This past weekend my mom and I went wedding dress shopping in Atlanta. Mom's friends Suzi and Leigh Ann got to join us on our hunt for the perfect dress...we all had a blast together! We headed out Friday morning, it was rainy and took about 4 hours...but that didn't stop us from heading to the North Georgia outlet and give a little bit of our paycheck to Off Saks and Neiman Marcus outlet. After a few hours of shopping we headed over to the Tavern for some Thai Chicken nachos, not really on the bridal diet, and some martinis! We then headed to the hotel where we had a little more girl time with a bottle of wine...perfect ending for a great day!
We woke up the next morning showered and hit up some breakfast buffet. We headed over to the Nordstrom outlet just to make sure they didn't have anything we might want...they definitely did and after a quick try on secession we checked out and headed for the real hunt!
We arrived at Bridals by Lori at 12:56 for our 1:00 appointment with Flo. We walked in the door and I felt the wedding dress butterflies flutter through me! Once we got to the bridal section a sweet girl named Beth told us Flo was finishing up with her previous appointment and that we could look around at all the dresses and pull 5 that we liked then wait for Flo. Well we pulled about 17 and then settled on to the couch and watched other girls try on their dresses and walk the bridal runway. Flo got done around 1:20 and was
shocked impressed by the abundance of dresses we had picked out. I headed back to the dressing room and started trying on the dresses. I tried on about 6 dresses and they were all beautiful but just didn't feel right, they were too fitted or too poofy or had a neckline that didn't fit well with my body type, and most importantly didn't give me that special feeling everyone has told me about. Monte, one of the bridal consultants, had been chatting with mom, Suzi, and Leigh Ann. He came up to me and said he had been watching me and could see the style I was looking for but knew I was having a hard time finding the one that had a little bit of everything I wanted. He then told me that he thought he had the perfect dress for me...it was one of his favorites and they had just gotten in. He also said he had not seen it on anyone and he thought I had the right figure for it (I didn't tell him about the Thai Nacho incident that had happen the night before) so I told him I would be happy to try on what ever he wanted.
He walked back to the couture section and pulled the mystery dress out and shoved Flo and I into the dressing room to put it on. Once the dress was zipped up I started getting "the feeling". I went to walk out to the runway area where mom and and the girls were sitting and Monte grabbed me before they could see anything. He through my hair up in a side bun, stuck a veil on my head and turned me around for everyone to see. Now before we had even gotten to Lori's I had told mom how all my friends' moms had cried when they put on "the dress" and she told me not to expect her to cry because she wasn't a crier. So when I looked at them Suzi said with tears in her eyes " I have goosebumps!!...Are yall crying too?!" and sure enough Leigh Ann was filling up with tears and mom was crying! It took all my might not to cry too (I didn't want to be getting mascara all over "The Dress"). So after spending an hour taking pictures with the consultants, in my dress, and
strutting my stuff walking around in the dress I finally took it off and paid....the hunt was over! I tried on 7 dresses in 30 minutes...I guess when it happens it happens fast!! We left Bridals by Lori and headed to out to do what else but eat! After a taco and mojito we reluctantly headed back to Huntsville.
I am still floating on my Wedding Dress Cloud and I am enjoying every minute of it!! I was such a perfect weekend that ended with the perfect dress!! I will always remember it!!
Here is a little photo recap:
We started the trip of right with a little mimosa action
Our shopping cart in Off Saks...it might have gotten a little fuller after this picture...everything was 25% off already marked down prices!! You can't say no to that!!
Mom and Leigh Ann at the Tavern
Suzie and me
Bridals by Lori
The search begins..
Leigh Ann was in the zone
Suzie working hard on checking out the dresses on other brides
Waiting for Flo
I can't wait to put up pictures of my dress!! That will of course be after December 17th!!
