Apparently I Need a Million Dresses

It's amazing how many new outfits we need for wedding events. I put all my energy into finding the perfect  wedding dress (success!) only to forget that I need dresses for my engagement pictures, engagement party, bachelorette, bridal shower, and rehearsal dinner. In real life I'm a serial outfit repeater but the same people are at all these super-photographed events, so I must shed my repetitive ways and drag my butt shopping.


Finding outfits is made harder by the fact that I've been to basically zero bridal showers and rehearsal dinners, so I have no idea what's appropriate. My mother also insists on making my shower a surprise, and the only outfit guidance I've gotten is "You better wear heels" and "Consider leopard."


Right now, I'm planning to wear this dress from Express for my shower:

In all honesty I don't LOVE it, the material is only of mediocre quality, but I'm pretty sure the shower is fast approaching and I really haven't found anything else. I do plan to accessorize it better- a neater black cardigan, giant pearl necklace, giant pearl bracelet- so hopefully that'll help.


What I did really love was this, but cannot justify spending $400 on a dress. Also it's not leopard:

Kate Spade Bailey dress from Bloomingdale's

For the rehearsal dinner, I bought this pretty dress on a major sale in J.Crew. I'm not totally sold on it either though. 

J.Crew Marla dress

I had wanted a more retro silhouette:

Alice and Olivia Marie Dress, Bloomingdale's.com

Or something just more sparkly/bright/fun:

Badgley Mischka Orion shift, Halston confetti dot dress, Theia fuschia party palm dress- pics from Rent the Runway

These are all from Rent the Runway, I can't afford to actually buy any of these. I have never used the site before but am definitely considering experimenting with it for one of these events.

Such as my bachelorette. I love the Herve Leger bandage dresses, they scream bachelorette to me. I would DEFINITELY never buy or rewear one, so a rental option is a great idea for that. I love this new spring shade:

Herve Leger from Shopbop.com

 The only thing I'm set with? My morning after brunch dress, which will definitely be repeated during my honeymoon:

 Lilly Pulitzer Bloomy Dress

I have wanted a Lilly dress forever and finally found one that fits. It's a little pricey, but I think Lilly is classic- those fun patterns and prints are in style every summer.


What are you guys wearing for all the events surrounding your wedding? Send some inspiration my way!

Bridesmaids' Dresses

BM Kelly surprised me this past Saturday by being the first bridesmaid to go try on her dress. I didn't even know she was going, so I was very excited when I randomly received a text message picture of her in the dress!

If you recall, I was a little nervous about the dresses. I had only seen my chosen champagne shade on a small swatch, and I was nervous that in an entire dress, it might be super close to white. Well, I am very happy I went with my gut and original design inspiration, because they look GREAT:

On BM Kelly (Personal Pic)

 Dress is Alvina Valenta 9866, not yet altered.

Admittedly, the photo's color is a little off, but I think we can all tell this doesn't look white. I love how the light shade really allows you to see the detail in the neckline, and I love the fitted look. I can't wait to see the finished product when it's actually altered, and to see the color in person, not just a yellowed out iPhone shot. I'm thinking when we're all together, we'll look something like this:

Source

We have similar color dresses, a similar junior bridesmaid dress, and very similar flowers planned. I love having this picture as a "preview" of my ideas. 

It's so excited to start seeing everything coming together!

Tuxzilla

I have to admit something. The entire tux shopping experience has been a very Bridezilla one for me.


It started with actually getting the time to go and try on some tuxes. Mr. B's schedule is extremely hectic; he works close to 70 hours each week. So it goes without saying he doesn't have a ton of free time, but I kept reminding him that tuxes needed to get done.


And reminding him.


And reminding him.


I started to get really frustrated because I just wanted to check it off the to do list, but he didn't seem to be all that concerned. I knew that this was his job and his call, since it was his outfit, and I tried to stay out of it, but in the end I couldn't deal and called the tux shop and his family to book everyone for a Sunday about a month after I'd brought the subject up.


But you know what? The tux shop we wanted to use told us that the town prom was that weekend, and we were just in time to get stuff booked.


So I win that round.


Lost the next round though, the more important one where we actually pick what the tuxes look like. This is incredibly cheesy to admit, but my original inspiration was James Bond:

Source

I envisioned the guys in a sharp black tux, with a white pleated shirt, black bow tie, and a nice cummerbund. Something classic, gentlemanly, hot, and most notably, NOT a vest. I cannot describe my hatred of vests with a tux. To me, there is nothing that says "cheesy prom rental" like a vest, no matter what color you pick it in. Mr. B agreed with  me, and I was relieved, and expected a smooth experience.


Except when everyone tried tuxes on, guess what they liked?

THE DREADED VEST. My dad looks like a waiter in this thing. Or like he walked out of the 1800s. Ugh.


Seriously people, for comparison, check out my dad modeling the cummerbund look:

ITS SO MUCH BETTER. Classier. Less prom-y. Sharp. Sophisticated!


Yeah, no one liked it.


I have to admit I didn't handle this all that well. We were there with our parents and siblings, and I may have quoted the Men's Wearhouse commercial, saying something along the lines of, "Omg Mr. B, don't you know what they say? When everyone's looking at her she's looking at you. Do you really want me to look at you and see a vest?"


Yikes. Not my proudest moment. I was really struggling with the concept of something in the wedding not being exactly my vision. Mr. B's let me do whatever I want so far, and I was having a hard time with the idea that this time, I might not get my way.


Selfish, shameful, I know. Especially since I want to marry him even if he's standing up there in a Weezer tee.


We compromised on neither a vest nor a cummerbund, though Mr. B did order vests to have on hand, just in case he wanted it at the last minute:

I wish I could say I felt good about the compromise, but honestly I wish he'd ordered the "just in case" cummerbund too and let me convince him into wearing it. I don't know why, but I really love that look!


Okay, I'm going to try to give up the control freak tendencies and chill out. My mom gave me an earful about this situation, believe me. But please tell me I'm not alone- where have you had a serious Bridezilla moment?

In Search of a Veil

To me, the veil is what really makes the bridal look, and I can't wait to wear one. Unsurprisingly, I'm incredibly picky about what type of veil I want. I hate veils that are really long, and I hate drop veils. I hate lace on the edges, and I hate retro-y, birdcage style veils. I mean, all of these are perfectly nice and appropriate with certain style weddings, but they're not me.

According to me, the perfect veil is:

Petite fingertip length:

Extra full:

Edged in satin:

Angled sides:

And definitely with a blusher.

So armed with that nitpicky list, I'm going to start my shopping soon.

Were you guys really picky about any specific detail of your outfit?

(all pictures from veilshop.com) 

THE Shoes

You guys. Forget what I said about not wearing heels. I have found the world's most perfect wedding shoe, and am determined to make it mine. I don't even care that they're ridiculously expensive. I don't care that I'll be a gangly giant. They're beautiful. So beautiful I plan to display them on a shelf in my apartment after the wedding. (Creepy? Possibly).

The object of my affection is the Badgley Mischka Lacie, in seafoam.

From Zappos.com

If my entire wedding inspiration could be condensed into a shoe, this is it.

Thank God tallmenshoes.com exists. Mr. B, I hope you're ready for your man platforms.

That is all.

Wedding Shoes

This is a picture of my closet:

You might not be able to tell from this picture, but almost every pair of shoes here are high heels. I LOVE heels. I wear them every day to work. I would never be caught dead in a skirt or dress without them. I don't even own a pair of sneakers (seriously- there were Cons once, I don't know where they are now.)

Unfortunately, heels are an impossibility for my wedding, as the fiance and I are the same height. I wore wedges for our engagement pictures, and gave both our mothers a heart attack when they saw how I towered over him in the proofs. Needless to say, they're already hassling me about low shoes for the big day. And though it devastates me to not wear heels, I have to agree that they're right.

So I've been doing a little research on some wedding - appropriate flats. I found a few options, though I don't really love any of them:

From top: Steve Madden's I-Dreemy, Karisma, and Kinetic, from Zappos

Bottom left: Jcrew leather ballerina flat, Kate Spade Flash flat

I'm leaning towards the glittery Steve Maddens, since they're inexpensive and and festive, but for now I'm going to keep shopping, missing my high heels all the way!

What are you guys thinking for wedding shoes? My best friend wants to wear sparkly Toms- any other fun ideas?