I actually dreaded dress shopping. I don’t really enjoy shopping in general, but wedding dress shopping just intimidated me so much. I get overwhelmed in stores and I get frustrated if I don’t find what I want–so I just knew wedding dress shopping would be the worst…but I was so wrong! I had such a great experience and it was completely unplanned.
The Sunday after Black Friday 2019, Ladies of Lineage in Kingsley in Fort Mill, SC, had a big sale to get rid of their sample dresses. The dresses were priced at $500, $1000 or $1500. I thought this would be perfect–low expectations, no pressure to buy and it would be a great deal if I found my perfect dress. I talked my sister into going with me–she drove an hour to meet me at 9:00 am for the Early Bird entry, she’s the best supporter!
I went in with low expectations so I wouldn’t be disappointed if I didn’t find the one. I had always pictured myself in a big tulle dress with some fun details on top, so that’s what I tried on first. I actually didn’t like the way it looked on me and decided that wasn’t the style I wanted for my wedding day. We tried a few different styles and I didn’t really love anything. There was one dress I kept looking at but always skipped it because it wasn’t anything like what I was envisioning in my head. My sister convinced me to try it on and I fell in love. It was flattering in every aspect, so lightweight and comfortable, and so gorgeous. I felt like I should try more on but never hung it back on the shelf–I just carried it around with me. After a few more dresses, I decided to put it on again and see what it felt like. That’s when I knew it was the one! I didn’t want to take it off. I walked around the store in this dress while I looked at different veils and accessories for about an hour. I finally had to take it off and I knew I never wanted to part with this dress, so I bought it! I found a veil, that was also NOTHING like I have ever pictured on myself but when I put it on I knew I needed it. The veil and dress go together so perfectly and I am beyond excited to wear them again on my wedding day!
My advice for brides that are looking for the perfect wedding dress is to drop all of your expectations and go in completely open-minded. That will take the stress and pressure off of finding your dress, and you might surprise yourself with what you end up picking! Have fun with the process and really enjoy your experience. Make sure you take the friends and family with you that won’t put pressure on you and will support you, it makes all the difference!
Brittni