Dressing The Part...2

as i left off in my last blog post, i had a few favorite dresses clanging around in my brain. i liked them, certainly, and still think about them. but i didn't LOVE them then, and i don't wish they were mine now.

one was a truly light-as-air, strapless, taffetta vera wang. it was hands down, THE most comfortable bridal gown that i tried on (including my own) in the whole process. it was like

wearing your favorite pajamas. but part of its comfort came from a simplicity that bordered on looking plain. plus, i didn't want strapless. hmm.

the second runner up was a beaded a-line dress with sheer, beaded cap sleeves that tied behind the neck with a beaded string-thing that would trial down the open back. very pretty. but unlike my comfy cozy vera wang, the beaded tie was itchy, itchy, itchy. which sounds silly, but the wedding is in august. and its gonna be HOT. so me + hot + sweaty + itchy = some kind of bitch creature that mister does not want to marry.

my dresss...is...my dress. it is perfect for me. it is...well. at the risk of being a complete tease, i am hesitant to share any more.

i will share this snippet of the back of my gown...

Dressing The Part

i was over the moon excited for it. i counted down the days. i could barely contain myself

i was going dress shopping.

i had looked forward to this...well, i would say since the ring was on my finger, but in the spirit of internet honesty...i had been looking forward to this for YEARS! which doesn't sound like a very cool thing to admit. don't those girls that say, "oh i never thought about my wedding dress! i'm not a very bride-y, wedding obsessed girl" sound so cool? i hadn't thought about my wedding for years, but the dress, yes. oh, the dress.

i imagined fancy, sparkling, flatteringly-lit shops of beautiful silk and satin confections that would feel as light as air and make me tanner, leaner, funnier, wittier...better.

no one told me that dress shopping can be exhausting. truly. i doubt that this is everyone's experience, but i found my nerves fried by the end of a weekend looking for dresses.

because she lives a plane ride away, we did a marathon-shopping weekend. changing in and out of the dresses, talking about myself as a bride, walk out to the mirror walk back to the dressing room, no shame in bridal take off your bra for this dress style, diamond white ivory champagne gold, that makes your hips look big shoulders look body boobs look pointy skin washed out...

it can be a lot of pressure. it was for me, at times.

of course that is not to say that there were not a few really fun, exciting moments. dresses that istill think about and remember fondly, ones that made my mom and i cringe and laugh and oooh and ahh.

interestingly, the dress that i chose was not one that i tried on during the whole dress marathon. in fact, it wasn't even in any of the stores we went to.

but, before the story continues, i will leave you with a few contenders...

Flowers & Family

flowers were one thing that i hadn't, honestly, given much thought to before the wedding.

i'd though about my dress, the church whose aisle i would walk down, and so on.

but when i pictured myself...in the church...in the dress, walking down the aisle, i picture my hand holding...a blank, shapeless, faceless bouquet.

where is this story going?

mister's mother is a florist.

she has a small floral business. that does weddings.

when the planning began, we all deluded ourselves to think that there is no way she would want to be burdened with the traditional floral duties on the day (day before, week of, month of...) her son's wedding.

i even visited another florist, and was quoted an astronomical price for flowers.

turning to her, she offered to just do my bouquet. it would be easy to just do the bride's, she said, and it would be sentimental. a gift for me.

then i went on a search for a new florist, always defaulting back to her for help, advice and negotations.

fast forward about three months...she is graciously, kindly, wonderfully doing the flowers for our wedding. not for free, mind you, that would be too great a favor to even think of asking. but for the cost of the flowers and two wedding-day helpers, she will be handling all things floral.

i would be lying if i said that i don't still have small, nagging reservations about this in the back of my head. i can hardly say that i don't like what she is envisioning or, worse, voice any displeasure if things don't turn out how i asked. luckily that hasn't been an issue, but true to form, i can't help but worry about it anyway.

but, then i remind myself that the flowers will truly be a labor of love. and, like so many other things, i've decided that with 29 days left till the "big day", i've decided that as long as mister and i end up hitched at the end of the day...thats the point of a wedding anyway, right?

have you let friends or family handle an important part of your wedding?

One Wedding, One Change of Heart

well, not THAT kind of change of heart...the wedding has been on since the ring has been on, so to speak.

but pretty early on (i.e., a week after i called the church and learned that they had two available dates for 1pm ceremony times...all the 3pm times were taken...FOR THE WHOLE SUMMER), i realized that booking a venue, even a year ahead, would be a real challenge.

my dream venue literally laughed at me on the phone when i asked about summer availability. 13 months in advance of the desired date.

well, the dream venue was not only rude but absolutey out of their goshdarned minds with their minimums and room rental rates, so dream...nightmare? anyway, moving on...

i was itching to BOOK SOMETHING ANYTHING ALREADY LET'S HURRY UP as if there was an invisible line of brides behind me, jostling, pushing, signing contracts at 1am when i would wake up in a cold sweat, dreaming of my only two possible dates, booked, everywhere.

so, we signed a contract.

it was a beautiful location. i guess. i wanted it to be, for sure.

but...it was also the middle of the summer. in chicago. now, in my mind, i am seeing glimpses of people melting in 100degree+ weather mixed with flash flood, severe thunderstorm warnings. did i mention that it is outdoors?

and, adding to that my guilt over the cost of the venue, concern for our elderly grandparents, and worries about how to decorate/theme/etc the whole event...

well, you can imagine what happened. i'll let you think about what would happen if you told your fiance and parents (if they are involved in helping with costs) that you've changed your mind.

...

i exaggerate. it wasn't that bad. it took a few honest, heartfelt conversations and we found another place.

that i love.

it isn't as unique, cool, trendy as the original venue...but it is less expensive, more convenient for guests and everything is already set up for us (read: no caterer, no outside wedding planner, etc).

so i sacrificed a really outstandingly unique event for one that is much more traditional and ordinary.

what would you have done?

*Tap, Tap*...Is This Thing On?

well, hi there, interwebs!

i'm linds.

i'm getting married in 30 days.

its the final countdown! did that song just start playing in your head?

though there a few things i would like to keep secret from the world wide web, i will tell you now that this used to be a wedding blog. for probably two months.

then, i decided...no.

because 1. i love to read wedding blogs and 2. my story was not nearly as interesting, i deleted it. went back to quietly planning our little party.

since then, a lot has happened. and, i have a feeling a lot more is going to happen in the next 30 days and beyond, so...hey! i'm back. with things to say that i think are worthwhile to share with the world.

let me walk you through the roller coaster ride that has been our last 200 days or so..and maybe you'll stay on for another go around the tracks after the rings are on and the cake is cut.