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Like just about everything else I came up with in a year-and-a-half engagement, I’ve changed my mind about the dress many times. This was my first dream dress.
She is Fontana from the 2009 La Sposa collection. I particularly love it with the extra lace top; it’s like two dresses in one! I assumed she would be out of my budget, so I had three back-ups from David’s Bridal.
I liked the Oleg Cassini best, but of course it was the priciest of the bunch. And they were still all compromise dresses for me. Then I learned about Lea-Ann Belter’s 2009 Collection, and oh! Carolina!
Luckily, I could pretty much confirm—without even making any phone calls!—that this dress was not in my price range by the appearance of the phrases “silk dupioni,” “Swarovski crystals,” and “real freshwater pearls” in the description, so I didn’t even have to get my hopes up!
What did you do when you coveted a dress you figured would be out of your price range? Did you dare to try it on anyway, or did you move on quickly?
I definitely drooled over Jim Hjelm and Monique Lhuillier dresses but did not let myself go anywhere near them! They’re so far out of my budget it’s not even funny, and I didn’t want to feel like it was ‘The One’ and then not be able to get it!
Who designed that dress? It is a really cool mix of classic and contemporary and I have been in the market to pick up some dresses for bridal fashion shoots. Thanks, love your blog!
@misscalico: I didn’t even let myself *start* to go there. 
wow, that first dress reminds me of mrs. glitters! it’s so lovely!
i haven’t really allowed myself to look at dresses yet since i’m saving that for the real planning so who knows what i’ll end up with!
the Lea-Ann Belter Carolina was my first love too 
the back is to die for!
The second DB dress was my dress. I loved it. Too bad I can’t just wear it around the house…
Oh, I was OBSESSED with this one Reem Acra dress that I saw in MSW. But, alas, I couldn’t find it on their website or on Ebay, so I gave up. I’m sure it would’ve been WAY WAY WAY out of my price range.
Don’t give up too fast! I fell in love with a Melissa Sweet dress but knew it was out of my price range. I looked for other dresses within my budget but didn’t find any I liked as much, so I went online, found a secondhand Melissa Sweet gown and bought it for over 50% off the original price! If you’re willing to go secondhand or stalk sample sales, you may be able to have the dress of your dreams at a realistic cost.
That last one is really pretty. Maybe you could get a more ‘regular’ dress and then one of the pretty lace boleros you can find on etsy.
Oh, I LOVE that last dress. My dress is all silk and no lace, but I’m thinking of adding a lace shrug!
i tried on the first to DB dresses and very nearly thought the first one was “my dress”. lo and behold, i kept looking and it turned out to not be my dress, but i ALSO have a lace obsession!
All three of the David’s Bridal dresses were in my final group. I choose a different dress also from Davids, but I think if it had been a little less $ I would have gone with the second one, the sleeveless v-neck lace dress. Oh, and if I hadn’t been tainted by my step-mother’s comment of dislike for the dress.
I like all the dresses you posted. I love the last one, with the lace shrug. It’s such an elegant touch.
I also considered Lea Ann Belter, but in reading more about her, the way she constructs her dresses is so amazing (literally, she claims you could wear them inside-out, that’s how well they’re crafted) I knew I couldn’t afford them. They’re gorgeous, though!
Kenneth Pool was my d-r-e-a-m, but sadly, knew I couldn’t afford a KP, either.
These are so beautiful…I love lace…can you order just the bolero on the Carolina?
I was lucky enough to get a Lea-Ann Belter dress. Even better, since the dresses are made in Toronto, I got the top of one dress (Sienna) with the bottom of another (Allison). If you’re in Toronto, they will make it right for you, so no alteration costs. When I was there, the dresses started at about 1200.
I was OBSESSED with this Vera Wang dress that I kept seeing in wedding magazines. It was a mermaid style, ivory, with a big flower at the top. I thought this had to be my dress.
Then I tried on a couple of mermaid dresses and look AWFUL. Problem solved ;o)
@hotchildinthecity: That’s pretty much what happened to me with the La Sposa dress (or one similar to it)… but you’ll hear all about that later.
Before I knew wedding gowns, I called about this Angel Sanchez dress… so pretty, but so far out of reach!
I think that first dress is the same as Glitter’s dress…and I LOVE it!
I did not dare try on any dresses out of my budget because I would have been the bride with a $1500 budget saying “yes” to a $10,000 dress!
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Mrs. Spaniel, Los Angeles Age and Occupation: 28, Law Student Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Psychologist Wedding Date: March 2010 Venue: Calamigos Ranch About Me: I'm a third-year law student trying to balance graduating with starting my career, keeping up a relationship, and, oh yeah, planning an Old World, multi-cultural, "mountain lodge" wedding for 180 guests! A South Asian Jewish girl getting ready to marry my handsome Catholic Dane, I'm hoping to blend our cultures in our wedding just a bit more gently than by providing samosas as appetizers and offering æbleskiver for dessert. (Although that would also be awesome.)
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