Thank you, again, to all who gave such kind and supportive responses to my introductory post. One thing that I have been
dying to share is that I finally have my dress!
We have decided to have a small, intimate wedding (~ 50 guests), NOT because "well, you know, it's a second wedding" as some people have said to me, but because we want to share that day with our nearest and dearest ... with those who have walked with us through the hard times, love us anyway, and will be a part of our
marriage, not just the wedding day. We found the most beautiful spot for the ceremony -- nothing like what I'd envisioned, but perfect for
us -- and it will only fit about that many people.
So I wasn't sure what to expect with dress shopping, especially being plus-sized and on a tight budget. I tried this dress on last Christmas while visiting family and was floored. All my thoughts about "oh, maybe something simple and A-line" went out the window. But it was outside my budget and we weren't officially engaged yet ...
So I shopped around in this area with a friend (my mother lives in SC and my sister-in-law in Washington state), tried different styles, haunted the Internet, played briefly with the idea of making it ... but nothing was really working out and I was getting nervous about the timeframe for ordering.
I was headed back to Seattle for Christmas again, and found out that same store was closing their bridal department and having a sample sale. We called ahead to make an apointment for ASAP after I arrived, ... and the dress was
perfect ... I knew I liked it from last year, but I couldn't believe how fabulous it was this time. Dress, veil, crinoline ... I think I was in a very happy kind of shock walking out of the store with that massive pink garment bag.
And after 3 flights, 4 airports and 20 hours of traveling together, I
still love it!
I was so thankful that my mother and SIL were able to be there with me in WA, but there haven't really been many people here to share the joy with ... FI is great about being involved in wedding planning and interested in the details, but this one he doesn't get to see until the day!
Pictures:
