Okay, so I lied...

Remember that post about me not wanting a big girlie dress? Yah. Right.

After visiting some friends in New West for a BBQ, they mentioned that it was wedding-dress-land all in and around the skytrain station. Cool! I was getting pretty freaked out about not having a dress yet, so I thought I might do a little window shopping...

Store after store plied me with floofy gowns full of sparkly beads and sequins. I was overwhelmed. Questions like "Did you want white, or diamond white?" and "Train or bustle?" EGAD! I had no idea what I was doing, no idea what size I was, and my hair and glasses didn't seem to mesh with anything. But I have to admit, having three people fuss over you at once (even making a size 10 dress fit my size 2 frame) was pretty fun. Much like in "Pretty Woman" when they realize that Julia Roberts has money! Even though I didn't... the price tags on these things were $900 and up, crazy. I didn't know it would be so expensive. Not only that, but with a wedding date quickly approaching, the ever-so-helpful sales staff assured me that I would have to get rush orders, or buy off-the-rack...

So I was feeling a little empty as I left the last store - both in my heart and my pocket book.

And then, on the horizon, I saw something that I didn't even know existed... a consignment bridal store! A store full of dresses that had already made the cut! Pre-edited! And within my budget! It was serve-yourself style (man, did my arms get a workout) with super-helpful sales staff and a totally informal atmosphere. I was surrounded by women having weddings on-the-cheap, women getting hitched at the last minute... I felt like I was part of a little bridal family. We complimented each other, gave each other the thumbs-down when necessary, it was FUN! I tried on dress after dress that needed no alteration either than a hem. I even found two that I liked and was going to come back to see with SnowVixen on Thursday! So as I was about to leave, I passed by the size 6 aisle and saw THE DRESS.

It was massive, with a crinoline and yards and yards of SILK, gorgeous soft and flowing ivory silk that felt exquisite to the touch. And I tried it on and it FIT to a T, no alterations except for the hem. This was the neckline I had been looking for all morning, this was the pretty open back. And there's BLUE on it! So pretty and unique! Even the crinoline is blue!

This wedding dress came with a story. The owner had it made at "Something Blue" in Yaletown, apparently a verrrrrrrrrry posh place, for $3500 (OMIGOD) and NEVER WORE IT. Ouch. Poor dress has never seen the aisle. She's been trying to sell it, but it's too little (I don't think it's really a size 6?) and kinda different. I think different-cool. It was selling for $600!

I couldn't take the dress off, it was THE DRESS. I had initially thought that I wanted something with a tighter mermaid skirt - the aerobics instructor in me liking tight things - but then I realized that brides are supposed to be pretty, not sexy. Or maybe a little of both. But more pretty. I also found that all the strapless styles would require me to wear those awful jelly -boobs. Yuk. If it ain't mine, I don't want it in my dress! Plus I'd be one of those brides that would be walking down the aisle, and sweating so much that the jelly-boob would slip out, fall out of my dress and quiver on the floor just close enough to me to make it into the pictures.

I told Jason about it over the phone last night (he is in Kelowna this weekend) and he laughed at me, turning into Bridezilla. Now my sister will have to get a fancier dress, which is hard since she's having a baby any day now (yay!) and won't be able to buy something until she hits Edmonton a few weeks prior to the big day. But I'm not worried, things have a way of falling into place it seems.

Yay! I get to be a princess for a day!