Dress Stress: Start at David's Bridal

Edit (3/22/11): I noticed a lot of people come across this post in search of pics of DB dresses. I've got tons more if you're interested - just email me at yepfinleywedding (at) gmail (dot) com.

Sorry for the blog-post drought, but to reward your patience, I begin my dress adventure!

Back in high school, my first inspiration for a wedding dress was very lacy, dainty and had little sleeves. I documented this in an "OMG these are THE dresses for MY wedding!" e-mail I sent to my best pals on Jan. 25, 2002. (The links don't work anymore, but I remember it. I'm seriously wedding-insane.)

 (source via Google Images)

Today, I'm a very clean-lines, non-lace person. I want to look modern yet cheerful on our wedding day. But of course, I have no idea how that can translate into a gown. I have vague ideas about where I carry my weight and what looks good on my 5-foot frame, but in terms of silhouettes and fabric, I'm lost.

Enter David's Bridal, which touts that it stocks actual dresses (not just samples) of all their dresses in a range of sizes. They even have a special petites line for those 5'4" and under -- score! Mom's been in town for business, so I took that as a sign, rented a Zipcar and made an appointment!

Disclaimer: I don't know how Greg feels about seeing pics of me looking awesome in gowns, so I'll use links and unflattering photos for now. :)

I'd taken a look at the site and picked out some fit-and-flare/trumpet dresses. They weren't your usual princess-y look and could make me appear taller. One brought my mom to tears, while another looked like I was a big pile of whipped cream:

The shape is awesome from the front, but looked weird from the side. And the "devil horns" at the top? Ugh! But strapless is nice. (personal photo)

I then tried two dresses with straps, the first romantic and the other minimalistic, but those didn't look right either. Plus, I always have trouble with straps being too long. Too much trouble.

Didn't like the lace or keyhole back, but love the sweetheart neckline. (personal photo)

Gotta love that face ... Next! (personal photo)

I tried on eight dresses during our 1.5-hour excursion, with my mom almost breaking out the waterworks again when my consultant, Ashley, put me back in my favorite dress, made me close my eyes, slapped a veil on me and spouted sappy made-for-TV-movie lines. Does that really work on anyone?

Overall, my trip to David's was a great one because I got to try out so many different styles and have a much better idea of what I like. All of David's dresses are within my budget, but I didn't buy my favorite. I did get "the feeling" when I put it on, but I wasn't ready to commit. Plus, I never turn down more shopping!

Any tips on my wedding dress hunt? See any others on the David's site you think I should try out?

A 'Twilight' inspired wedding

After a hellish week at work, tonight I rewarded myself by watching "New Moon," the latest movie in the "Twilight" series.* Instead of angsty details, I'll show you a grownup way to give a nod to the romantic saga.

One of my favorite wedding blogs, Style Me Pretty, gave readers a Valentine's treat last month, posting a "Twilight"-inspired photo shoot, which included the picture below as a play on the first book's cover.

How cool is that as a placecard?! (source)

The original post features many more photos of the ethereal, woodsy decor and a detailed explanation from the event planners. I like how all the vendors took key features of the series (the woods, the fancy script handwriting, the apple, etc.) and made them fit together for an event in a pretty yet practical way. Who knew you could carve an apple into a votive holder? (And I would totally nab one of the Team Edward pins!)

And yes, the teen vampire series has even more of a presence in the wedding world: Last year, a Weddingbee blogger wrote a post about sketches InStyle sought from world-famous dress designers on a certain someone's wedding dress!

Oh, if only Robert Pattinson could attend our wedding ... I kid! :)

* Yes, I have read all the books after stalking them at the library. Yes, I raced through them like they were "Harry Potter" material and thoroughly enjoyed them ("New Moon," not so much). And yes, I understand that to some, this makes me a bit of a loser. But I don't care. :P