The dress (I hope!)
This is the dress I love love love. It's Priscilla of Boston Fall 08 Style 4200. Unfortunately it is $4,995. I tried it on, and I have to say, I think I looked better in it than this model! : ) My mom is actually a dressmaker by profession, so she is going to make me something very similar to this. The last time she made me a dress was like for my junior prom, but I remember those dresses she made back then were just as good as what you can get at a store. It will be wonderful too to have - it will be a family heirloom for me, so I'm so excited! And she said that while she is making it, she will be thinking about James and me and praying for a very happy marriage - so sweet!
Here's the link to the dress. I really like the Priscilla of Boston website - you can see most of the dresses as the model walks the runway, and you can zoom up really close to see the details (which are ever so pretty!): http://tinyurl.com/6sateu
Another option.
I tried this on at the store (It's Reverie Prague by Melissa Sweet), and let's just say the size 8 sample size was a little small for me. But it sort of worked to my benefit, because the loose fabric in the stomach area of the picture was no longer loose, and a dress that I thought from the picture was so-so was much nicer on (because it looked like a different silhourette). Other benefits: it would also be much easier for my mom to make (she wants to make this one), the rose at the chest is really pretty, and it's probably more suited to the kind of casual beach wedding I'm having. But the heart wants what it wants!
This dress on their site: http://tinyurl.com/67py7v
Another one I love!
I always seem to like Melissa Sweet/POB dresses! This one is from the Spring 09 collection. I don't think I can ask my mom to do beading or lace that is as specific as this dress, but it sure is pretty!
The dress so far!
So as you can see, the top boob area (why can't I think of a more elegant way to put that?) is a little too long, at least in my taste. I put pins at the top (sort of tiny, but you should be able to see), about an inch down where I want my mom to shorten the length of this part. The bodice area was also a bit loose (certainly not from me losing any weight though!), so you can see where it was pinned to be taken in. The bottom ruffles were not completely done yet. I'm wearing that waist cincher, but dang it, my belly still sticks out! And this is with me holding my breath, trying to suck it all in!
The luau dress.
Okay, so maybe this is a bit much, but I want to enjoy being a bride for as long as possible. This is a Jim Hjelm bridemaid dress that I want to get in white, and wear to the luau, one of the weekend activities. When I tried it on in this color, I absolutely loved it. It recently came in, and I'm sort of regretting my purchase. It doesn't look as nice on me in white. And I feel so huge, because even though I ordered it in 14, it still doesn't fit. But it will, darn it! I've been exercising like crazy these days.
MOH and groomswoman dress
I liked this Val Stafani dress, but it seems it's been discontinued.
I've finally picked the silk chiffon Sophia dress from J. Crew, in bright aquamarine. I got it on sale for $72.
This is the J. Crew silk chiffon Sophia dress. It's flattering on both girls, so that's all I care about.
This is the color - I think it looks nicer on the girls.
shoes, shoes, shoes...
I'm considering wearing these j.crew flip flops during the beach ceremony.
more formal options
Some of the higher heel shoes I am considering. I want to dye them a teal or turquoise color. So many to choose from, I am having a hard time deciding.
Dyeables Daisy
Dyeables Erica
Dyeables Loveme Tender
Colorful Creations Shine
rsvp Nedine
Guess Nisadora
David's Bridal
I love these shoes! The color, the design, everything. But they didn't feel right for the occasion somehow, and I don't think my feet would look nice in them.
oh how i love shoes...
Or these Pop Its flip flops, just regular flip flops, but they have a little thingy on which you can pop in a little jeweled design like the one below. You can get them at popits.com.
I also like this idea for the ceremony posted by SoontobeMrsNaylor.
Payless Shoe Source - these are dyeable when you order them at the store; it doesn't seem you can order them online.
rsvp Hart
Colorful Creations Karla
Caparros Adriana in Magenta and Amethyst. I love the colors, but I'm waiting to see if the ivory will be available in my size, and hopefully I can dye them the turquoise/teal I want.
I ordered this beautiful shoe from Nordstrom's after Future.Mrs.H posted it on the DW board. I really liked it, especially the bow that just happened to be the same color as the bridemaid dresses, but something about the pump part was not as feminine as I would have liked. I wanted to be able to wear them with cute anthropologie-style clothes, but something about them didn't work.
<-- these are from endless.com, so cute, but too expensive, and I think I'll just wear flip-flops when I need to wear flats.
The final decision... Colorful Creations Shine with a little DIY
I finally ordered Colorful Creations Shine from shoebuy.com for a really great deal. I think they would also go well for a night on the town with some nice dark bootcut jeans. Before they were dyed:
The final result! I got these blue cloth flowers at Soolip Paperie & Press in L.A., and added them to the front of the shoe. They have wires on the back of the flower, so I can just wrap it on. I'm a little ambivalent though - doesn't the flower look too big?
The satin is a little shinier than I would like, but maybe it will photograph better in outside light. I'm overall very happy with them - I think they will go really well with the dress.
I hate the way they look from the front though. Sorry for the fuzzy pic - I think it's because I was taking a picture of the mirror.
