So...
The wedding is still about 21 months out. But I'm a bit of an obsessive planner and have already figured that I'm probably not going to find my 'perfect dress' at a bridal store- especially considering the lack of any interesting, affordable designers down here (at least from what I've found/what I like). But, I thought that since this means I'll probably be designing the thing, I'd better figure out what looks good, and what I like. Which is difficult, because when it came to it, I didn't really like anything.
Nic and I went to a new bridal store today that also hires out the dresses, doing minor alterations, etc. My goal is to find/make/have made a dress under $800. It seems the average cost from a store in Australia is about $2k. So, ha, that isn't so hot. Not only that, but I'm of the simple-whimsical-flowy-chiffon-semi-vintage type thing and have just looked at so, so, so many dresses online that I feel like I've lost a sense of what I like. Plus I'm trying so hard to figure out what is going to be my 'style', but how can you possibly do that with a dress you'll wear for the big daaaaaaaayyy? I don't know- I can't see any of us wearing the dresses we buy as part of our 'style'. But anyway, at this store I probably tried on about 8 dresses. The two ladies there were very helpful and not pushy (hurrah), but ultimately probably got frustrated with me. Hell, I got frustrated with me.
But it came down to the fact that I felt awkward in them, I didn't feel like they were 'me', and that I was playing bride. So I have about a million photos of 'dresses I kinda like', so I think maybe I'll go through and make a list of common 'themes' and try and mash them together and see what I get. ;)
Meet cynical-Em, post dress trying on many dresses and becoming disenchanted.
The other issue was that Nic and I got caught up on 'figure flattery'. ie: this one looks good cos it hugs your figure down to below your hips! Which lends itself to a very particular type of dress, that is not semi-bohemian-summer-garden-party, and can't possibly be.
Plus I like colour. I want colour. But not all colour. Just a bit of colour. And, apart from the horrible fairy-floss pink dress I tried on in the store (ugh, vomit) there aint a lot of colour going on. I need to find a tea-length dress. They look fun. Tea length dresses in Melbourne? Don't know if they'll look any good but it couldn't hurt to try, right?
And then I start getting outlandish ideas like: How about a chiffon skirt with another one underneath it so like, I can take off the bottom layer and suddenly have a shorter dress?!!? And then I think that will look weird. Because hey, it probably would.
Anyway! Enough rambling. My point is, as I looked at myself in some (fairly) nice dresses (which, btw, still aren't my style, they just happened to be the 'best of a bad bunch') and thought: well, this is underwhelming. I am NOT a (stereotypical, anyway) bride. I said this to the shop ladies and I think they were confused.
PORN!
There we go. Took me a while to make this picture stay up the right way. Ignore the fuzzy feather things. We liked the ruching and obviously the top is a bit big. I didn't mind the skirt. It gave me, what I thought, was a good figure, though looking at the photo now I'm not so sure it's flattering after all. NEXT!!
Ok, crappy quality photo time. I was weirdly surprised that I liked this one. There was too much bling on the lace and the skirt was too pouffey and maybe it would be better with either 2 or no sleaves, but I liked this one the most. And it was on sale. But the skirt was too big. But I could get it adjusted and.... meeehhhh.. It's still too 'bride'. I'm like, girl-next-door right, so I'm picturing something I can kick-back by a campfire with without worrying about my 10kg of dress getting burned up. Anyway, NEXT!
Ooooo-k. I'm not looking so impressed. This was the last one I tried on. I liked the bodice, the skirt was too puffed out and there was a lotta bling going on (you just don't see the bling in the dress photos in the internet do you? All that beading?) And hey, I look like I have big hips. Wooooooo.
And there we go, ta-da! Much wonderful porn. The search continues. Next time: random vintage stores in the 'hip' part of Melbourne. I'ma go figure out what is on my 'list of aspects of dresses I keep saving' and see if I can come up with some stuff.
Today was also a day of venue hunting (and visiting my Nan). We saw many a winery, and liked one of them that would by muchos expensivo amigos (I don't really speak Spanish, I'm just pretending. Could you tell?) And when we were visiting my Nan (Dad's mother), I suddenly thought to tell her that we had considered using my Aunt C's property as a possible wedding venue. You should have seen her face light up! Aunt C and her partner A (and their 4 kids) have probably a couple of acres of land about 1.5 hours south east of Melbourne. They have a fruit orchard, a rhubarb plant, they built their own home out of mudbricks which they made themselves. They have 2 fat cows, a dam, and parts of tree trunks inside their house. It'd be a neat place to have a marquee and a ceremony amongst the fruit trees (MAYBE) but I don't know if it would work.
We're also waiting (still) to hear back from our highschool about having it there, since it's set on a huge piece of land with a 'bush chapel' which I can so imagine covered in blankets and the 'Party of Awesome' sitting up on the rocks.. I can't find a photo of the place I mean but it would be awesome.
This is what I sort of mean by blankets but mine would be from op-shops so probably all different colours 'n stuff, and they'd be on a hill that sort of makes an 'ampitheatre' looking down into another semi-circle made from rocks framed by bush and it would be so so so perfect. I can't remember where I found this picture, sorry.
And then we could have the reception in the school hall which was recently snazzed up. And there are like, goats and ducks and stuff on the property and plenty of trees and cool places for photos. And we MET there! Nic says he doesn't have so happy memories there but hey, whose highschool memories are?
Anyway. we shall see.
Also we joined a gym yesterday. O.O
BRING ON THE PAIN MO-FOs!!!!!!!
*hardcore flex*
Happy weekend everyone
(X-posted to offbeatbride, more or less)
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