Final chapter: My dress search, a story in many parts

I did it, I got the dress.

Despite my post below, I actually wasn't very optimistic. The last Kleinfeld's sample sale was a bust. I tried on a few dresses, they were all too small, or ugly, or "wait, that's the sale price?". And also, while my mom hasn't been the world's most useful mother-of-the-bride (bless her but "every bride is beautiful" is just not helpful when shopping for a gown), the fact that she wasn't with us that time just made it unlikely I was going to get my dress. She might not have a strong opinion but I felt like I needed her thumbs-up on it.

I got there at 3pm, when doors opened, and both moms were waiting for me near the front of the line. We were number 56 and they were letting in 6 girls or so at a time. The line was very long behind us.

I chose 3 dresses to try on. The first was a Pnina. It's like I just couldn't give up on it. It was too small, and not nearly as *wow* as my original Pnina love.

The second dress was Aire, and it wasn't something I'd normally pick off the rack but I put it on, it fit perfectly, and I quite loved it. It felt very Caribbean. And it was cheap! Marked $1100 and 20% off! I mean, it's sick that that is considered cheap, but all you ladies who have bought wedding gowns feel me on this, I know you do, under a grand for a wedding gown, it's a bargain! This is not exactly it, but close, especially the skirt part:



So I'm thinking, wow, ok, I could totally do this dress. It's white, I really wanted ivory, but two months out of the wedding date and at this low, low price, whatevs! Should I even bother trying on the last dress? Eh, why not.

It's an Edgardo Bonilla. When my mom and the sales lady zipped it up, it was so obvious. This. Is. It. For those following along at home, I had no dress, no dress, no dress and then TWO dresses! But the Edgardo one was just more like the picture that had now formed in my head of what I would look like on my wedding day. The Aire one was definitely workable, but the Edgardo one was it.

I'm not going to post a photo, I actually don't have one of me in it because, duh, Kleinfeld's doesn't allow photographs and I can't find the image online anyway, but also because IC is adamant that he doesn't want to see it and I don't want to ruin the surprise for him. But I will say that it's ivory, and it's a classic, classic dress. Really beautiful and simple. There are some wild gowns over on Edgardo's site but this is not one of them. It's strapless but has like a beaded shrug attached to it. I'm going to make it detachable and wear the shrug under the chuppah and then just be strapless the rest of the night.

The major thing I'm feeling right now is WHEW. I just need some small alterations but no more bridal sales, no more running around. In total I visited about 15 bridal salons and tried on about 60 dresses. Our long national nightmare is over, I have found my gown.