The Search for the Perfect Wedding Dress Begins

About a week after getting engaged, Mom and I decided it was time to shop for the perfect wedding dress.  We started one Saturday at Brides of France on 50th and France in Edina. While the shop wasn't exactly what I had envisioned as the full bridal experience (it was more boutiquey and smaller than I'd expected), we had a great time. This particular shop only carried two designers and the prices were no less than $2000 each. Much like looking at engagement rings, I quickly discovered that I liked a certain style that I was less attracted to in the magazines. I must have tried on 10 dresses, but the ones I liked best were strapless, sweetheart cut, fitted dresses with a bit of rouching and some flare at the bottom. While I loved a couple of the dresses that day, I knew I wanted to keep shopping.

We made an appointment at the Wedding Shoppe and Bridal Accents Couture (in Burnsville) for the next week.

Our time at the Wedding Shoppe was great! Danielle was incredibly helpful and the prices of the wedding dresses were very reasonable. There was one dress that stood out from the rest -- another one similar to the style mentioned above with a little more flare and bling than the others. And the price was right. I was very close to buying it that night (you get 10% off if you buy it your first time at the Wedding Shoppe), but wanted a couple more people's opinions so we set up another appointment for the next week and we headed home.

The next night I met Julie at the bridal shop in Burnsville. Wow!! Talk about your quintessential bridal dress shopping experience. The store was huge, we were the only two people there, the carpet was plush, they gave us slippers to wear, the fitting rooms were big and there were fluffy robes. What more could you ask for??

I tried on many more dresses -- some that were big and poofy, others that were fitted and one that was lacy. But there was one that quickly rose above all the rest. This could be the one. I kept it on longer than the rest. And I felt more beautiful and comfortable than in any of the others. But I had to be sure. So I tried on more. We narrowed it down to three dresses. The second place dress was almost as great as the one I fell in love with, but when I put on my favorite .... there was no question. This was the one.

I bought my wedding dress!!

Can't wait to put it on again,
Jill