I’m so happy and giddy to say that I bought my wedding dress already!
As you may have read in my thoughts on wedding planning published earlier this year, I’ve been looking for something not too traditional. Wearing white is beautiful at a wedding, but I wanted something a bit informal, quirky and coloured. So I started looking at bridesmaids dresses and evening gowns, but everything felt not formal enough. I really wanted a statement dress, something that even though it’s not a typical wedding dress, it would feel unique. When she read that post, a friend from back home got in touch to tell me about this one shop in Montreal.
I wasn’t too keen on a Canadian shop. We’re getting married in Scotland first, so I don’t want to have to haul that dress across the oceans multiple times. But nevertheless I looked at their online shop to see if anything caught my eye. One did! I showed my friend and she agreed it was amazing! Since we were heading to Canada a few months later, I thought that I could go try it on for fun.
Before trying it on, I went to two traditional bridal shops, one in Edinburgh and one in Montreal. At both places, I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of choice (though almost nothing outside of white). In the end both experiences were nice. I LOVED trying dresses on. The funny thing was that at both shops my favourite dress was from the same company. And that wasn’t even looking for the brand. It just happened. I felt beautiful in both and I still kind of wished I could have bought both those dresses. But there was always hesitation in my mind. Colour wise, shape wise and price wise. It didn’t feel right.
Finally, I ended up going to that boutique my friend mentioned. I found THE dress and tried it. It zipped perfectly and looked majestic. I felt elegant but also funky. A young girl in the shop asked me what kind of occasion I was going to to wear something so amazing, to which I said ‘my wedding’ and her and her friend oohed and aahed. (Which made me feel good). I didn’t feel comfortable buying it then and there, so I left empty handed. I thought if I’m back at Christmas and it’s still there I’ll buy it. Of couse I was back in Canada a week later for my uncle’s funeral. I was home in Montreal for less than 6 days but we found time to go. One afternoon, my mom, her best friend (aka my second mom) and myself headed downtown to try the dress on again.
I slipped it on and my mom helped me zip it up and I knew it was it. When I got out of the changing room, my mom said I was glowing and couldn’t stop smiling. I stood in front of the mirror twirling and looking at every angle of the dress, a big smile plastered on my face. Both my mom and her friend agreed it was magnificent. So I bought it!
With a bit less than one year before my wedding at that point, I was worried it was too early. However if I was to purchase a ‘real’ wedding dress I had been told I needed to order by June/July to get it for the May wedding. Oh well not that early then. I came home to Scotland a few days later, dragging this massive pink pouch of a wedding dress with me. It’s currently hanging on our bedroom door. I’m doing my absolute best not to try it on every day and show the Brit.
My only fear now is that I’ll stop liking it in the next 11 months, but I hope not! It’s so wonderful and I love the way I feel in it. Unique, funky, lovely, gorgeous, happy!
Do you want to/ Did you wear something traditional or a bit outside of the box to your wedding?xx
