Dress Trials

Dress Trials

July 14th, 2009 @ 11:06 am by Mrs. Sunbeam
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Two months after our engagement I had my first wedding dress shopping experience with my mom in PA. The trip was unsuccessful, except that I learned more about what I was looking for and what looked good on me, because my mom encouraged me to try on every shape and size imaginable! I also figured out what I liked was not what my mother wanted to see me in. Ack! The realization that the dress you want will not be one that your mother swoons over is a hard hit.

I also had a secret. In the back of my mind I was coveting a certain dress. It was one I had seen online, and I was fully aware that none of the stores we were visiting had it. This was the dress keeping me from loving all the others. It was my first “dream dress”, a Claire Pettibone:

(source)

Mr. Sunbeam, if you are reading this you have hit the red tape! Go no further! I know where you live!

Back in CA, Mr. Sunbeam’s aunt came with me to Saks for round two of the dress search, since Momma Sunbeam couldn’t be there. I’m not sure what I was thinking trying on dresses at Saks! Besides the “dream dress”, I quickly realized all the dresses there were way out of my price range, which at the time was a maximum of $2,000. That didn’t stop me from trying them all on, anyway! Check out this $10,000 cupcake by Oscar de la Renta:

Dress Trials : wedding wedding dress Oscar2

I promise my photography gets better! These were taken by Aunt Sunbeam on her iPhone. Next, I finally slipped on the “dream dress”.

I was pretty excited over this dress, but I needed my mom to approve of it before I could really love it! A few weeks later, Momma Sunbeam came to visit. She did not like the dress! I was crushed! Looking back, I do think the dress was sexy, but it looked like more of a destination bride’s dress. And I can’t say it was the most flattering fit for me! Don’t feel too bad that my mom’s opinion turned me away from the Pettibone dress. I thought I was in love with a many others before the ONE came along! So, it was off to more trials!

Dress Trials : wedding wedding dress Img 01001

Did you bring your mother along with you during your dress trials? Did you two agree on style, or did you find out your mother had something different in mind for you?

Tags: wedding-dress |

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42 Responses to “Dress Trials”

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Bee

Miss Bruschetta (message) 5,565 posts, Bee Keeper

Ha! Love the walking in the dressing room picture. Dress posts are so much fun — can’t wait to see/hear more!

7/14/09 @ 11:08 am (reply)

Member

Shoe Queen (message) 117 posts, Blushing bee

Ooo, I can’t wait to see what you eventually chose! My mom was pretty great, she kept her mouth shut because she didn’t want to influence my decision. However when I tried on “the” dress, she turned away really quickly so I couldn’t see her get all teary!

7/14/09 @ 11:14 am (reply)

Member

Jenniphyr (message) 2,602 posts, Sugar bee

While I haven’t gone dress shopping yet (and so haven’t hit any resistance from my mom), my fiance and I differ drastically on what we think a “nice dress” looks like (for example, I like pick-ups and princess gowns, as well as simple A-lines, but he likes sheath dresses and ruffles, ew!). It terrifies me, ’cause I’m scared he won’t like my wedding dress!

My mom and I are mostly in agreement so far. We both think that I should probably go with either an empire waist dress, or a natural one — because I’m short waisted, it’s important that if my dress does have ribbon embelishments, they are either at my bust, or at a dropped waist! =)

7/14/09 @ 11:16 am (reply)

Bee

Miss Star (message) 2,057 posts, Buzzing bee

Oh, the suspense! I can’t talk, I still haven’t posted about my dress, haha.

7/14/09 @ 11:22 am (reply)

Member

skibobrown (message) 1,902 posts, Buzzing bee

Isn’t it funny that once you try things on, then your perception of them totally changes. I went with completely different styles that what I had first been set on from looking at pictures, both for my E-ring and my dress. I can’t wait to see what you choose in the end

7/14/09 @ 11:24 am (reply)

Member

MexicanGirl (message) 724 posts, Busy bee

i went dress shopping a month after we got engaged, but i waited until my mom and sisters were in town so they could come with me. I found ‘the one’ in like the fourth store we visited and they all loved it! their opinion was very important to me, ’cause i knew they’ll be completely honest and i needed that!

7/14/09 @ 11:25 am (reply)

Member

Mikaela (message) 17 posts, Newbee

My best friend was the same as your mom: she made me try on every style imaginable. So when I did finally go shopping with my mom, the dress we both liked was not one I ever would have picked for myself.

My mom was pretty laid back about the whole thing, though she did veto a few that looked less like wedding dresses and more like white evening gowns.

I wasn’t sure if my mom really liked the dress I chose because she didn’t say much. But I knew she liked it when, while I was getting out of the dress at the salon, she started excitedly texting pictures of me in the dress to her best friends.

7/14/09 @ 11:25 am (reply)

Guest

Vee

Haha my mom is the reason I bought a dress that I do not like. (I don’t hate it, it’s just not The One.) Oh well, c’est la vie. If I find another one, I’ll buy it. If not - screw it It’s just a dress right?

Right??

7/14/09 @ 11:26 am (reply)

Member

MissBookworm (message) 294 posts, Helper bee

It’s hard for mom’s to not be bias. My mother said that she would give her opinion only after I had said my piece. But when I came out in “the one” she burst into tears. And my mom doesn’t cry. So then I knew it was right. I loved it too! Sometimes* mother does know best.

* sometimes

7/14/09 @ 11:27 am (reply)

10.

Bee

Miss Bear Cub (message) 1,566 posts, Bumble bee

I love these dresses! so beautiful!
Trying on dresses was one of my favorite parts of the planning process

7/14/09 @ 11:28 am (reply)

11.

Bee

Miss Mary Jane (message) 1,970 posts, Buzzing bee

My mom really disliked most of the styles I liked. Part of it was her personal tastes, but the rest was what she knows of my personality and what looks good on me. in the end, I’m glad I followed her opinions. The dress i picked isn’t her fave, but it’s due to personal opinion (i.e. she PERSONALLY would not wear that dress). She still thinks it flatters me.

I like your ‘dream dress’ on you, but I agree, it’s a little more ‘destination’ style.

7/14/09 @ 11:29 am (reply)

12.

Member

His Barista (message) 5,774 posts, Bee Keeper

I took a bridesmaid and her wife because my Mom lives out of state. = )

7/14/09 @ 11:29 am (reply)

13.

Guest

lou

Wow, you were brave - trying on a $10k Oscar de la Renta on a $2k budget! Must have been fun to have the experience though.

7/14/09 @ 11:30 am (reply)

14.

Hostess

Miss Burgundy (message) 1,426 posts, Bumble bee

That’s an interesting comment you made there- is there such a thing as a “destination bride dress style”?

7/14/09 @ 11:33 am (reply)

15.

Member

Curlysue (message) 1,703 posts, Bumble bee

I’m not to the point yet of trying on dresses, my wedding is still 14 months away! However I think I’m one of the few who is NOT looking forward to trying on dresses. I’m just not. I’m more excited about decor than anything and doing my invites. I’m strange.

7/14/09 @ 11:33 am (reply)

16.

Guest

“More of a destination bride’s dress” - uh, what?! I think it’s a classy, elegant gown… probably not suitable for a fancy church or cathedral. For a modern, sleek venue, though, I think it would be fab.

That said… I do know how it is to idealize a dress, then try it on and realize it’s not as perfect for you as you’d realized. Can’t wait to see what you chose!

7/14/09 @ 11:34 am (reply)

17.

Bee

Mrs. Perfume (message) 2,253 posts, Buzzing bee

I love OSCAR AND CLAIRE!!!!! All my dress posts spokes so longingly of them! Can’t wait to see what you come up with!

7/14/09 @ 11:34 am (reply)

18.

Member

BlushingBride530 (message) 277 posts, Helper bee

I brought my mom with me on my one and only dress shopping trip, and we thankfully agreed on the one!

My original dream dress was a Monique on the cover of my first issue of InStyle Weddings in 2007. (Worn by the one and only Mrs. Lovebug.) I used it as inspiration and was able to find a more realistic dress in my price range that had the same details I loved about Monique! Now, even if I had a larger budget, I still wouldn’t choose another dress - mine was perfect for me!

7/14/09 @ 11:39 am (reply)

19.

Member

evarenee (message) 39 posts, Newbee

I had no idea what kind of dress I wanted. I knew that I had the right one though when my mom got goosebumps and all teary. I love the oscar de la renta one I would have loved to try that on. I can’t wait to see what you end up getting.