Badda Bling, Badda Boom (And a Crop-Top, Too)

When I first tried on my wedding dress, I knew it was fate. From lusting over it online, to first trying it on in the bridal store, and then finding my own for $300, I was falling even more and more in love with the mermaid tulle gorgeousness that was the Mori Lee 5108. I loved it's simplicity (I was concerned about the dress "wearing me" than me wearing the dress) and I loved how the dress made me feel. Not only did I feel like a gorgeous bride in my dress, I felt like a confident and beautiful young woman wearing the prettiest dress I've ever owned.

Except, I kinda felt like there was something missing.

I knew for sure that I wanted to wear a belt with my dress, although not one as dark or sparkly as the belt I tried on when I went to the bridal shop. I also knew that I would love to wear a veil, but I knew absolutely nothing about veils, other than they come in 100 different shades of white and they should be made out of gold tulle based on how much they cost.

Since I'm all about saving money when I can, I searched high and low for a bridal consignment shop in my hometown. After spending some time Googling, I was so excited to find one that had awesome reviews and promised a wide selection of veils, belts, and other bridal accessories. Since their inventory is mostly consigned (with the exception of some veils that are always in stock and can be ordered anytime) what they have is obviously limited to what past-brides bring in and what other dress shops sell them. While I was excited to have found a bridal consignment shop, I didn't want to get my hopes up in case I went and I didn't find anything I liked.

Last July, with a year and a couple months left to go until the wedding, I planned a trip into the consignment shop. I wanted to go with enough time left that if I didn't find anything there, I'd still have plenty of time to explore other options. My step-mom wanted to come along for the fun, so with my wedding dress in tow, we made our way to the shop to hopefully find my veil and bridal belt!

The shop was packed with racks and racks of wedding gowns (which were semi-tempting to look through, even thought I had the dress-of-my-dreams in my arms) and an entire room filled with bridal accessories. I was in bridal consignment heaven. There were angels singing. Or it may have been my wallet, knowing how much money we were about to save.

Since it was early in the day and there was only one other bride-to-be pursuing the shop, I was told to change into my dress and come to the main sales floor, where a sales consultant would help me find what I was looking for. I explained what I was thinking in terms of a belt, and explained that I wanted a simple, single-layer veil, but that I was unsure of length and color. After checking me out in my dress (and suggesting I get some chicken cutlets sewn in), she presented me with no less than a dozen belts of all colors and degrees of sparkle, and started pulling out veil after veil.

After going through dozens of different combinations of belt + veil, I finally settled on the following combination...a simple satin belt with bling in the middle (that snaps in the back) and a simple crystal-edged veil in a waist-length. Not the most daring and certainly not the most unique bridal look, I know, but I liked how the belt added a little more drama to the dress and I loved the simplicity of the veil.

I was able to score the belt used for $50 (originally over $100) and the veil brand-new for $100. I budgeted about $250 for bridal accessories, so I was thankful to still had some cash leftover to put toward my jewelry and any other accessories I felt I needed to complete the look.

In hindsight, I probably should have done a little more to hair than just throw it in a ponytail.

As I was about to get out of my dress and pay for my awesome finds, a little something sparkly caught my eye as another consultant was looking through their new inventory. It was a sparkly lace crop top, and it was gorgeous.

Yes...a crop top.

Before a scantily clad bridal Miley Cyrus comes to mind, I'll show you the gorgeousness that is the crop-top bolero. Over my figure-hugging Mori Lee, it added a little sophistication and elegance and I knew I had to have it. But...I already had a belt...wedding gods, what are you doing to me?!

The crop-top is a bit more sheer than this picture shows.

Hand-beaded crop-tops are way heavier than one would think. 

I absolutely loved how I looked and felt in my dress with the addition of the bridal crop-top, so I had to decide what to do. Ditch the belt, and just wear the crop-top? Ix-nay the crop-top, and keep the belt? Or, I could have the best of both worlds and wear them both. So, that's exactly what I decided to do!

I'll be wearing the beaded crop-top and veil for the ceremony (and first look pictures and some bridal party pictures) and then taking it off after the ceremony and putting on the belt. As much as I luuurve the sparkle and drama of the crop-top, it's a bit heavy (and a little bit itchy, but that's the price to pay for a one-of-a-kind look) it's not really cut out for dancing and boogying the night away on the dance-floor. By doing it this way, I'll have two different bridal looks without paying for two completely different dresses.

The crop-top was originally sold with a David Tutera dress, and was literally priceless (as in, it had never been sold separately from the dress) so the shop had to call the bridal shop that it had come from to see what a fair price would be to sell it for. I ended up getting the crop-top for $125, which I consider a steal for being able to have a truly one-of-a-kind, unique look on my wedding day.

While I never thought I'd walk out of that bridal consignment shop with a sparkly beaded crop-top bolero, I can't imagine my dress without it now. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I love it, and I love how it makes me feel. Gorgeous, elegant, but still a bit quirky and unique. Like a bride...Mr. C's bride.

Did you wear a bridal accessory you never thought you would? Did you have 2 unique wedding looks?