Sunday, September 25, 2016

Wedding Planning Pt.3

 Image courtesy of the Internet
Image courtesy of the Internet
The Dreaded Wedding Dress Shop Visit
Firstly, I feel that I should tell you that I am not a girly girl, I like pretty things, I am a magpie with sparkly things, but I do not generally covet clothes; hats? yes; dresses? no. Therefore I am not really sure why I thought that I would walk into a dress shop and fall head over heels in love with one, to the point where I want to spend £1000+, especially for one day's wear.
My initial plan was to spend around £300-500 on a dress, which I can adapt for everyday use afterwards. Although, I always assumed it would be £300 over £500...I'm such a cheapskate, but I think the real problem is that I know the worth of things, so I can justify £600+ on a handmade dress made in Britain, but not necessarily one which is mass made in a factory; working behind the scenes of fashion has ruined me.
On Saturday, I went to a lovely shop filled with gorgeous 50's style dresses, a welcoming environment and the staff were a dream. It was an incredible experience and for them to break my 'Wedding Dress Virginity' was a huge compliment to me. They are extremely accommodating and have a lovely selection. All of their dresses are made within the UK and most sections can be interchanged and made from various colours and materials. It was amazing and I did love some of the dresses, however I felt underwhelmed and indifferent about the entire experience, which in itself felt very uncomfortable. My friends were gushing but never once did I think 'yes, this is it'. 
Due to this I felt like a weirdo, as though something was terribly wrong with me...stupid I know, but when you see other women bursting into tears and brimming with excitement, it makes you wonder whether you're wired incorrectly. My friends who were present celebrated on cue, however I didn't feel it. One of them is married and other is non-plus by the concept, and it was amazing having them with me, but I never once felt that 'whoosh' of nerves or emotion. And it felt awful, I felt bad for the person in the shop, was I supposed to be more brimming, or does she just know how people behave and therefore I'm completely normal...maybe she trusts me more, as I am quieter? Who knows? It is such a foreign scenario.
Having finished the experience and coming to the realisation that I'm not willing to part with £1200 for a dress, regardless of the occasion. They are well worth it, absolutely gorgeous, and if it was within my budget, I probably wouldn't think anything of it, however it isn't and I won't pretend it is.
Afterwards, while speaking with one of my bridesmaids, she admitted that she also felt relatively dead inside while trying on her dresses and how she ended up picking the dress that she liked, with an appropriate price tag and suitable for a Thai wedding. All of a sudden I felt normal. I didn't feel like a leper and we agreed that Film and TV play a huge part in creating this ridiculous farce that every girl spends her life dreaming of that perfect dress...I never did, I spent my life dreaming of a great guy who cares a shit ton about me. The dress just serves a purpose, and that purpose is to ensure that I am not naked on my wedding day.
One of my bridesmaids came over the other night to flick through some Wedding magazines I'd been given and we were both aghast at the price of some undies: £900 for a bra, knickers and robe, you could have matching shoes but they were 'price on application', now that is some crazy talk. If you are going to be spending that much on your under garments, what the hell are you spending on your dress? And if I was to spend that much on undies, I'd want them to be the most bloody comfortable things in the world, which are accompanied with a chauffeur to wipe my bum for a month, and I would wear them to work as my outer garments.
---
A week later, I received a message from the shop offering me 50% anything in stock, so off I set to visit again. I ending up spending £180 over my revised budget, however I've made a saving of £330 (original pricing given to me), or £660 (based on the revised pricing I was given in the shop). Either way, I'm slightly over but have a dress, so that can be ticked off my list.
Having completed that task, I still feel terribly indifferent about it. My dress is lovely and just as I imagined it would be, however it is just a dress. Friends are lovely, kind and positive about it when they see a picture but I find it impossible to get truly excited.
But, I am excited about the entire day: from music we will have playing, the friends and family will be get to see and celebrate with, and the food we get to devour. I guess there are some girls who pine for dresses and other who dream of food, dancing and playlists.

No comments: