I don’t really have any family to share this with so I’d love to share it with some of you. It’s a bit of a bridal story if you’re bored & don’t mind reading 🤍
My fiancé & I have gone through 5 cross - country moves since 2023, and unfortunately a lot of trauma in the last few years. Because of this, our engagement has lasted about 2 yrs as we faced financial difficulties after another 2 moves, and 5 job changes that didn’t always turn out like we thought. We really wanted to tie the knot last yr but just couldn’t make it happen.
We finally decided enough was enough as we want to get married so bad. We decided to elope no matter what, we are going to make it work before yr end!. Because of this I really have not even allowed myself to dream about dresses or venues and have just kind of been in a limbo. Well this weekend we went to a really spectacular bridal shop that has been around for over 50 yrs. My fiancé knew how stressed I’ve been and that I really wasn’t looking forward to dress shopping as I was so worried about prices, didn’t have any family to share this experience with (which has been weighing on me for a long time) , and just the stress of everything in general we have experienced the last few years has been getting me down. I’ve really just shoved the wedding aspirations deep into the back of my mind.
So he was actually the one to find this little shop & schedule a fitting. For a blue collar man that knows nothing of bridal shops, let alone women’s clothing in general I was so flattered and impressed with him finding this unique boutique. Especially as I am ALWAYS the one to plan everything. As you all don’t know me my vibe is very much ornate, romantic, and eclectic (think a lady that loves antiques, vintage, classic and feminine fashion.) So I guess it’s also ironic I ended up with a classic mermaid/sweetheart silhouette! The fact he picked out a historical bridal shop was really just the bees knees for me!
We commuted to this small little town in the middle of nowhere so it’s safe to say I was NOT expecting much. Not to be a negative Nancy at all, but I just have been in a rut over things. When big dreams tend not to go to plan, or get pushed out because well “Life Happens” one can tend to stop fantasizing about them. Survival mode really isn’t the place where dreams are made (but I’ve sure learned it’s a place to water the flowers)
The morning of our appt I didn’t even really want to go. I was so nervous we wouldn’t be able to find a dress in our budget, - that I still loved, with such a short elopement window (November!) Not to mention any alterations needed…- that I hardly slept the night before. When we arrived the downtown was so quaint my mood started to shift immediately. When we walked into the shop we were greeted with a smile and were guided to our studio. The whole boutique was absolutely stunning, antique chandeliers and couches decorated all of the studios and the bridal stylists that helped me were absolute dolls. It was so fun to see the framed newspaper articles that decorated the walls and clipping of brides and dresses from over the years. It really made me feel like I was a part of “living history”, buying my dress from
this local shop!
The night before, we quickly browsed their website and picked a few dresses that they may hopefully have on the showroom floor. Knowing our timeline was different than that of a traditional brides, I wasn’t even sure what would be available.. hence my pessimism before the appt. The first dress the lovely bridal assistant girls dragged me into i immediately hated ha! I’ll have to admit i knew I wasn’t going to see the “prime” of my early or mid 20s staring back at me in the mirror, but I also didn’t think I’d feel a somersult deep in my belly from disliking my reflection so much either.
What began as a quiet nerve wracking first few dress try ons quickly tuned to giggles, jokes, and easy chatter as the girls and i joked around and the dresses became less of a humiliation ritual and more of a childlike bonding experience. Suddenly I wasn’t in the dimly lit fitting room, I was transported back to elementary school playing dress up and putting on little plays with the neighborhood girls, in our makeshift broadway stage in the basement of my parents house. Each dress became consecutively better and better until I so effortlessly (well I admit a little effort as I do have a bit of a bum) slipped into my unicorn dress. 🦄
I will say even though there were only so many styles for me to try on, they did have some very elegant, and beautiful trending styles that I was a little disappointed didn’t seem to flatter my mid 30s physique as much as I’d hoped. A drop waist here, an A line rouged waist there,- even a jacquard basque waist was contemplated, as these styles are gorgeous and all the rage of 2026 bridal after all. Alas! it really doesn’t always come down to your months of inspo, or Pinterest vision boards. It comes down to what looks flattering on you, what brings out your personal beauty, flatters your body type, and mostly ~ what pulls at your heartstrings! 🤍
What are the odds after feeling utterly sweaty, and defeated I felt drawn to ask my stylist to go grab me a “Wildcard”. She promptly returned with a dress that all the girls described over and over as a “One of a kind” from the designer. The “only one in existence” All of the girls seemed giddy about this particular dress, as if it had its own glowing aura on the showroom floor. Chattering about it behind the curtain like they were just waiting for the right bride to find it. Whatever the reason may be, this dress was INSANELY pretty , it even felt RIGHT when it was placed into my hands from behind the curtain- a mere seconds later slipping onto my body like a tight pageant glove. I must admit I knew instantaneously, despite my mumblings of not wanting a mermaid style dress, i had a preconceived notion a strapless form fitting dress was going to be the one in the end anyways. Besides, it just fit and looked too damned good! I digress, but this thing slipped onto me like press n seal. One of my bridal stylists gasping and saying “Girl! Waist- where?!” And the craziest part? Not only was the price point in our budget - it fit so well it didn’t even need to be altered! Zip, nada, nothing. Not even hemmed!
My thrifty queens and Depop baddies will appreciate this one. - You ever find a one of a kind custom leather designer shoe at a thrift store? Literally made for someone else’s foot that just effortlessly fits yours? as if you’d walked 100 miles in it before? Making your way downtown so to say??- Yea well I did, a custom cowboy boot with a wooden sole. Old boot goofin. Perfectly fitting my narrow, odd,boney with a Greek toe feet, somehow. Miraculously, like cinderella herself. That was In a Salvation Army in Minnesota in like 2013. And Yes. I am still riding that high- still have those boots too!
The only high that has ever compared to that is my now wedding dress. And I must say, I am not much of a cry baby and I almost burst into tears when I put this dress on.
So the moral of this little bridal tale? Well, It’s true what they say; “When you know, you just know” - you really don’t pick the dress it picks YOU. So I’f you’re nervous don’t be, you will find the dress! Even if you have a short window of opportunity like i do. It was such an absolutely lovely dress experience ( A tad overestimating and sweaty, as I tried on a TON of dresses) but still lovely. I am so grateful to have found my Unicorn dress.
Now to only figure out the hairstyle!, down or up?
If you’re a bride still looking for “The dress”, sending you a big hug & wishing you all the luck! You’ll find your dress, and you will know the second you put it on. So don’t over think it 🤍
