The Joy of Gown Shopping

I've confessed that I lack the bride gene. I have not found the joy and excitment that most brides have experienced during the wedding planning process. Everything seemed like a chore. Add to it that (I feel) I care more about the details than my fiance. I have another explanation to add to the reason why I feel this way - gown shopping.

I did not enjoy gown shopping. I don't like stripping infront of a stranger. I don't like the service or attitude at most bridal salons (even at Kleinfeld's). Most of all, I don't like that the gowns you try on are so large that you can't even tell if a gown would actually look good on you (btw, I am not a stick; I have meat on my bones). It's hard to imagine what you'll look like on your wedding day - the shape and length of the gown have a lot to do with it. So forget about the fantasy bridal gown ads sell. This is reality.

Above image from The Knot (note: this is NOT my gown)

Because sample gowns usually run in larger sizes, the shape of a gown is usually created by pinching the fabric closely to your body and clipping huge binder clips on the back of the gown. I look many times towards my behind and can't even see it! When I try on jeans, I like to see how they make my behind look - do they enhance it, flatten it, or are they just right. Same thing for the chest area. It's even worse when there's beading on the bodice - I gotta figure that the larger the surface area, the more beading; all that bling just made me dizzy.

As for the length - I find it funny that after they put the sample gown on me, I have to constantly kick the bottom of the skirt just so I can walk properly because it's soooo long. You don't even know how long a train really is supposed to be either in a gown your size because everything is simply dragging. Add to it that you don't even know the actual volume of the skirt because bigger size translates to more material.

Such was the *joy* I felt during my gown shopping experience. I'm glad I picked a gown, but I have not stopped second guessing my decision...will it make my behind look big? does it have the right volume I want? Sigh.