As you know from my last post, I had actively started my quest to finding “the” dress. This past weekend I had an appointment at another local bridal salon.  After having much success with my first dress shopping experience, I started my day off confident that I would find a dress that was not only great to look at, but also in my budget. Accompanying me on this trip is my Mom, my maid or honor, an ond of my bridesmaids. The appointment starts off much the same as my first, “look around the racks and let us know anything you are interested in trying on”. I start making my way around the salon, and find that I am not really seeing anything in the style (Mermaid) that works for me. After giving up on my own search, the consultant ventures into the stock room of the store to pull anything that might fit my style. Long story short, I tried on about 6 or 7 dresses, none of them being remotely close to anything I want to wear on my special day. One of the dresses was gorgeous and affordable, but the last thing I want is a huge ballgown dress to carry on the dancefloor all night! Feeling defeated, I turn my efforts to bridesmaid and hostess dresses. This store was listed as a retailer of Jim Hjelm Occasions and Alvina Valenta, which my ideal bridesmaid dress  and hotess dresses are by respectively. Of course, they have neither style in stock!!! I am in love with these dresses, so I will continue my search for them.

Bridesmaid Dress Jim Hjelm (in ivory and coral pink)

Hostess Dress Alvina Valenta (in navy blue)

Now half of the day is over, and I have nothing to show for my efforts. I call another bridal salon to see if they had any openings left for the day, and of course they were all booked. I did have Macy’s Bridal Salon on my list, so I decide to venture out to Sommerset Mall to see what they have. Somewhere I remember reading that they don’t require appointments, but once arrive I find out otherwise. Luckily, they do have an opening a few hours later, and I decide to come back for that appointment. After having lunch at California Pizza Kitchen, dessert at Mrs. Fields, and checking out potential bridesmaid jewelry at ForLove 21, and now finally time for my appointment. This appointment starts just like the others, but this time I am finding dresses that I am interested in on the racks! While looking, I see this one dress that looks perfect until I see the way the bottom is made. I notice there is a layer of tulle exposed on the hem and quickly bypass it. Later on in the dressing room I am trying on dress after dress, and none of them giving me that “special” feeling that I am expecting to have when I have on “the” dress. Noticing that “the” dress obviously isn’t in the dressing room with me, the consultant brings back the seemingly weird-looking tulle dress. Once again I turn my nose up at it, but feeling pretty dismal at this point, I agree to try it on.  The moment the consultant zips up the back and I look up at the mirror, my face lights up! I actually think I like the dress! I leave the dressing room to show my “entourage”, and they have the same reaction! As you have probably figured out by now, not only do I like the “weird tulle dress”, but it turns out that it is MY dress!! The price tag of 960 dollars sweetened the deal. I came a long way from my first dream dress costing a whopping 3900 dollars, to a dress under 1000! It just goes to show that sometimes you don’t find the dress, the dress finds you!