THE Wedding Dress

I can’t talk about other dresses until I talk about THE dress – my wedding dress!

My hubby and I got engaged in February 2010 and decided to get married in September 2011. As soon as we nailed down the date and venue, I was so excited to go dress shopping with my girls!!!

I had a pretty good idea of what I was looking for. I wanted my gown to be soft and dreamy with vintage details. I tried various styles of dresses just to be sure I wasn’t leaving anything out, but I was focused on finding something that satisfied the following criteria:

• Lace. I’m really in to the texture and romance of lace – and yes this was before Kate Middleton revealed her McQueen
• Straps. I have nothing against strapless dresses, but everyone wears them and I wanted something different
• Mermaid. I love the way this style flatters curves – it’s the ultimate feminine silhouette
• Budget. I was working within a modest budget (less than $2000), so I didn’t tempt myself with couture gowns – I knew the embellishments that I was willing to splurge on and I wasn’t about to pay for the label

I visited one of the big box budget friendly bridal stores, but I finally got the experience I was looking for at a small boutique in Bloor West Village called Jealous Bridesmaids. The owner Charmaine is absolutely wonderful and the ladies on her staff are knowledgeable and attentive. I explained what I was looking for and my bridal consultant Carolyn pulled dresses that really painted the picture.

I had my first major bridal moment standing on the podium, surrounded by my friends wearing the Cincinnati gown from the Blue by Enzoani line. As soon as I saw it on the hanger and touched the organza and lace I knew it was the top contender, but I when I looked at myself in the mirror and saw the expressions on my friends faces, I knew it was The ONE.

It’s a modified mermaid dress (called a fit and flare) with a V-neckline over a sweetheart bodice with illusion straps. It also features lace embroidery, layers upon layers of sheer ivory organza and a semi-cathedral train. This dress met my criteria, but blew away my expectations! I couldn’t believe I was getting something so perfect – such gorgeous extravagance – all within my budget. Amazing!

I felt like a princess on my big day and the dress got tons of compliments. My photographer even named it her favourite dress of the year – how lovely! I have many more wedding stories to share and vendors to talk about, so stay tuned for more! For now…check out my dress gallery…

Photo credit: The wonderful and talented Leanna from Lee Weston Photography. Check out her fun blog too!