Wednesday, January 20, 2010

I Cheated!

On my dress...

So as you may recall in a previous post, I have already bought my dress. I found a great deal on it and thought I was happy with it. I am not one of those girls who ever felt like I had found "the one". I was never teary or emotional when trying on dresses, just felt very very happy with some of them. 

During the alterations process I started to have doubts. Lots of them. I found that I would spend several times a day lost in thought about the dress. Even Mr. Milk was getting fed up of me staring into space thinking about what I should do. I kept comparing it to the very first Pronovias dress I had tried on in the summer and whether I had really preferred that one to the one I had bought. I created strategies in my head of where I would sell the dress if I decided that I no longer wanted it, and where I would look for a new dress. 



I think what it came down to was that I was not happy with the lady doing the alterations. The dress started off being 2 dress sizes too big for me and at the second fitting we couldn't get the zip to go up all the way! So I thought ok, that can be changed, no big deal, it can be fixed. Fitting number three comes along and although the zipper closes now, I have more back cleavage than regular cleavage! So at this point I'm like "what the heck lady!" I would go back weekly leaving disappointed and no where near as happy as I had been when I'd bought the dress. I ended up having SIX fittings in total! And finally on the last fitting the feeling of disappointment had left, but I was still uncertain.

I decided that I would make an appointment at the Pronovias store in Cyprus and see if I could try both dresses on there. I got my mom to call, check if they had both dresses - which they did, and book an appointment. Four days after we arrived, she and I went to the dress store. I tried both dresses on a couple of times each, and we both thought that I should keep my dress! Thankfully! I guess what I really needed was mom's ok! Purchasing a dress without family and friends to offer advice and opinions had me second guessing my decision.  But thankfully all is good, I am keeping my dress, and it is waiting to be picked up from the bridal store when I am ready to take it with me! 

Did you have any doubts after you had purchased your dress?

24 fabulous blogger's comments:

Discovery Street said...

Once I bought my dress I promised myself that I would stop looking at articles, magazines or anything related to wedding dresses because I didn't want to go through second guessing my decision. I had a wonderful seamstress and she kept telling me what I great choice I made...so that helped too :)

Heather said...

I’m glad you decided that you made the right choice! I can definitely relate to how you felt, though. The funny thing with me is that when I try my dress on and see myself in it, I truly love it! But when I see pictures of myself in the dress, I’m not as impressed. I think part of the problem is that my dress is just now being altered for the first time, so the pictures I have now show the dress too long on me, with the top not fitted right, etc. I’m hoping to get some much better shots when I go back the second time in March. But I keep seeing dresses in magazines and thinking, “What if…” Especially since I did not try on a ton of gowns before buying mine.

Amanda said...

Well you know me...I did change my mind!! You need to be 100% happy with your decision...and if that means a new dress, then more power to you!! Can't wait to see it!

Em said...

You know, I think we've all been there. Just a few weeks ago I saw a dress in the window of a shop and I was dangerously close to trying it on. I restrained, though, and I'm glad I did. I'm glad you were able to calm your fears about your dress. You're a beautiful girl and you're gonna look amazing on your wedding day!

Kim said...

I didn't really have "the one" feeling either. The sample of my gown that I tried on was too small, so it didn't zip up at all! I took a risk and ordered it in my size anyway. I am just trusting my ability to know the style that flatters me, which I found in my dress. Fingers crossed that it looks good on me when it comes in my size in March!

I'm glad you got your mom's approval! It really does help.

Melissa Papaj Photography said...

Stopping by from SITS!

I didn't have any doubts when I bought my dress...I knew it was the right one for me, but fortunately I didn't have to have any alterations done.

Best of luck with your dress. Just remeber that through all of your stress during this to enjoy it...enjoy the small moments because you can't ever get them back. I have so many moments while planning my wedding that I wish I would have just taken the time to take them in and remember them. Planning a wedding is so stressful but so fun too! Glad I found your blog!

Anonymous said...

Once I bought my dress, I told myself I wouldn't walk into another bridal store, wouldn't look at dresses online, nothing. I love my dress, and I don't want to see another and have any regrets. LOL. So far it has worked for the past 6 months! Good luck! You will figure it all out!

Born to be Mrs. Beever said...

You know I have had doubts for sure! Funny thing is, it was the first fitting (and my seamstress) that made me fall back in love with it...not the other way around. I am sorry that you had so many problems with so many fittings. What a bummer! Thankfully, there's not much we are doing to alter my dress...it fits almost perfectly in the size I ordered. We aren't even hemming it much...just a bit on the sides to even out the front. And then obviously adding the bustles. I think that is why I wanted a corset dress, so that I wouldn't have to worry about that part of the 'fitting.' I am glad you kept your dress and think it will be beautiful on the day of when you are all done up and with your shoes, jewlery, etc. You loved it for a reason, just make that lady get it right finally!

Katie said...

glad your dress was THE ONE in the end :)

I couldn't imagine buying one without family and friends so at least you got her approval :)

Mireya said...

I did have doubts - mostly because I was in love with my dress...and about 4 others!!

But in the end, you have to trust that you will look absolutely stunning on your wedding day :)

Spare Thoughts said...

Currently going through dress angst - has resulted in several sleepless nights. Hoping that when I get myself together I'll realise like you that I've made the right decision.

Tana said...

I wore my sisters dress. How depressing is that? Make sure your happy with the end result, that's all that matters.

Simply Colette said...

Aww you poor thing. 6 fittings! That's not cheap. I'm glad it's working out for you. :)

Kristy said...

i have had so many doubts! so much so that i find myself looking at oncewed and other gown resellers to see if i find anything i might like better that wont break the bank - luckily - any other dress i see that i might consider, i like becasue it looks like MY dress that i already have - so maybe im just reassuring myself in a torturous way. i have yet to begin alterations and hope that any hesitations i may have are dissolved once it's the perfect fit. thanks for sharing your story - it's nice to know i'm not the only one and to know there are so many others out there going through the same process!

Salt said...

What the heck is up with your seamstress? Yikes! That's enough to make anyone feel wary about the situation. I'm glad you got it all figured out though. :)

I dress shopped alone also so I totally understand what you mean. It would have been nice to have another pair of eyes there to give me an opinion instead of the dress shop employee who of course is going to tell me whatever in the hopes of a sale. I purchased my dress when my mother was in town visiting and it was so important that I had that final opinion! I haven't second guessed at all. Oh and I wasn't emotional about it either! So I guess a dress can be "the one" without any waterworks involved. :)

Kristin said...

I know exactly how you feel! I bought my wedding dress online, sight unseen! (Gasp! I know!) When it came in, I immediately loved it. And then as time wore on, I became a little more and more iffy. I never had that "The One" moment, and I thought that I may be missing out on it. And I, too, even cheated on my dress a time or two because I have to admit that after I bought it, I found myself scouring wedding magazines and online boutiques to see if there was something that was a little more "me." At the end of the day, though, I put my dress on again and decided that it was the one! :)

Katie said...

Thanks for your comments, Chocolate Lover! I totally appreciated your insight and I think we might be kindred spirits of sorts! lol I enjoy your blog as well and I think my philosophy is similar, too.

As for the dress, yes. That did make it to the blogs, lol. Felt like I got bullied into my dress by my mom and grandmother, but I do love it and honestly, I didn't have the energy to search down the 'perfect' dress. I gave up perfection early in the process and have been much happier ever since!

It's been fun following you and I'm looking forward to comparing stories post-wedding, too! :)

Morgan said...

Wow, can't believe it took that many fittings to get it right! But so happy for you that it all worked out in the end! :)

Mrs T said...

So glad you tried it on again with your Mum and still liked YOUR dress. Good news.

Alterations give me the shits. When in real life do you buy a dress and need to get it altered? I swear they make wedding dresses all weird so they can charge you more for alterations. Not cool.

I second guessed my dress about a million times culminating in the day before when I still wasn't sure but it was too late to do anything about it. It's a nice dress and it looked good on the day.

I think everyone has doubts. It's probably the most expensive piece of clothing you will ever own. Of course you question the decision!

Unpredictable Mom said...

I did and thats why I now have 2 dresses!! I thought I found "the" dress at least 5 times excited about all of them. I buy one and a few days later I find another that made my MOH cry..now I am hacking and altering the 2nd dress to make it exactly the way I want it. I guess in the end it is worth it, I will have exactly what I want!!

Cyn said...

I cheated too and I LOVE my new dress, and I'm presently trying to sell my first one. I don't regret my decision cuz I didn't spend that much on my first dress.

Unknown said...

I bought two dresses and waited a few days. Then I decided on the one I wanted and took the other one back. I got a white evening gown from Nordstrom's. It was so easy to return.

Thanks for stopping by.

Ms. Chouette said...

I haven't cheated yet since I just bought it but I already second thoughts so I understand you. I am kind of glad I waited till now, or I would've had buyer remorse, a wedding dress collection in my closet, and no money left for other aspects of the wedding!

chelsea said...

trust me, I know what you're going through! It's hard to ever feel like you have "the ONE" allll the time in what seems like a sea of beautiful dresses!