Say “Yes” Again!

Diary of a Bride to be by Lauren Cooper

This weekend was a busy wedding weekend!  I had my hair and makeup trial and my first dress fitting!  Prior to my makeup trial I decided to go for a spray tan to give myself a bit of a glow.  Unfortunately, that glow was more of a “I-just-spent-two-weeks-at-the-beach” tan; and made the future husband burst out laughing when I walked in the door.  Real encouraging.  Despite my beach-y look, the makeup trial went very well and I’m so glad I chose Dylan Michael Cosmetics.  My hair trial was equally successful, Jill from Up Your Do gave me an awesome look that wasn’t too over the top.  Both women made the wedding feel so much more real and were so great to work with.  I can’t believe how close we’re getting to the wedding day!

Then came the dress fitting.  My sister, mother and grandmother were all present and (due to my previous insanity of looking for other dresses) I was so nervous.  I wouldn’t even look at myself in the dress until I was in front of the big mirror.  Then, a HUGE sigh of relief.  It’s perfect, and gorgeous and I LOVE it!  The sample dress I had tried on doesn’t even do it justice!  I was all smiles. 

After choosing a (gorgeous, cathedral) veil we headed back to the seamstress.  She pinned me in, since the dress was still big, and we discussed how we were going to add sleeves.  She also had plenty of corsets and bra cups in her workshop and she chose one that would amplify my not-so-ample decolletage.  🙂  Bonus: I don’t have to shop for a wedding day corset since she already had one! 🙂  We took tons of pictures and I can’t stop looking at all of them!  I feel so excited, and relieved now that I said “Yes to the Dress”, again.  Insert happy dance here.

Bridal Nightmares

Diary of a Bride to Be by Lauren Cooper

I’ve heard about brides having nightmares about their wedding and I’ve even written about how to avoid them, so I was not prepared when I had my first truly vivid bridal nightmare last week. 

I’m blaming it on the Say Yes to the Dress marathon I was watching while my fiance was out of town.  I went to bed feeling calm, relaxed and secure in my dress selection but this dream shook that up.  It started out with my Mom and I going to the final fitting for my dress.  Final.  Dress. Fitting.  They showed me the dress and my heart started to sink.  Not saying anything to my mother or the bridal consultant, I proceeded to try the dress on.  Standing in front of the mirror,  I realized that I was in the WRONG DRESS.  Not wrong as in: the store made a mistake, here’s your real dress.  Wrong as in, I picked and ordered a dress that I now hated.  (Sob!)  So I was standing there, trying to be brave and offer suggestions to the tailor to make it the way I wanted it to be and it just wasn’t working.  I burst into tears and sobbed to my mother that I couldn’t wear that dress.  And then I woke up. 

Annnd now I’m paranoid that this nightmare will become real and my dress hasn’t even come in yet!  Note to brides that have found your wedding dress:  Stop watching  Say Yes to the Dress before bed.  Immediately.

Say Yes To The Dress

Diary of a Bride to Be by Lauren Cooper

It’s official!  I said yes to the dress I found in Maryland this weekend!  Measurements were taken and the dress is ordered!  Now I just have to wait 2-4 months to put it on again…

Stress Free Dress Shopping

Manic Mondays by Lauren Cooper

I’m sure we’ve all imagined shopping for the perfect gown. Surrounded by your loved ones; trying on gowns that make you feel like a princess, having everyone’s attention on you. If you’re fans of “Say Yes to the Dress” (as I am) you may have an idea about how much of an emotional rollercoaster that shopping trip may be.  To make sure choosing your dream gown is as fun as you’ve always imagined it, here are some tips to make shopping stress free.

• Window Shop: Look through magazines or online to find pictures of the style you like.  Create an inspiration board, or binder to keep all those pictures in so you can take it shopping with you. Attending a bridal show may help you gather ideas as well.  Be sure to go shopping with an open mind.  Even though you have inspiration with you, the consultant may find a dress you wouldn’t have tried but looks fabulous on.

• Set a date: Saturday’s are the busiest days at bridal boutiques so make sure you arrange for an appointment.  You might want to consider another day of the week to go shopping, ensuring that you have your consultant’s undivided attention.  Consult your wedding planner for dress shops that have gowns within your price range.  It’s heartbreaking to find a gorgeous dress only to be told it’s twice your budget.

• Three’s a Crowd: Bringing your mother, sisters, grandmother, bridesmaids and future mother-in-law will make it fun, right?! Not so fast!  You might think that you’re including everyone by doing this, and the gesture is very sweet, BUT this is about you and it can quickly become very stressful if everyone has an opinion and wants you to try different gowns. Limit the excursion to three people.  If you really want to include everyone, make several shopping trips or bring everyone to your first fitting so they can see how truly spectacular you look.

• Plan Ahead: You should begin trying on dresses as early as possible.  Depending on the gown designer, it may take up to six months to deliver a gown.  And that’s without your alterations.  Be sure to bring the shoes you want to wear to your fitting, to make sure that the hem line is where you want it.

Your wedding planner can always direct you towards gowns that fit your body and budget, as well as resources for finding your perfect gown. Remember, this is your day and you should feel like the princess or glam girl that you truly are!

Photos clockwise to right courtesy of Carolina Herrera, Bellisima Bridal, Amsale, Vera Wang, Pronovias, Reem Acra, and Jim Hjelm

Stiles on Style – Launches Next Friday

Rachel Stiles

Rachel Stiles, a Private Receptions™ blog writer from the Fashion Institute of Technology is passionate about fashion! Having previously interned at the prestigious Kleinfeld Bridal, Rachel can’t wait for you to “Say Yes To The Dress”!

Follow Rachel every Friday in her new column, “Stiles on Style.” From one fashionista to another, find new trends and designers that will add to your wedding style!