I'm not good at good-byes ...

I thought I'd planned this perfect good-bye. I'd finish the wedding blog and bow out gracefully and finally. I'd planned most things well, why not my good-bye?

Except that I'm bad at good-byes. Really bad. So when Marie of London Bride and Wife in the City reminded me I forgot one very important thing I'd promised to do, I was not surprised. I forgot to tell you about my "other" dress!

So, as promised:

I decided I wanted a shorter dress, you know, for dancing. So, I started looking. I thought something just past knee length (I hate my knees for some odd reason, so would prefer not to show them off). Maybe a full-ish skirt. V-neck. As we were looking for MOB dresses, I kept my eyes open for anything that fit that description, but I didn't have my hopes up. I didn't want to spend a lot (I figured maybe $100 if the dress was perfect, otherwise much less). I didn't want it to be too fussy. I just wanted simple, not expensive. At one point when shopping for my mom's mother-of-the-bride dress, we found a cute ivory dress, v-neck, but it was just shorter than the knees. But it was about $15, on clearance for who-knows-what-reason. So I got it! Can't go wrong for $15.

Then I looked for a slip under it. It wasn't the best skirt, so I wanted it to be more full. I never found a slip, and wasn't sure if I should even change into it. But I packed it in my bride bag and figured I could change into it if I got hot dancing!

Well, after the first dance with Wade, then the father-daughter dance, I was sweating. So off I ran (and missed most of the mother-son dance) and got Cyd to help me change in a hurry. I was back in a flash showing off my dress! I also took that opportunity to put the fun feathered hair thing in my hair (possibly one of my favourite purchases!) and safely packed my mom's veil in my bridal bag.

















(Pictures courtesy of (left) a friend's facebook, and (right) Unveiled Photography)

However, I had a predicament after a couple hours of dancing. What good is a garter toss if you are wearing a short dress? So off I went and came back out wearing the original dress! It had cooled down (I think they turned the fans or a/c on), and I much preferred dancing away in my bridal gown for the rest of the night:













(Pictures courtesy of two friends' facebooks)



And so, Marie, I hope that answers your question!

"Good night, good night! Parting is such / sweet sorrow, / That I shall say good night till it be morrow." (Shakespeare)

Dress

Did you notice the dress in my profile picture isn't the same as the dress picture I posted? (You know the pic, the one where I running with my stolen lilac bouquet!)

I'll just let you mull that question over for now.

I'm having a meltdown ...

Not really. I'm not having any vendor issues, or worried that I forgot to do something. It's that I have zero ability to make a decision.

Okay, that's not true. I'm good at making decisions. And I'm even better at second guessing my decision. I am searching madly for a new wedding gown.

I had similar melt downs twice a year for about 6 years - once in December and once in April. Anyone who took university classes can guess why my melt downs were at those times of year. I decided to change my career every December and April. I fantasized about switching from my major (life science, which is a blend of anatomy, biology, genetics, pharmacology and other related medical/biological studies) to everything from chemical engineering to French studies to sociology.

How many times did I switch? Not once. I entered with an ssp (subject of specialization, which requires more courses than a major) in life science. I graduated with an ssp in life science, and threw in a minor in Spanish. You know, for fun.

I suspect my current meltdown is similar to my former exam meltdown. Will I change my dress? Of course not. But I'm having fun / stressing myself out looking at other dresses. Plus, I am moderately worried I won't be able to dance in my dress. It's not binding, nor is it heavy. But I don't normally dance in a floor length dress, so I'm worried about moving around in it.

Here are some dresses I'm looking at ... just for fun.




Note: I'm not actually having a meltdown. I'm just looking at other things.

Seamstress

I need to contact a seamstress. Not any seamstress. The seamstress who will alter my dress and modify my veil. There's a seamstress above the downtown Kingston bridal shop (from here on called "the bridal salon"), but rumour has it she's twice as expensive as a seamstress who works out of her home but does an amazing job. This elusive seamstress is recommended by the uptown bridal shop in town (from here on called "the other shop"). And I need to figure out who this lady is.

I need to get off my lazy bum, and call the other bridal shop, and ask who they recommend. I didn't buy my dress from them - actually, I didn't buy my dress from either spot, but we got the bridesmaids' dresses from the bridal salon.

When I was looking for the bridesmaid dress, I was at a local bridal show. I went up to the other bridal shop's booth. One lady asked when my wedding date is, she realized I must have my dress. I told her I was looking for bridesmaid dresses, and I felt like I was dropped as she pretty much turned away when she realized it wasn't a big money maker. So they left a sour taste in my mouth.

P.S. Tomorrow, I pick up the invitations from Cyd, blogger, Bella Figura employee and coordinator extraordinaire. Yay!

But you don't get to see them ... but you already knew that I'm not sharing the invitations on the blog.