Did you know?

Here's some behind-the-scenes stuff that I didn't think warranted a full entry on its own, so I gathered them all here.

• Starting about a year before the wedding, I would obsessively ask my dermatologist about some aspect of my skin so that it would be perfect on the day of. Early on, he prescribed a benzoyl peroxide wash for my back which rid it completely of every blemish possible. But that wasn't true for the face. I took prescribed antibiotic pills a month before the wedding to "ensure" that I wouldn't break out (I put "ensure" in quotes b/c my dermatologist thinks I'm crazy since every time I'm there, my face is clear as day but the rest of the month I have all sorts of pimples and breakouts). The pills didn't really help (except maybe psychologically) as I still had stress breakouts (those are the worst for me b/c I can't do anything about it and nothing works). It is only by some miracle that I had clear skin the week leading up to the wedding and on the day of. In fact, my makeup artist saw me two weeks before and was worried about my skin but on the day of, she was so surprised in the improvement that she asked whether or not I went to get a facial -- must've be that "wedding glow." :P
  
• Sidenote: if you get a huge zit very close to the wedding day, ask your dermatologist for a cortisone shot -- it kills the swelling and the redness instantly!
  
  
• Speaking of skin, my mother had nagged me about getting monthly facials. Even though I brushed her off, I did get more facials this past year than ever. I tried out Euphoria Spa during Spa Week and bought a facial package at a place in Ctown based on a friend's recommendation and still have some sessions left (if I only had the time to go now!). The Ctown facials were definitely a lot better than other packages I've tried in the past but of course, are no match to Bliss Spa (shoulda, coulda, woulda!).
  
  
• I got the best brow-shaping (by threading) ever at V Salon on Elizabeth Street for just $7! The bad part? I was worried that it wouldn't turn out well so I went 3 weeks in advance so that my brows could grow back if it didn't come out right. Well they came out nice but I was too lazy/busy to go back and I had to rely on my cheesy plucking skills to maintain them (not the best results).
  
  
• Dear got a Mont Blanc just for signing the marriage license. We didn't include this as part of the ceremony on the day of (nor did we make a big deal out of it, like the HKers do with a big feather pen) and it took all of 30 seconds, so I don't know why all the pomp and circumstance was necessary, but that's what Dear wanted. The pen is currently sitting on Dear's desk, used only one other time since that day (for signing the mortgage documents). I do admit, though, there is something about using a nice pen to write on nice paper (which the marriage license wasn't).
  
  
• I bought three pairs of Insolia but never had the time to stick them in my shoes because I couldn't decide on which shoes to wear. I was concerned that the silver shoes that I originally bought would clash with the red and gold qipao that I wore during the banquet so I was constantly on the lookout for comfortable gold shoes which would sorta match all my dresses. I thought I would get a pair of ballroom dance shoes (must be comfy if those dancers are on their feet for hours, doing crazy dance moves) but I didn't think it was a practical option to spend over $100 for shoes that I would only wear once and that could only be worn indoors (not outside, on the pavement, and certainly not on the pebbly beach where we took some pictures). I ended up wearing the silver shoes for most of the day and then switched to a pair of gold sandals that I got from Target for $4.
  
  
• I was on the prowl for good makeup artists throughout the year and visited numerous makeup counters in various places, starting out at Shu Uemura in SoHo, then the MAC counter at Macy's (terrible service), then Bloomingdale's in SoHo (disliked the look they gave me), then the Sephora that opened up by work, then with the much blogged-about Hawa at the Bloomingdale's by 59th and I finally settled on another artist that I met at Sephora (Alaine). I've never tried on so much makeup in my life!!
  
  
• I got my very dirty dress (it was a sample, remember) cleaned at Little J Cleaners on Park Avenue on the recommendation of a person who was once in the business. From what I could tell, they did a decent job and are a tad cheaper than most cleaners in NYC. After playing the horrible waiting game with fixing the dress, it took me completely aback to learn that I would be able to get my dress back in my hands within just a few days (and only b/c it was Labor Day, otherwise it would have been fewer days). They were fast, easy to work with and my dress came back very nicely packaged (the train hung very neatly), even with a cardboard form to keep the shape of the bust.

I feel like I'm forgetting some other tidbits... guess those will have to wait for a separate post.

Something old, something borrowed

The other day (probably weeks ago), my FCIL let me borrow the vintage Gucci clutch that she found at a rummage sale. It's perfect for the wedding day and is so classy.

I think it needs to be cleaned though, and I'm not sure how. Any suggestions?

Looks like I have a lot of old & borrowed stuff. Not sure if I will have something blue....

The penguin suits

Who knew that picking out tuxes would take over two tiring visits, with one lasting over 3 hours? I fully trust Dear's opinion on menswear (he, after all, has had more experience in that department than me). And with something like a tux (minimal color selection, 3 basic shapes revolving around the number of buttons), I figured how hard can it be, especially since he had done some research and even gone to the store to get the process going?

Well the salesperson strongly suggested that I come back with fiance since in her experience the bride may veto all decisions that the groom ever came up with. So I went to the Men's Wearhouse in Queens Sunday evening with fiance. It was crowded and we had to wait.

What drives me mad about the concept of the store is that there isn't anything for you to try on. I had trouble picturing what would look nice on Dear (I have reservations about ivory on Asian skin, even though my dress has a bit of an ivory tinge but I want him to stand out from the GMs, who will "match" the BMs) but there was nothing there for him to try on. The best I could do was hold the swatch of the vest next to his face and even then I couldn't really tell. I also couldn't tell which style of tux looks best on Dear since he couldn't try anything on, so we just relied on the opinions of others, who said 2-button.

I know customer service is their thing at Men's Wearhouse and they pride themselves on it but I thought it was a very assembly-line kind of service (as if they had been trained on certain points and they had set answers and scenarios to spit back at you) but what can you expect for something with limited choices and is quite simple? For example, they have a set of vest patterns for various colors. On top of that, few patterns are nice. The pattern I liked best (and what we ended up choosing) unfortunately has a lot of black stitching throughout, so it actually makes that vest look like a much darker red, which is much darker than the red of the BM's dresses (unless I switch dresses for them, which is likely). When I brought this up to the salesperson, he tried to fake it by saying it's OK b/c the underlying red is still the same (or pretty close) as the red of the dresses, even though I didn't bring a swatch at that time. The next day, when he saw the swatch, he realized I was right but he still insisted that it's very close, when it's clearly not. I didn't give much of a fight b/c I realize there's nothing he can do (and I really don't care enough to try to find exact matches elsewhere) and I'm OK with the different colors (plus I may have to change the dresses anyway). The ties are also very limited -- all are clip-ons, with no choice for anything else. The process is at least, somewhat streamlined. Once we picked out the type of tux for everyone who needs one, the salesperson punches in all the info that he had written down on our group's folder, gives us this looooooong receipt with all the info, and then measures whoever needs measuring. Then when the others go get measured, all they have to do is give our group number, get measured, and be on their way. Only we have the ability to change any of the specifications so even if someone hates our choices, they can't change it (when he said that, I thought how great that'd be for BM dresses but alas women wouldn't want to rent that, would they?).

So the GMs will be wearing what I recall is the "Rio" vest and long Euro tie in burgundy (the pattern consists of textured vertical stripes created by stitching in different directions -- does that make any sense?!). Dear will wear the same thing but in ivory. In fact, everyone will wear ivory shirts so as not to look weird (or dirty) if it were next to white. The fathers will wear the same pattern vest with bowtie in gray. My brother will wear the burgundy ensemble but a bowtie to bridge the difference between the fathers & GM (but I never asked if he'd be OK w/ that b/c I have a feeling he wouldn't want to wear a bowtie). As for tuxes, the only interesting thing is Dear's tux, which will have an edged lapel (instead of a full satin lapel) which I think looks very smart. And supposedly this was the "hot look" during the Emmys.

Another thing I wasn't crazy about MW is the seemingly sleazy salesppl (most of them, anyway). The guy who eventually set up everything for us was pretty nice, and I think he worked as well as he could to satisfy us with what he has, but his manager, who first sat with us reminded me of a car salesman. I think he didn't really want to work with us either b/c as soon as his peon was free, he pushed us off on him so that he could go off and twiddle his thumbs. We were also accosted by this guy who wore awful cologne when we first walked in and he was so eager to sell Dear a suit. When the tux salesperson walked us over to show us the shoes (Dear has issues wearing rented shoes, and I don't blame him), the awful cologne guy immediately rushed over, eager to sell his suits. I think that happened at least twice.

So the male attire was pretty simple (yet exhausting for me) -- it only makes me feel worse for what I put others through when I was trying to find a dress. :(

The dress saga draws to an end

I think I'm about due for an update on this cold, windy, rainy day (I hate how the wind is shrieking outside my window). And on this day that hurricane Ernesto is passing through, my Dear and his GM (sans brother) are delivering a pig and some pastries (plus chickens and coconuts) and a butt-load of money. This is the dowry thing that I vehemently opposed but gave up on in the end. And all I can do is sit upstairs b/c the debate over whether or not I can see all this has teetered in the direction of I'd better not be seen. I'll post how this all finally goes down. But for now, I owe an explanation on what happened with my dress, the bane of my existence. Brace yourself, it's a long story....

I was supposed to pick up my dress on Tuesday. Seeing as how it was never ready the eight other times I either called or visited them, I didn't expect much difference this time around except that I have just over a month left and their excuse of "you have time" would really not hold water with every passing day. However, I called the week before to make sure, even though she "promised" it'd be ready by the end of the month when I went to see her 3 weeks ago. So when I called, they scrambled around a bit to find out whether it was possible, I heard some mumblings and the answer was yes, it will be ready. Unlike the other times, I didn't get a runaround answer so I was fairly confident/excited/nervous that I may finally be in possession of my dress. I think I even had a spring in my step as I walked there. The seamstress was all smiles and cheery when she saw me (very different from our last face-to-face) which made me less mad when she couldn't find my dress hanging on her racks. No, it was on her sewing table b/c she was NOT DONE! She said it'd be definitely done the following day (to which I lied and said I was busy so I needed it today b/c I really don't want to be traveling back and forth) or she could try to finish it up tonight and I could try back an hour and a half later. I asked her what else she needed to do and she muttered something incomprehensible but I think she meant she needed to do everything I had asked her 5 months ago b/c she hadn't worked on it since I last saw it. Grr! I didn't want to wait that long (nothing around there to do except for a Starbucks when I had plenty of work to do at home) so I headed downtown dejectedly, with the "promise" that I could pick it up anytime tomorrow. (On a somewhat bright note, I found a $20 bill on the floor, which I debated with myself on whether or not I should take it.)

The following day, I headed uptown again after work and I waited 15 minutes or so for the seamstress to appear while some doofy guy (her son?) played around with his new digital camera. When she finally came out, FOR ONCE the woman recognized me, understood my plight, and simply brought my dress down from the rack and had me change into it. I slowly unzipped the bag and examined the dress. From the front it looked normal. Then I flipped it to the backside and... gasp! It was not a horror show! I didn't have to go berserk and sit in the corner rocking back and forth, lamenting the day I stepped into Pinpoint Bridal! I looked at the side -- oh, it was beautiful!! I looked at the other side, oh, it was nice too!! I crawled into the dress (instead of stepping into it b/c it's a tight squeeze past my hips) and attempted to zip it up (I still need to lose a pound or too, darnit!!). When I walked out and looked at myself in the mirror, I didn't hate my dress anymore (still don't loooove it, like most everyone else does theirs) but I was satisfied. I was shown the bustle (a very simple one with a single button) and she made other adjustments (lowering the position of the bustle b/c it was so high it fluffed up in the back) and pinned in bra cups so that they can be sewn in. I changed out of the dress and she went to make these changes by hand while I waited.

Meanwhile, a million ppl decided to come in and ask about this or that, including this very annoying woman with a high-pitched voice (who incidentally is getting married on the same day as me) who wanted to check whether her dress was ready a week early (ha! does she know who she's dealing with?). To stretch my patience further she didn't have the ticket number so that they couldn't easily find the dress amongst the hundreds they have hanging. When they eventually found it, she saw they had done absolutely nothing with it either but they "promised" it'd be ready next week (poor woman, I feel your pain!). After half an hour or so, the seamstress was finally free to go back to finishing my dress and I finally tried it on again and everything was as good as can be.

At the beginning of my dress search, even ordinary dresses garnered oohs and aahs from onlookers (maybe that was false, maybe it was the newly-engaged glow) but ever since then, no one has had the same reaction with this dress (other than the day I bought it and I think it's quite nice and I like that it is different). Oh well.... I packed my dress up in a large shopping bag (to the horror of the seamstress, until she realized that I still had to clean it) and went on my way. I dropped the huge thing off at BM's office (she actually has an office with a door that locks!) so that I didn't have to lug it back and forth. The following day, I brought the dress to Little J Cleaners around 20th and Park during my lunch break and left it to be cleaned. That was the easiest part by far. They were very attentive, looked at the dress, quoted me $170, and proceeded to note the details of my dress for their reference. The person who recommended Little J to me suggested that I don't have them press it (b/c my dress is so delicate), so I told them so, with the option of coming back a few days before the wedding if I couldn't get it pressed by a friend of a friend. They were very accomodating and I can pick it up next Thursday! Whew, such a relief (and extraordinarily easy)!!

We'll see how the cleaning turns out but for now, my review of Pinpoint Bridal is B-. I am satisfied with how things turned out (not perfect, but workable) but I think they have many things that need to be fixed. 1) They have serious commitment issues -- this charade was dragged out for many months and caused me much agita! If things aren't possible by a certain time, don't promise me that they will be, only to disappoint me and waste my time (the worse one being showing up at this inconvenient location only to be turned away). I think in general, seamstresses take a long time so no matter where you go, I advise you to say you need it at least two weeks before your actual date. 2) There are communications issues -- their command of the English language is limited and at times I couldn't understand what she was trying to tell me. 3) The worse offense of all -- the man (her husband?) who works there and sometimes answers the phone. At first I liked speaking to him b/c he speaks better English and I could actually get answers out of him but he's one of those sleazy ppl who tells lies to appease you or is extra nice when he needs your cooperation but whenever I would tell him that I need the dress NOW he'd give me stupid excuses like "you have time," "you don't need it now," etc. Excuses are one thing but I don't like how patronizing (in a mean way)/condescending he was. Aside from these issues, her work is decent (I think it's easier/less headache when you need simpler things done, not refurbishing) and her price is OK. Just remember you should pad your due date with them so they don't screw around with you.

The third dress

Last Friday, BM and I headed out bright and early to 34th Street to find me an evening gown (for the final dress-changing portion of the evening), since the one that I had originally intended to wear is really plain and not exactly flattering. My co-worker had told me about the inexpensive evening gowns that you can buy in the Garment District. I had checked out some places before, but it was difficult to make a decision w/o a second set of eyes and w/o being able to try anything on. So I dragged BM with me to this particular store that actually has a fitting room (ghetto as it may be) and after trying on many a dress, I found something!

At first, I was really afraid that I would make the wrong decision (you can't return stuff, just exchange, and only within 24 hours) so I asked the woman to hold the dress for me (she only holds it for a few hours) while we went to look elsewhere. Since we were in the area, we went to Macy's. Interestingly, I saw at least two styles of dresses that were in the ghetto store, just in different colors. The big difference? About $50 (if not more -- numbers escape me for the moment)! Oh and at Macy's, they have fancier tags attached. After I realized that my budget prevented me from buying anything nice or undamaged from Macy's (I've bought enough evening gowns in the past year for quite a few formal events), I came to the conclusion that the dress from the ghetto store was the one for me.

It is a halter dress with an empire waist and A-line skirt. There is a weird fold of fabric in the front that looks a bit like ruffles, but not really. I'm thinking of cutting that part off. It comes with a thin shawl/scarf thingy and and it's green! Recently I've become enamored with the color green, especially bright greens like apple and lime. I've also noticed that this color is nice on Asian skin so I knew it'd be in my best interest to get something green. Even though many people would have preferred that I wear yet another red dress (besides the qi pao), I decided to go for the green and I think I have a winner! I will finally have a fabulous dress in my repertoire for the day!

And just to check that I'm not colorblind, here's a swatch of the color. The two mothers said it's not "bright" enough -- are they crazy? It's sooo bright (I was concerned it may be too bright). [I'd post a pic of the full dress but I'm too lazy and it's complicated to put it on, etc.]

Today, I tried on the dress with my silver 3" heels and the length is perfect! Now I just have to iron it and perhaps look for the right undergarment. Yay! Something went right for a change!!

Nightmares, awake and not

I have mild interest in hearing/reading about other ppl's dreams (they're usually too obtuse, boring, and meaningless to me) so indulge me for this entry as I have to report that this past week I had my first wedding-related nightmare. I think this is important b/c it seems to me that ppl start to have these nightmares as the day draws close, as it is for me.

So my dream was basically about not having a dress (though that seems to be more realistic than ever before). I showed up at the church and the dress was supposed to be delivered there but instead the morons decided to deliver it to the restaurant (even though I had never given them that address). It turns out to be too late to retrieve it from the restaurant and everyone decides that I'll just attend the ceremony in my regular clothes and change into the dress at the reception. So I get married in jeans, sneakers, and a blazer (odd b/c I don't own a blazer).

Thankfully I've forgotten all the other details to the dream. But onto real-life nightmares: I walked past the restaurant today and it was still boarded shut. This time the disco-style overhang was completely ripped off. And the guest list continues to grow, like a bad cancer.

Wardrobe malfunctions

OK I think I've finally gotten over the events of this weekend to write about it (plus there's new stuff to add to my agita and distract me now). I was angry and in denial (at about the same time!), depressed, I've grieved and now I've accepted it (sort of). Months ago, I finally made the decision on which tailor I would entrust my cursed dress with. (Yes my dress is cursed and I almost hate it for what it is and what it represents.) I felt this one particular woman on the UES was confident in her work, she came recommended by a friend's co-worker who was thrilled with her work, and I liked the fact that she used to work at the company where my gown is from. When I dropped off the dress back in April, I felt this huge relief that I made a good decision. But this past Friday, when I finally went in for a fitting (note how it is a full month after when she first said I could come in b/c prior to my calling to confirm, I'm sure no work was done at all until I reminded them), I was dismayed (to say the least) with the results. This woman must have no sense of style or she must live a crooked life (no pun intended) b/c the way she tried to remedy my problem was just moronic.

Some may remember that the issues with my dress include a 1.5 inch rip in the organza overlay in the back and a smaller rip on the side of the dress. When I initially showed the woman what needed to be fixed she explained how she would add beading taken from the bottom of the dress and add it over the rips. It was too early to tell, but I should have specified exactly how the beading should go b/c she just stuck beading over the rip w/o paying attention to symmetry so that while there is this cashew nut-shaped swath of beading covering the rip on one side, there is nothing on the other side so that this 'cashew' is just hanging alone. Dammit it needs a partner! However this woman continued to insist that nothing on the dress is symmetrical, so why should this be? Um... NO!!! All the beading is symmetrical from the center. I wouldn't have bought an off-kilter dress! I was tired, had another appointment to get to, frustrated, and sweaty and I just didn't want to deal w/ this dumb woman. At first, I let her convince me that it would look OK with these strange beading patterns tacked on in random places but after I stewed over this on my walk to the train station, I walked back and told her that's not what I wanted. I asked her if she could get more beading (b/c she said there was no more), to which she said no, plus it wouldn't match up. Finally, she arranged it so that there is a somewhat matching 'cashew' and less stuff covering the side rip (good, I didn't want to draw that much attention to the side anyway!!!) but who knows if that's what she'll complete. I've been resigned to the fact that I don't give a damn anymore, this is just one stupid dress and I'll just be insanely happy once I don't have to deal w/ this crap and can eBay the sucker. Aside from this, I need to lose a few pounds b/c the dress is tight again. I've also come to the conclusion that I pretty much hate my dress. It's dirty and needs a cleaning very badly, I'm no longer awed by how the dress looks or how it looks on me, and it's just marred by all this headache. Did I mention how I just don't care anymore?

Similarly, I am unhappy with the third dress. I tried it on the other day and I think it looks quite ordinary. It's very plain and more like something I'd wear to someone else's (more formal) wedding. I also don't think the color is particularly flattering on me, nor the shape. In fact my mother thinks it makes me look flat (perhaps if I got a better strapless bra) but I'm just not thrilled. I haven't looked at the second dress lately and I'm almost afraid to, lest I find something wrong with it too. Considering how the white dress is tight, dress #2 may not fit at all!!

Our two-ring circus

Today was a very busy day. We started by seeing nine (count them nine!) apartments. A few were promising but we have to really sit down, compare, and crunch some numbers. Oh yeah, and before that we dropped off a bunch of completed invitations with a friend who would give them out at church on our behalf (for some reason fiance thought that we shouldn't give them out ourselves b/c not everyone is invited, not that we had time to go today). So after driving and walking all throughout Forest Hills, we headed to Ctown to finally pick out our rings. Me being a plain gal, I just opted for a plain band slightly thicker than my e-ring with a tiny, round, single diamond in the middle. That way it's not very flashy nor very plain. Originally I was thinking of jazzing it up a little by having parts of the metal with the brushed look but I ended up not liking it. Instead, the band is just plain white gold (or at least I think it's white gold -- I totally forgot to discuss metals with her), very similar to fiance's, but his is slighter wider and w/o a diamond. I figure if I want something flashier later on, we can upgrade in ten years or so. Maybe (hopefully) by then we won't have all these crazy expenses all at once. So, with engraving (we have to decide what to engrave too) and the comfort fit, our rings total $380. (I felt a compulsion to share the price for ppl who need an idea of how much to set aside.) I'm not sure if this is a deal or not (I'm guessing it is b/c fiance is somewhat related to them and that's where he got my e-ring), but I'm greatly relieved b/c I thought the rings would be much more expensive. Oh and for those who don't know about comfort fit, I think it will make for a happy groom (or at least the ones I've talked to couldn't stop raving about it) b/c the extra roundedness on the inside of the band makes less contact with your skin so that it's more comfortable.

With the rings checked off our list, we walked around the corner to get something to eat. That's when we passed by the restaurant that we're having the banquet at and it was totally gutted inside and boarded up outside (this is the "circus" I refer to in the title, but not as fun, if you find circuses fun). It looked like what a restaurant in Beirut would look like, minus the one Chinese guy sitting inside guarding the place. The new carpet that they had just installed a few months ago was unrecognizable (probably not even there -- too dark to see) with all the debris everywhere. The only things left that I could see were the pillars (which I wouldn't mind if they were replaced/removed). Even the lights were gone so that the only light source was this one construction lamp and the daylight streaming in from outside. Supposedly they will be done by the middle of next month which throws a wrench into my plans (they had originally said the beginning of the month and you know how there are always delays with construction) b/c I want to set the menu (so that I can print the menu cards!!!) and I also want to see how the place will finally look like in case I need to get anything to decorate the place. Grrr!!! Everyone who reads this blog, say a daily prayer as you read that the restaurant will be back open in time!!

Wedding rings

I came across a picture of a Niwaka ring and I had to investigate their site. I like how their rings are different from the ordinary plain bands out there (I still feel like diamonds would be too much bling) but I wonder how the curves would look next to the e-ring. I also wonder if a jeweler can replicate a similar look. These are some that I liked.



Gotta love the Japanese!

The making of a veil, part I

This past Friday, I trekked through torrential downpours and drizzly mists, splashing through the streams and puddles of the Fashion District in search of some tulle and veil supplies. I got so wet, even with my umbrella shielding me from above. I'm not sure if it was wise to wear my platform flip flops that day b/c the lack of traction on the bottom led to some pretty scary slips (interesting how some of NYC's sidewalks are a lot more slick than others) but I think if I had been wearing sneakers, my shoes, socks, and feet would've been soaked, leading to many hours of discomfort after the first drenching (as opposed to the constant wet and dry cycle, which is a pretty gross feeling too).

I decided to take the train to 34th Street-Herald Square and walk up and across to end somewhere around 40th and 8th. My first stop was Toho Sohji, a Japanese place that sells all kinds of stuff to make jewelry, from beads to charms to feathers. I was looking for a 3" metal hair comb b/c I've heard those hold in your hair better than the plastic ones. Toho had various sizes and they also had the plain metal bands that are used to make tiaras, inspiring me to create one, if I can find the perfect design. I foolishly decided not to buy the haircomb, thinking that I'd comparison shop. When the rain let up a little, I walked up the block to M&J Trimming. They have nice lace, flowers, and ribbon all neatly displayed (as I blogged about before) but no 3" hair combs. The person helping me even told me to try Toho, but I had one other place to try so I didn't go back.

The next closest stop was B&J Fabrics, which is located in an office building, on the second floor. It's a huge, brightly lit space with lots of ppl milling about. I stopped at the front to put my umbrella in a bag and asked whether or not they had natural sparkle tulle. The guy had no idea what I meant by "natural" and I explained that I wanted something that wasn't white, not ivory, but something in between. He said it'd be best if I had a sample but all I could offer was the sample I pictured in my brain (note: not helpful to anyone). He did point me to the general area of the tulle, where I found large swatches of fancy embroidered selections (in various colors) hanging on rods, like the clearance section in the back of Old Navy. Then I saw a bin of bolts of tulle, ranging from whites to bright colors like yellow, pink, and teal. I picked up a small roll of dirty-looking tulle wrapped in brown paper (not really dirty, but that's what off-white looks like compared to bright white -- the color of my dress). I had no idea how much this was and when I walked towards the middle, a person at one of the wide tables told me the price and cut me 4 yards of the stuff. He wrote out the 'bill', rolled up the tulle and put it into a clear plastic bag. All this happened so fast, I felt quite idiotic that: 1) I forgot to look up how much material to buy for a floor-length veil and ended up asking the guy, who I think, misled me by saying 4 yards was good (I think I need less), 2) I forgot to ask whether this really was sparkle tulle or regular tulle (I have no idea what the difference is but I was told to get the sparkle variety by an acquaintance who has experience in such matters), and 3) I forgot that I had one other fabric place to check out before making a decision. And I could've sworn that the guy quoted me $1.95 a yard but when I went up front to pay, it turned out to be $2.95 a yard. Oh well. At least I was able to pay with cc and there was no tax.

My final stop was to be Daytona Trimmings, 251 W. 39th St., between 7th and 8th. Despite the good reviews that I've read of this place, I was a bit disappointed. Not only did they not have any hair combs but they were less than helpful (2 workers stood around chatting while I tried to ask them a question). The store is a bit dingy-looking too but the reviews of it are good enough that I would go back if I ever needed some trim. And if I hadn't found the tulle at B&J, I would've gone to Rosen and Chadick on 40th St., by 7th.

Today I unwrapped my tulle and hung it up in my closet so that gravity could take care of some of the wrinkles (hopefully). When the tulle is laid out and fluffed, it looks so nice and dreamy. :) Anyway, I just have to get the hair comb from Toho and then I can begin construction. Hopefully these sites will be helpful:

• http://www.wegotgame.net/jen/veils.html


• http://www.theknot.com/co_profileview.htm?profilename=veil_bio


• http://www.michaels.com/art/online/static?page=ihts_veil
  

And some general veil info (can someone please do a Knot Bio on tiaras/headpieces?!):

• TheVeilBio
  
• Another Veil Bio
  

I also came across these sites for craft resources in NYC (fabrics, yarn, etc.) which will be useful once I'm done w/ this wedding stuff and can do other crafts:

• http://disdressed.blogspot.com/2006/05/new-york-crafters-resources.html
• http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/article.pl?id=110805

And just a mini-aside/update from all this veil talk.... After a crazy commute to Brooklyn after the already crazy and wet day (a lot of trains had issues b/c of the heavy and sudden downpours so the buses were packed and I ended up walking in the rain from Wall Street to Ctown, where fiance had parked his car), we checked out an apartment. Not sure if we like it enough to put in a bid but it is definitely coming down to the wire and we need a place to live!

Wedding rings, first look

To continue recapping my weekend.... On Saturday we checked out some wedding bands. As usual, fiance had no opinions about what we should get but had plenty of wisecracks about how having a tattoo would be easier or if he went and got a hexnut from Home Depot it'd make no difference to him. I'm sure the jeweler, whose profession was being mocked, was not amused. Neither was I b/c I have no idea what I want either. I can't decide whether to get one with a row of little diamonds or to just get a plain band. Some ppl tell me when you have kids you don't want to wear your e-ring b/c it gets in the way but you'd still like some diamonds so a wedding band with little diamonds would be ideal. However, I'm not crazy about the gap between the e-ring and the band when they're worn together. The jeweler did say that she could make one with a notch in it so that it fits together but of course you can't wear that alone b/c it'd look weird. And I am a kinda plain girl, so I don't mind the plain band but diamonds are pretty....

Two that I saw that I liked: a plain band with two lines etched into it near the top and bottom edges, and a thin band with a row of very little diamonds on the front (not all around). We were in a bit of a rush so I didn't get to follow up with more questions or browsing so we'll have to pay another visit, hopefully when I have a better idea. I'd have to say, though, that when I put on the bands with the e-ring, even though they may not have matched and probably were not the right size, I felt like they fit and things felt complete. Weird, corny and probably silly, but so be it.

I was also thinking of getting a set of pearls to go with the white dress for a classic look but not sure if she carries them.

What is it?

Pop quiz: what is the diagram at right?
A. abstract art
B. a depiction of a straight and narrow path vs. a less direct road, symbolizing the obstacles in life
C. two lines
D. bulging beer can
E. contour of my tummy roll before and after the miracle product, SPANX

If you chose A and E, you are Coorrrrect! That's right, after putting on a pair of SPANX Power Panties, the tummy roll disappears, just like magic! Not only that, there are no panty lines, the thighs are slimmed, and all that extra fat and cellulite is squeezed in for a thinner, smoother shape. I first heard about these from Weddingbee and I was eager to try them out not only for my tight-fitting qipao but for other dresses in my wardrobe that show off my tummy roll. I also wanted to slim my thunder thighs so that I could sit down in my qipao without ripping the seams. So after breaking out a sweat trying to get into a pair, I was pleased to say goodbye to the roll and to slip into the qipao with less strain than before. This time I was able to sit more readily and there were no unsightly bumps and ridges under the dress. Never mind the minute mini muffin top that the tightness created -- it didn't show! And surprisingly, once I got them on, they were pretty comfortable. Maybe I will wear control top hose on top to really reign things in.

I'm thinking of getting the Higher Power version which controls all the way up the body (and below the boobs, of course). Would this be an appropriate Mother's Day gift? hehe

Stress!

Oh man, have I been stressed. I have to do my taxes, plus all this wedding stuff, and trying to find a future abode is just plain crazy!! On top of all this, we're trying to plan the honeymoon, which is another cause of stress, even though it's supposed to be a fun thing. We've settled on Spain but with the strong Euro, it's hard to plan something reasonably within budget without staying in hostels. One really neat idea that I'm exploring (though quite expensive!) is a luxury train tour called Al Andalus Expreso. It sounds so cool: an old restored train (they describe it as a "luxurious moving hotel") that goes through Andalusia (from Seville to Cordoba to Granada and back to Seville), the mountainous region of Spain. Along the way they stop and give tours of stuff, including Alhambra Palace. I think it's cool to travel overnight on a train too, kinda like a land cruise. They do have a honeymoon discount but at around $2000 a person for just 5 days/6 nights, I'm not sure we can afford it. I believe it includes drinks and all meals (some of which are on board, which would be an interesting experience). It'd be nice to go all out for once and not do a budget vacation though. Of course, while we're on the other side of the lake, I'd want to visit Madrid and Barcelona, so that will be more tacked on to the price.
Aside from all this, I've been getting stressed about stupid details like how flowers will work out (I saw a great paper flower idea but some say it's bad form to carry fake flowers), whether our monogram is OK b/c I designed it with his initial before mine, how the church will be decorated, what to put on the RSVP cards (should we ask for music requests? would it be too much to ask for guests to fill out other things?). I think this is partially the fault of getting all these great ideas from websites. Yet I can't pull myself away -- I'm so addicted!!

But these are such minor things. I have yet to:

• fix my dress (I am waiting on a co-worker who said her fellow churchgoer knows of a great seamstress in Jersey City. Each week she's not been able to get me the info. I'm setting myself the deadline of this Monday -- if I don't hear from her, I will decide between Pinpoint and my friend's friend.)
• do BM dresses (a friend is going to China, who knows of a tailor that can do drastic alterations for a low price so I have to get one BM's too large dress pinned and measured out in time for her departure; still haven't figured out what to do about other BM's dress)
  
• find a DJ

And despite all that I have to, I am just blogging!! (Speaking of which, I enabled anyone to post comments. So post away, unless you're a spammer!)

Veil

I've been obsessed with the veil lately, mainly b/c I want to make mine and I don't know if I can get it right (it is ridiculous that they cost about $100 when you can make it for much less).

I found a great site that walks through the DIY process: www.wegotgame.net/jen/veils.html.

I definitely want a double-layer, raw-edge (unfinished end b/c I like that wispy look) veil but I can't decide if I want a fingertip one or a floor-length one.

TO DO:
- find a place that sells those plain combs
- buy the tulle (I should ask around where's the best place to get it -- Fashion District? online?)
- figure out whether I can pull off diamond white tulle or bridal illusion with my light ivory gown
- decide on fingertip or floor-length

Related to veils is hair, and the only style that I've found online that I like is this (but I think not as curly at the crown): [I got this from some Knottie's site]

The only other hairstyle that I like is what I saw on Queer Eye: a very simple twist up (in the hair trial they tied her hair into a ponytail and swept it up) without a lot of hairspray or other product. At the reception, the bride took off her veil and let her hair down (though she looked kinda messy) for a second hairstyle. That gave me the idea of having multiple hairstyles throughout the day to match the multiple dresses that I will be wearing. I can also (easily, I hope!) change makeup accordingly by making it more dramatic at night. I think Sonia Kashuk's advice was to "glam it up" with false eyelashes (gotta learn how to do that if I want to do my own makeup) and more makeup (by going lighter during the day and using a heavier hand at night?).

Shoes

The shoe dilemma: finding nice shoes that would go with the wedding dress and the evening gown (asking for it to match the red Chinese dress too would be asking too much) and hopefully would go with other things so that I wouldn't wear it just once. I had been surfing on the shoe sites (zappos.com, myglassslipper.com -- they have an 'Under $100' section that I had read about, shoebuy.com) for silver shoes, staying away from the bridal shoes b/c I find most of them ugly and not very comfy-looking (not to mention they don't fit the criteria of being able to be worn more than once). I was also pretty sure that I'd want a wedge heel (more comfy) and a T-strap (slims wide feet like mine). I ordered 2 shoes from Zappos mainly b/c they received pretty good reviews but when I tried them on I realized that I have very difficult feet to work with (they were uncomfortable and one pair didn't fit at all). The shoes were also extremely poorly made. I can't believe that they cost over $50 b/c if they were in one of those ghetto stores that sell cheap clothes, I'd guess that they were $20 at most. One of them had a tacky clear plastic strap with beads glued on it and the other one had dried beads of glue oozing out of the undersole. Thank goodness Zappos has that free shipping free returns thing (maybe that's why the shoes were so expensive). I am impressed by how nicely wrapped up everything was (everything was tightly wrapped in tissue paper and taped) though.

Then I went to Macy's this past Sunday (b/c it was tax-free week and to check out BM dresses). I saw a pair of silver T-strap sandals that looked kinda nice (even on my feet), with big jewels down the T-strap. While they were on sale for $60, I wasn't sure if I should get them since they didn't look too comfortable with the 3 (2.5?) inch heel and narrow front, which squeezed my toes together (the only thing keeping my feet from sliding down was the bone above my pinky toe so you can imagine the pain that would result from the rubbing as I walk). They weren't that uncomfortable for the minute or so that I had them on though. I left empty-handed. Throughout the week, I pondered whether or not I should go back and get them. I even went to the Nine West by work but they only had it in the bronze color. So I went back today determined to try on the shoes again and try to break them in and return them if they weren't comfy. This time, after wearing heels all day at work, the transition to the sandals wasn't as weird so it didn't feel unstable. But after walking a little and standing in them, I felt the balls of my feet hurt. Plus the back of the shoe was loose and looked weird no matter how tight I closed it. After much thought I decided to let these shoes go (even though they were the closest thing that I liked so far). I thought that I'd have to resign myself to wearing flats or sneakers on my wedding day (I still may do the sneaker thing at the banquet) and cursed my f'ugly feet for always giving me so much pain (3/4 of all shoes that I like I end up not buying or wearing b/c they are unbearably uncomfortable). Then I walked around a little and I saw a silver, pointy-toed shoe on the clearance rack. When I scanned it, it said $38 or so. After trying them on (they were pretty comfy compared to the boots I was wearing and the shoe that I had just tried on), I decided to buy them. The saleswoman was pretty nice (NOT the norm at Macy's shoe department, in my opinion) and noticed that the price was wrong b/c they should be 75% off. And instead of being $38, they were just $20! Woo hoo!!
I wonder, am I supposed to wear hosiery with these shoes? They still need breaking-in, I'm sure. But at least I can go get my dress fitted for the right length now.

Speaking of which, a friend recently asked her friend who used to be in the wedding gown business whether or not he'd be interested in helping me fix mine. He said yes! I don't mind going to Pinpoint and getting it all fixed up for about $450 (I even made an appointment for this Saturday) but if he can beat it and do a good job, I'd be even happier!

This Friday I'm hoping to go to a tailor in Chinatown to see whether or not she can downsize the evening gown from a size 20 to a 4 for a good price (I've heard anecdotally that she charged only $7 to hem a four-layered dress). And Saturday we're supposed to meet with the photographer to work out last minute contract details and give him a deposit to secure him for the day. We've already turned down two photographers that we met with so this one better work out! Finally, progress!

The dress-fixing headache

A quick "sketch" of one of the needed fixins for the dress (very hard to photograph -- the pictures of the back, where the most damage is, didn't come out at all, but one day if I'm not feeling so lazy...). The difficult part is that it's the sheer organza overlay that's ripped so any sewing, I think, would be very obvious.

My options for fixing the tears:

Wilfred's Tailor, 18 West 23rd Street, at Fifth Avenue, 4th floor
212-242-3030

Meurice Garment Care, 245 East 57th Street (between 2nd and 3rd Ave)
212-759-9057

Madame Paulette, 1255 Second Avenue (between 65th & 66th St)
212 838 - 6827

Remziye Perkin at Pinpoint Custom Tailoring, 229 East 84th Street (between 2nd and 3rd Ave)
212-535-7185

BM's sister-in-law's relative?/friend?

Gotta check these out someday soon. I think I have to take a day off from work to trek to each place, show them the problems, ask for a quote, and compare. Hopefully they can beat the $550 that I was quoted at the sample sale.

Here are my possible solutions for the dress problems:

• tear on side: take in a little of the fabric (probably on both sides so that it's even)
• tear below the zipper: probably the same fix as outlined above
• horizontal tear around the butt-area: add some extra beading while sewing through the tear to disguise it (I think this will be the toughest one)
  
• hemming: easiest fix of all? -- happens all the time for short ppl
• nagging of mother about having wasted my money (yeah, show me the 2 dresses that you could've gotten for $400 each -- even David's Bridal wasn't that cheap): IGNORE

On a related note, as I was taking pictures of the dress, I had this strange thought that the dress might be fake. I did notice that there wasn't a Vera Wang label, just a tag that said "JNT LTD" with a bunch of other info, like size, color, etc. on it. The other weird thing was that I wanted to find the dress online so that I could see how it was intended to be but I couldn't find it using the numbers on the label and I thought maybe b/c the model number was just made up by the ppl who knocked it off. I googled "JNT LTD" and it turned out to be a a manufacturer of women's evening gowns in Hong Kong. But I was not convinced (after all a Chinese person could've bought the dress from Neiman Marcus, got it copied on a trip to Hong Kong and then returned it to Neiman so that they could have a Vera knock-off for a fraction of the price -- yes I have a vivid imagination, yet I believe there is more than an element of truth in this thinking). But the only thing I could do would be to call the Vera Wang store the next day to ask if they could verify the authenticity of it. So that whole night I tossed and turned, dreaming of instances where Vera would recognize that it's a knock-off and in order for them to protect their name and reputation, they'd give me back my money or would provide a new dress for me (again, my vivid imagination). The next day, after calling the flagship store on Madison Ave., being transferred once, then told to call the corporate office, being transferred twice, then just getting the person's voicemail, I left a message. The person didn't call me back and I had to try calling 2 more times. Finally, I got the person at 4:50 (she must've loved me for calling so late), explained everything to her and she said it has to be real if it was purchased from the sample sale b/c they check everything so she would mail me a label since I don't have one (she offered a letter at first). She also said that they do do business with JNT Limited, so I am just a paranoid worrywart with a vivid imagination it seems. Things just are never easy for me....

The dress-finding saga

I began (reluctantly) looking for dresses early on b/c I heard that it takes a while to order it (4-5 months), then you have to get several fittings after getting it altered. The idea of a dress that you only wear once, and for Chinese brides that follow the custom, only for a few hours on the day of before you switch to another dress, really doesn't appeal to me and seems like such a waste. So when those sites and magazines had headlines advertising the latest gown styles or 1000s of pictures of dresses that you could browse through, I found myself disgusted with them. But slowly, I started to look at some of the pictures and found a few that were OK.

The first place that I went to was RK Bridal, by the Port Authority. I had heard good things about them, especially their service and decent prices. Their site boldly says that they'll match prices and give a discount off that price if you find it cheaper elsewhere. I had an approximation of spending about $600 b/c that is what I know someone had spent for hers.
RK is huge and perhaps it wasn't wise for me to go there first b/c I really had no idea what I was looking for. The person that you're 'assigned' to doesn't really help you very much b/c she says that she's not supposed to, in case she unduly influences you. So the woman told me to go around, pick out dresses, bring them back, and then she can ascertain what kind of style that I prefer and she can help me better after that. This being my first time, it was hard for me to judge what would look good when off the hanger. It didn't help that I was extremely tired that day (I had gotten up way early to check out the flower district -- more on that in some other post) and I had to reach up high to get these heavy, heavy dresses down.

From what I had read, petite people should not get those big, multi-layered gowns, and I thought that bateau tops (the ones that have little sleeve-like thingies so that the collar mimics your collar bone) would work for me. I was wrong. All the ones that I tried on that had that looked bad on me. It could also be that those were cheaper ones and just wouldn't look right on anyone. Anyway, the sequence of dresses that I tried on is now a blur. I remember at the beginning the woman noticed that I was shy about undressing in front of her (and she was pretty funny about that -- she said, 'I don't know why, I'm a grandma and I have 6 grandkids') so she gave me that fluffy petticoat thing to cover my bottom. She said I didn't even have to take my pants off, so I didn't. But that got very uncomfortable very quickly. You'd never imagine all the heat that those layers could trap. So I eventually took the pants off. I didn't budge on the bra though -- she put on one of those tummy-tucking bras over what I had. Practically all covered up, she then helped me into the first dress (I couldn't tell top from down) and clipped the back with black binder clips. I think this one may have been the strapless Mori Lee one with a pink bow and a colored sash on the hem. Even though the changing room was big, it was difficult to see what the dress was like so she told me to go outside and check it out with the 3-sided mirrors. She even made me stand on that elevated circle thing and it was a weird feeling to have all these ppl (the other workers and customers) looking at me. The woman helping me flicked the train and it spread out completely so that I could see how it looked like. I didn't dig the big train though. The other dresses are truly a blur -- some I didn't like immediately, some were too plain (she said it'd be good for a second marriage), one was really nice but too expensive, a Dere Kiang looked nice on me but in retrospect is too poufy for me. After this exhausting few hours, the woman wrote down the model numbers of the ones that I liked so that I could think about it, and then urged me to come back some other time b/c I would feel differently later on. As we left, it started to drizzle, an inconvenience I didn't care for at that point.

The next episode was at David's Bridal, which I was told had good deals. This place was way out in Queens and difficult to get to. The service here was terrible too, compared with RK. When I walked in, there was a woman sitting at a desk but she didn't acknowledge me so I had to go ask at the customer service desk. They said that I could only look at the bridesmaid dresses b/c I would need one of their consultants to help me and of course I couldn't have a consultant until I was ready (I was waiting for my BM to come help me). So I looked at these f'ugly overpriced dresses and then snuck over to the side with the bridal gowns. I saw a really nice dress with a green bow on a mannequin and I thought that I'd take this one but it cost $900+ so I didn't even bother with it. The other dresses were OK and unlike RK, they had different sizes of almost everything. When they were finally ready to help me, they gave me a catalog and told me to pick out 3 dresses that I like by circling them and dog-earing the page. An hour or so later, a very young-looking woman came out to help us. She showed us to the changing area (but not to a dressing room) and said that she'd gather the dresses that I circled. So we played with the tiaras and veils (I can't believe how expensive they are, especially for something quite simple) in the back. When we finally got to a room (it was so narrow, almost like a public bathroom stall, and not the handicapped ones), she gave us one dress and told me to try it on while she got the others. Again, it was weird stripping. The dresses were nothing to write home about but what made the experience fun was trying to sneak in pictures (BM brought a camera, tee hee!). The first few times she didn't turn off the flash and then she tried to pretend to make phone calls while taking pics w/ a camera phone. What was disappointing was the consultant not being able to produce dresses for me b/c she would say we don't have that color in my size (a difference between a champagne sash vs. a white one while RK didn't care if the dress was 20 sizes too big and in a color that you totally don't want, like pink).

Next (a few days later), I decided to check out Bridal Garden, the place with donated samples and used dresses. This place had the promise of potential designer gowns for a fraction of the price. The selection was small and after combing the two rows of dresses, I only found 3 dresses for a decent price. The dresses were OK and the prices not bad but they were just ordinary strapless ones. One had a gorgeous, full train that looked even nicer pinned up but the front didn't do it for me. This place was steaming hot and it was fun to sneak taking pics again but I left empty-handed. No wait, she gave us a stupid wedding magazine full of bad advertisements and poorly written articles. The worst part was that it was pouring when we left. I was totally soaked when I got to the train station. Is there a pattern of rain and dress shopping?

Jersey Garden mall was my next stop that weekend, on the suggestion of BM whose friend bought a dress there for $100. I was not so lucky. We made plans to go there very early in the day so that we could also visit IKEA and possibly swing by David's Bridal in NJ where there was a $250 off sale going on. This place in the mall was like a smaller version of David's Bridal, with just a few dresses in the back of a store that sold other stuff like casual clothes and prom dresses. The pregnant salesperson was very friendly but I couldn't find anything that stood out. Everything was way too big (it was like an off-the-rack store, like David's, so you either buy what's in the store or order it from their other stores) and ordinary-looking. The most memorable thing was walking back and forth in my socks, dragging the huge dresses along the carpet and getting a lot of static cling and shocking each other in the process. And standing on their uneven, ghetto platform (it was comprised of several blocks put together), I almost lost my balance and fell. The nicest dress that I tried on was also their most expensive ($600, I think) and on display in the window. I wasn't enamored by it though, and I didn't like the color (champagne-ish). The rest of the trip that day was more interesting and we didn't go to the other David's, so it was fruitless in the dress department that day.

After being discouraged, I took a little break. I toyed with the idea of just buying a white evening gown (I saw a couple that looked nice online) and even went to Bloomingdales, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks to try stuff on. One place I saw a mermaid style dress that I kinda liked (if it didn't show off my tummy roll) and another place had a gold-colored strapless Vera Wang that made me look a little wide but felt so comfy. It was not until I heard of a sample sale at Saeyoung Vu in SoHo that I was reawakened to my quest. Even though the description sounded like you didn't need an appointment, when I showed up, they said that I did. So I made one for the next available timeslot and went shopping for the next hour. What I liked about this place was the simplicity of the dresses and how you could pair up really interesting colored sashes to dress it up. The person helping me was quite helpful, showing me the various ways that you could tie the sashes (a bow in the back or on the side, or trailing down the back flowing with the train, or an obi sash in the fashion of a Japanese kimono). Because the dresses are so plain, she said that I could make it fancier by getting a long veil (she let me try on a floor-length one). She also pointed out that Asians don't look the best in ivory because it sort of blends in with their skin so she suggested white or off-white for me (off-white looked slightly better on me). I also learned about the various fabrics out there. Duchess satin is what is the most commonly used material out there (though I think cheaper places like David's use a polyester satin) but I think most of the dresses at Saeyoung were made out of silk so they were very light and comfortable. I learned that dupioni silk is the nubby, slightly shiny material that I thought would make good bridesmaid dresses. My favorite dress (over $1000) had a puddle train (so cool -- it just hits the floor and doesn't extend out so you have the dressiness without the cumbersome qualities and you could still pin it up in the back) and a dropped waist (it's a lower waist and she thought that I looked best in this, probably b/c it hides my tummy and mimics my long waist). The natural waist, though a good coverup for the tummy, didn't give me enough definition there. I also tried on a weird-looking mermaid dress with bows in odd places, which I didn't like at all, but was glad that she made me try it on. After this short time (it was probably just .5 hour), my feet were killing me in the 3 inch heels that she provided for me to try on (I kept imagining how I'd trip somehow, break an ankle, and tear the bottom of the dress). Thankfully there weren't more dresses left to try on and she sent me on my way with a card that contained the facts about the one dress that I liked, along with 2 fabric swatches stapled to the card to demonstrate the difference between white and off-white. Even though I didn't buy anything, and I was pretty sure that I wouldn't buy a dress from them, I left feeling accomplished, since I learned what works for me and doesn't work for me. I may end up buying a sash from them though, since the concept is so cool and it looks pretty neat too.

My hope was renewed and I was comforted that if worse comes to worse, I could buy a plain white evening gown and call it a day. So I zealously checked bluefly.com for the white dresses that I had found. They kept getting sold out or they didn't have my size. Then one day, the white tulle Vera Wang one appeared. I spent hours at work trying to order it with co-workers constantly interupting me. Finally, I got the dress and I tried it on at home, taking pictures for BMs to see. My mother hated it, like all the other pictures that I had shown her before (she kept saying I looked wide in it and she would always say there used to be ads on TV for nice looking gowns for $99; she was probably thinking of David's Bridal, who no longer do the $99 sale). I thought it would suffice if I didn't find anything (they have a 90 day return policy) and I could dress it up with beads or something. When I uploaded my pics, I noticed that the bottom portion was see-through. :)

Next, and almost, last stop was the Vera Wang Bridal sample sale. Held twice a year for crazed ppl willing to line up for hours at a godforsaken time (we got there at 6ish in the morning and there were already 100 or so ppl ahead of us) in order to save up to 75% off. We got there all groggy and half asleep, but still able to befriend some ppl and meet (unintentionally but pleasantly) old friends there. So after waiting these hours, we were finally let in. Despite their guidelines of taking only 3 dresses at a time per group and congregating in the dressing area in the back for no more than 45 minutes, I spent a good portion of time there while my BMs went and brought dresses back for me. It was a very tiring adventure, dress after dress, baring my flabby belly and barely covered breasts (my strapless bra was not behaving!) to a roomful of crazy women carefully guarding their finds. Meanwhile we were not by a rack so we just piled the dresses we found on the floor. In the end, BM's friend spotted a dress that someone no longer wanted and retrieved it. I ended up getting this, despite the tears in the organza overlay because not only did I like the way that I look in it, but it was a great deal. It was originally $3000+ at Neiman Marcus but we couldn't find the sample sale price (all the other dresses had a price written on the inside tag) so we had to ask for it from someone outside. When BM came back with a price of $875, it seemed too good to be true. (We later saw that 1100 was written in an obscure place on the inside in ballpoint pen.) They all told me to get it, even though it was beyond what I originally wanted to spend (and still more w/ the fixes). I think what ultimately convinced me is that all these people kept coming up to me to ask if I was going to keep the dress. The tailors at the sale estimated the fixes (including the shortening of the hem) to be $550! I hoped (still do) that a Chinese tailor can do it for a fraction.

After this, we checked out the bridesmaid dresses, which were $25 each or $100/5! At first, they tried on these pastel green ones which just looked weird and too light for a fall wedding. They did not expect to have to try on stuff that day so it was amusing to have the tables turned and have them change while I remained dressed. In the end, I got 2 floor-length deep red dresses for the BMs and a purple one for my evening gown portion of the evening. The BMs each have a different style but the color is the same for that unity yet uniqueness. Originally I had envisioned them in an orange silk, knee-length dress but the red ones are fine and they are OK with it, so that part is done! My purple dress is strapless and has a little flippy skirt thingy in the back. All of these need major alterations (my dress is a 14) but they are still a good deal, in my opinion.

So while part of the dress saga is done, how to make it perfect still remains. I'll outline that next time, along with the nightmare that I had about it recently.