Wedding Week: What's a Wedding Without Something to Wear?

Choosing what to wear to a wedding is hard enough then suddenly you are the bride and the pressure builds. As the bride, all eyes are on you. What do you wear? What kind of dress? Princess? Modern? Simple? What color? What shoes? How do you want your hair? What about makeup? There are so many decisions. And for the bride, these are huge decisions. These are the decisions that you will either love because you were comfortable and looking back at pictures you love how you looked, or you will wish you did something different and hate that you were so uncomfortable all evening. For me, the most important part was still being me. I don't often dress up fancy (well other than the Marine Corps Ball), so this was definitely outside the norm. So what was important to me, other than comfort, was staying true to me.

But let's not talk about me just yet. I want to start with Rob, and his attire. I'm sure some of you were disappointed to discover he was not going to wear his Dress Blues. Yes, I agree he would have looked amazing in his Dress Blues. Actually I know for a fact that he looks good in his uniform. But we didn't have a military wedding, but besides that he would not have been comfortable. We did have a little salute to the Marines with his cuff links. So they were incorpated in, just not the way so many of you wanted. In fact, so many of you made it clear that you weren't happy about our decision for the entire 10 months leading up to the wedding - over and over again. Talking about it later, I discovered no one was bugging Rob about it, just me. I guess you figured I would be the one to get him to change his mind. And maybe if I thought it was really important than he might have at least entertained the idea. But he was so much more comfortable in a tux. Plus I've seen him in his Dress Blues, I've never seen him in a tux.

As for the rest of the guys, they were just in tuxes with malibu (turquoise) vests and ties. It was simple enough. Sorry about the ugly pattern that looked like a handkerchief on the vests. There was nothing I could do about that, and unless you really looked it was hard to see.

As for the ladies, I really wanted them to be comfortable. I knew I wanted them to be in turquoise to match the groomsmen, and I got extremely lucky they had this new color, malibu, which was perfect. When I found this color it was from two racks away and it was the perfect color. We all got excited, then we were told that color was discontinued. It was a huge letdown. But another bridal consultant told us that was actually a new color. Did I mention the bridal consultant wasn't the best? Instead of finding my dress first and planning the bridesmaids' dresses from that, I actually found their dresses first. I didn't plan my dress around the ones I found for them, but it really all came together because they all were similar in style and complimented each other's very well.

As for my dress, I went into dress shopping with several ideas of what I wanted from what I found online. However, after giving all those to the consultant she informed me that they didn't have any in stock or not in my size. So instead she pulled some that she thought were close to my choices. Turns out, they were all too gaudy or sparkly or just too much. So we asked for simpler choices. And they were much closer to me.

I ultimately came down to two dresses. One was very simple that was pretty and really didn't have much going on with it. The other I hated on the hanger. I even made fun of it a little. Between the tulle and the jeweled broach I was sure I wasn't going to like it. And I bet you can't guess which I went with! Yup, it was the one I hated at first. Rob would tell you that that's the way I work - I say I don't like something then it turns out that it's exactly the thing I want. When I had it on, I felt like a bride. I felt beautiful. I just knew it was my dress.

As for my shoes, I wore slippers. I'm tall enough (and clumsy enough) I don't need any extra height or anything that might make me fall unnecessarily. Plus I was all about comfort. I decided not to go the traditional route and wear a veil. I didn't really feel like it was me. So instead I had a simple updo (I wanted my hair off my neck) and a white (fake) gerbera daisy in my hair. We had both my hair and makeup done professionally, which was a very fun experience.

Overall, everything turned out exactly like I wanted and everyone looked good. Shopping was fun. Getting all done was fun. But as much as I enjoyed the whole experience, I am so glad that it is one and done for me. I'm good never doing it for myself again. So here's my very limited, unprofessional advice to any brides going through all this now (or in the future - ever):

#1: Be conscious of the price tag. You're only going to wear it once.

#2: Even though you'll be choosing what your bridesmaids will be wearing. Asking their opinion and being aware of their body types are always a smart idea. You want them to be comfortable and look good. Long gone (or should be) are the days where you put your bridesmaids in ugly dresses, so you look more beautiful.

#3: Don't just decide for your groom what he's wearing. Get him involved and ask his opinion. He's the one wearing it after all. Most cases he doesn't care - well at least mine didn't - but some do and he should be comfortable too. And maybe he might even want to reflect some of his own style in what he wears.

#4: Be aware of what time of the year you're getting married and if you're outside vs. inside. This applies more to a groom because if it's an outdoor wedding in July - don't put him in a full tux. He'll pass out from the heat. That's just kinda mean.

#5: Be you. Yes, it's a special day and you might want to feel like a princess, but when you look back later you'll regret not being who you are on your wedding day.

Enjoy all of it. Enjoy every moment but remember that after it is all over, you are still you and you have a marriage not just a wedding.

Tomorrow is all about a few of my favorite things from the wedding. Make sure to check back in!