Confusion of a Wedding Dress Shopper

J--Skip this entry if you are reading the blog!!

So, I attempted four times to find "the dress" this weekend. My first stop was Bridal Image on Sixth Street in San Francisco. My consultant was very nice and patient. I was really overwhelmed when my friend Sylvia and I walked in and had to pick four dresses I wanted to try on. The consultant suggested picking four styles that were different (the other places also suggested this). Since this was my first stop, I felt really unsure and indecisive, even though I have looked at styles that I thought would nice on me or that I liked in pictures. I liked one of the four dresses "enough" but it was $375 over my original price point of $500. This price point is slipping, by the way.

My second stop was the Glamour Closet in North Beach. They do not take appointments, but they also only have one dressing room so you have to wait. The wait would have been an hour and half had I liked anything in there to try on. Most of their dresses were 50% off but were still over $2,000. No, thanks. And they were big, fluffy things, had tons of beading, or both. Nothing was my style in there. Not that I have any idea of what my style is.

After a disappointing first day, I set out today determined to find it. It was raining most of the day. I don't know if that is a good sign or just added to my impatience with not finding what I was looking for in the price range I wanted.

Sylvia and I went to Forget Me Knots in Cow Hollow earlier in the afternoon. It is a small boutique, with a limited selection. But what they have is nice. I tried on several dresses, and even ventured into different styles (trumpet skirts are nixed--it felt funny to walk in it). I tried on one style that was a halter-ish top but then the consultant suggested one that was similiar but strapless. I liked it alot but it is $750, before tax and alterations. I would need to make a decision soon since they need to order the dress and then immediately I would need alterations started for an early September wedding. It has some beading around the top, but it is sort of tucked away and the front is ruched loosely. It has an internal corset which when it was tight it was very figure flattering. Now I just need to get over the price tag. I really like the ruching and that is a soft a-line cut.

Later in the afternoon I met up with another friend, Murli. We went to Davids Bridal, my default place because I know they have dresses for my price point. I don't know if it was because I just went to two boutiques but I wasn't particularly impressed with anything there. A few fit fine, but there was nothing close to what I had seen in the other places. It was like there was very simple or over the top. The last two dresses I did like. The last one I liked less, although it was probably closer to my vision when I started looking. It had a lot of beading, but it was fine on the bodice area. It had ruching under the beaded top area and beading down the side. It was traditional a-line and strapless. It wasn't bad but looking back it felt overdone.

The second to last dress is not the material I originally hoped for, but I like it better than the other dresses. It was more of a column fit, with a ruched waistline and beading above and below it. The waist was empire which I liked. And it was sort of pleated, but with flowy chiffon, in the front to hide the imperfections below the waist. The back was really nice though. I don't know after the corset dresses, I thought I would prefer something more structured. So those are what I've narrowed it down to. It's a Structure vs. Flowy debate now. I need to go and look at some more dresses I guess to find out it that is really my problem. Help!