of the pricing for us.  I loved that they had a full package including cake, photography, DJ, food, etc and they were running a one time special for the next few days that if  I booked soon I would get this incredible discount.  I took the packet and me and my sister left.  While it was still reasonable in our budget I just really wasn't feeling it.  Back to the drawing board.

Guess What Y'all....

Remember this post talking about my purchase of my bridal jewelry?  Well...its in!  It came much earlier than I had expected since these beauties are traveling all the way from Singapore.  Oh I love them. I of course had to try them on.  How can you get such beautiful things in the mail and not try them on? 

I even had the chance to model them via web cam to the Mr.  He really liked them. I know I am such a tease showing him all of these beautiful things I keep buying and making and he hasn't even got to purchase anything for himself for this wedding yet.  That will change here shortly.  He's almost done with his tour...Just a few more months we gotta get though and he will finally be home!  I know he likes seeing things that I buy and make though.  It makes him feel included and loved and like he is still sharing in all the wedding shenanigans that we are going through.  Time for the pics now.  You know I very well can't tease y'all like that too!

**Photos courtesy of Me**

Dazzling! No?

I AM SO EXCITED!

I just have to share that today is a  great day!  A great day becaaaaause... my DRESS. IS. HERE!  Yay!  I just wanna happy dance all over my room right now.  I got the call yesterday while I was finishing up some paperwork at the office and I couldn't be happier.  Not only that, but I am now officially 20 pounds lighter than when I originally tried on my dress.  I am hoping that when I get it I will have more motiviation to loose even more weight.

I have to take a minute to brag on my Christine-e-beanie too.  She. Is. Awesome!  She has already gone to pick up my dress at the Bridal Chateau and will be shipping it to me soon!  I just cannot wait until she (my dress) arrives. I can't wait to see her, to touch her, to try her on, to twirl around in her.  My Dress.  My very own dress.  The dress that I will be wearing in approx 6 months on my Wedding Day!  Allejuah! 

Also, not only that, but I decided to venture out on my lunch break and on a whim I drove over to the local Payless since they were having a summer clearance -70% off sale.  Pretty much instantly I found a pair of shoes I could not leave without. 

I have been looking off and on for a pair of purple flats and low and behold these little babies were waiting on the shelf just for me.  Not only the perfect light purple color with the beautiful flower on the toe but the right size too.  Call it fate if you will but those babies were meant to be mine!

Image taken by Me

Did any of you other brides find something for your wedding on a whim that was just "meant to be?"  Tell me all about!!