The Dress

The day I actually bought "The Dress"

After trying on more dresses than I could count, I finally decided on one!  I was pretty sure that it was "the one" the first time I put it on, but the downside of planning your wedding 17 months in advance is that you feel like you have enough time to try on every dress in town... which I think I did!  I kept coming back to this one though, and I probably went back and tried it on 5 times before I was certain nothing out there could top it.  So, I paid for it and then waited the long 4 months before it came in.  Finally, I got the call that the dress had arrived in the store, and I could come in and try it on now that it was in my size.  I was so excited!  This would give me such a better idea of exactly how it will look after alterations instead of the sample in the store that swallowed me. 



So, once again, I dragged the whole family up there to watch me try it on.  Good thing I had my support system with me, because things didn't go exactly as expected!  I put the dress on and then peeked out the door to tell the consultant to come zip me up.  She was no where in sight, so Loren came in to help.  She quickly pulls the zipper up and then slowly comes to a stop mid-back.  "Ok, suck in." she said.  Oh, no!  I suck in.  "Uhh, it's not going any further..." she mutters.  What?!  I suck in again.  "Try it again", I tell her.  Nope.  Not gonna work.  She's got the zipper up as far as she can.  The boning in the dress is digging into me from every angle.  I can only take small, short breaths, and I'm sure I'm about to pass out.  My mind is reeling, and I'm realizing that unless I have a couple of ribs surgically removed, this dress isn't going to fit!  Finally, the sales consultant comes around the corner.  I show her our slight problem and she calmly says, "Don't worry, we can take it out 1/2 an inch."  1/2 an inch?!  Is that enough to allow me to breathe?  The panic attack is well underway by this point.  I look at Loren and slowly say, "Get - this thing - off of me!" 

Not exactly how I had planned this day in my head, but it wasn't anything a margarita didn't cure!  Luckily, Uncle Julio's is right next door, and that was our next stop! 

A few days later I went back in with Lindsay to meet with the lady that will be doing the alterations.  Going in this time, I was already mentally prepared that the dress wasn't going to fit.  I just need to see exactly how much could be taken out of the dress, or see if we need to order the next size up...which would take another 4 months to get in.  She assured me that she could let out at least 1/2 an inch on each side and that I would be able to exhale on my wedding day.  That's all I needed to hear!  They don't start dress alterations until 3-6 weeks before the wedding.  Sounds scary waiting that long, but I'm trusting the experts!