Finding My Dress Without Losing My Mind

The part of wedding planning that every bride dreams about...finding her wedding dress! I, like many brides that have gone before me, spent many hours pouring over bridal magazines and Pinterest looking at wedding dresses. Vintage weddings dresses, traditional wedding dresses, silk wedding dresses, tulle wedding dresses...I was wedding-dress obsessed. Heck, I was dress-obsessed long before I was ever engaged, let's be honest. I watched countless episodes of Say Yes to the Dress, dreaming about the day I would finally be able to go into a bridal salon in search of the perfect wedding dress.

Literally me when watching SYTTD. Gif via TrueGif

A mere week after getting engaged, my friend (and bridesmaid) CC begged to take me dress shopping..."just for fun". With a brand new sparkly ring on my finger and wedding visions in my head, I was powerless to say no. CC and I arrived at a bridal salon, giddy with excitement and ready to try on some dresses. The goal of the day was to figure out what style of dress I liked the best and what style looked the best on. I went with no definite idea of what I was looking for, and was ready to try on everything and anything! 

The sales associate that helped me that day let me go through the racks myself, which I appreciate so much! I was able to see the dresses up-close and personal (as well as the prices!) before trying them on. CC picked out some dresses she wanted to see on me, and I picked out several styles of dresses as well....poofy, princess, sequined, mermaid, tulle, silk, lace...nothing was off limits. 

After trying on a few different styles, I decided that I was definitely NOT a ball gown bride. This style of dress was not flattering on me at all (I blame my short torso) and I didn't like how I lacked a figure in this style. Once I tried on a mermaid-style dress, I was sold. I knew this was the style of dress for me, and I felt so beautiful in the tight, figure-flattering mermaid/trumpet styles. While I had tried on a few dresses that I really liked, I didn't have the "magical bridal moment" in any of the dresses. I totally expected this, since this dress-shopping trip was just-for-fun and totally would NOT be the time I actually found my dress. Ha, little did I know!

While picking out dresses at the beginning of the appointment, I had found a dress that looked eerily similar to a dress I had pinned several months earlier (before I was ever engaged). Thinking that it could be "the" dress, I decided to try it on last. Ya know, save the best for last mentality.

From the second I put it on, I knew it was my dress. CC (also with tears in her eyes) knew it was my dress. Once the sales associate placed me in front of the big mirrors, "jacked me up" with a veil and belt...I was done for. No other dress could compare to how I felt in this beauty!

Mid-cry. I was definitely tearing up! Personal Photo

Personal Photo

Yes, bees. I chose "the" Mori Lee 5108 as my wedding dress. Also known as the "Most Pinned Wedding Dress", and the dress I pinned long before I knew I was going to be a bride!

image with MoriLee.com

Gif via WiffleGif.com

Sure, my wedding dress will never be the most unique, or one-of-a-kind, but...come on...it's so beautiful! It's so perfectly me and I am absolutely in love with it. Is it weird to be in love with a wedding dress? #brideprobz

Soon, I'll share how I actually purchased this dress for $295...for real.