wedding wednesday's: say yes to the dress!

Since we've hit the one year to-go mark last month, I've decided that starting today & from every Wednesday thereafter [until our date of June 10, 2011], I'll post the latest news in my wedding planning adventures. 

As you know, my poor wittle camera got into a bad accident a few weeks ago. It dropped from about 4 ft and has not recovered from the injury, and it doesn't look like it will ever. So at the moment, I'm having to rely on a friend and my mother for their picture-taking skills.

Last Friday, me,

Amy (my Maid of Honor),

my Mother,

& Rhonda (my cousin, aunt, wedding planner, 2nd mother)- 

all took a trip down to the big ATL. A few weeks prior I had made a dress consultation appointment with this one particular boutique. Let me tell you why this one in particular, and why we drove 4 hours just to try on dresses when we have a gazillion stores close to where I live. Back in December- Christmas Eve to be exact- I got engaged. Well, as the wheels starting churning for ideas a few weeks after, I stopped into Books-A-Million one evening. Please note, I am NOT a reader. I despise of it. But, I knew they had several bridal magazines and I wanted to just take a few minutes to browse over some while I was in town. So, as I thumb very quickly through the very first magazine I pick up, I spot this one page. I frantically flipped back several pages until I found it. It was a picture of a lady modeling this gorgeous wedding gown. One that, from that moment on, I knew I had to find it. It was THAT beautiful. I loved it. Everything about it. 

Well, a few weeks went by and I ended up not purchasing that particular magazine. As I started registering online for various wedding websites, I came across that same picture in a tiny a. I clicked on the tiny ad, went directly to the website of company who makes the dress, and researched locations in Georgia where I could try it on. Just my luck, the ONLY place in Georgia was 4 hours away- in Atlanta.

So, I kept it in the back of my mind and went on about my business for a few more weeks. I began thumbing through another magazine one day, and came across the same picture. "Ok, is this a sign?", I began to ask myself. Obviously it was. I tore the picture out of the magazine and posted it in my wedding notebook. I showed it off to various family members and friends when they asked me if I had looked at any gowns. I guess I became a little biased from that point on, because I never felt the urge to even 'look' at any other gowns. 

While in town one afternoon, my Mama asked me if I wanted to swing into BleuBelle Bridal. We pulled into the parking lot, I looked at her, scrunched my nose and said, "nah, I don't want to try on any other gowns until I try on that one". Months went by and around the beginning of June, I was beginning to get a little antsy about getting things knocked off my wedding to-do list. We called up the boutique in Atlanta and set a date for an appointment.

So, lets fast forward a few weeks. And we are here, the weekend has come to try on the gown I've had my eye on since the beginning of the year.

We leave Friday afternoon, making a few pit stops along the way by the outlets, 

dairy queen for brownie earthquakes,

another little strip mall, etc. 

Our appointment was at 10 Saturday morning, here.

 Upon entering the door, this is what you see.

Anyhow, the story goes on. Kim, one of the employees, helped me to my own personal fitting room with two couches, a little round stage, and full length mirror. I was told to go throughout the store and turn out 5 dresses that I wanted to try on. I had no problem finding five whatsoever. I picked a variety of styles, fabrics, colors, and various lengths- just to get the full effect. I tried on the dress I had came down there for 1st, then the remainder. The were all extremely gorgeous, but none of the them felt as special as the first. Kim had gotten an idea of what I was interested in and ran out to grab a few more. I tried on this one in particular- it was beautiful rustic "pink" in color & very similar in style as the first gown. It ran a close race, but I still ended up going back to the first gown. 

I love(d) it.

The dress is on order and should arrive in about 4-5 months. I'm ecstatic!  We were in and out in two hours total.

After shopping, we swung by The Varsity to grab a quick bite to eat, made a few circles around the blocks nearby trying to figure out what we wanted to do next, & decided to go back home! Our job there was done. 

 [There are a ton of other pictures we took, however, they are being sent to me soon. I'll post them as soon as they arrive in my e-mail.]

Did you find yours the first go-round? 

Did you find a picture and just know that one was "the one"?!

Tell me your dress story!