Sara & Ryan's Wishes PJ & TR ~ 8/17/10 WP/GF/Marina ~ 1/22 Thank you!

[Ann117]

Everything sounds great so far. I love the will you cards. Can't wait to read more!!

[pezaddict231]

Hey everyone, just wanted to give a quick update before heading to bed.

It took me forever to get to the Bridal shop, bad mapquest directions! Curse you Mapquest, you've made a fool of me for the last time!

It told me to go right on a certain road when I should have gone left.

I got to the shop and it was crazy in there, they showed me where the Maggie dresses were and had me take a look while they got the room ready for me. I found the Yara dress, and two others I liked, Bianca and Flora by La Sposa.

So I put on the Yara. I really wanted to love it. I have loved this dress for over a year! But I didn't love it on me. It was pretty, and I would have liked it as a fancy party dress in another color but it was too plain for me.
http://www.maggiesottero.com/collect...=0&pageSize=12

Then I tried on Bianca. This was more like it! I really liked this, it made my waist look tiny! Loved the detailing on the skirt, and does it scream princess or what? Plus I can perfectly recreate the Scarlett O'Hara on the staircase scene in this! Only downside is the top is cut pretty low, and I'm pretty busty so I felt like I was really 'out there' if you know what I mean. I asked the girl if maybe I needed a larger size, but she said no, that's how it would fit.
http://www.maggiesottero.com/collect...=0&pageSize=12

Next was Flora by La Sposa. This was so pretty. I liked the ruching and how soft the organza looked. This one did not lace up so it didn't fit as tight as the Bianca did. Also very Scarlett O'Hara.
http://www.splasposa.com/ls2009/indexLS2009.html

My Consultant pulled two more dresses for me. But only one mattered, it was Carrie by Maggie Sottero. The bottom doesn't really look like in the picture, it's fuller and the pick-ups sit a little differently.
http://www.maggiesottero.com/dress.a...12&style=J1287

Since I was by myself I had to rely on the opinions of the consultants and other customers. When I came out in Yara, it was like "oh pretty".

When I came out in Bianca...oooh that's so flattering, very nice dress.

When I came out in Flora.....Oooh that dress is so nice, the organza is so pretty, it's very flattering on you.

When I came out in Carrie...WOW, that dress is gorgeous on you!

It was funny because it didn't look like much on the hanger, and it laces up, so when I put it on I really didn't know what it looked like. I just had people ooo'ing and ahh'ing me until I went to the mirror. And then....

It was exactly how I wanted to look, it was so elegant but also whimsical with the pick-ups, I loved all the fabric detail. It made me look soooo skinny and taller - and what girl doesn't want that! It was the perfect balance between princess and movie star. I just loved it.

I tried on another one after that, it was just too plain, it had the ruching but the skirt was plain. After my Carrie, it was eh.

The consultant was so sweet she asked me if I wanted to try on one of the older ones again, and I had to try on Carrie. I loved it even more.

I have to say, before dress shopping, I thought I wasn't a huge fan of the lace up but it really makes a huge difference in the fit of the dress.

And the best part of all....Carrie is only $855! I couldn't believe it! Something I like is actually the cheaper option! That never happens!

Still have more shopping to do on Saturday, but I think I found the one....

[pezaddict231]

Just realized the La Sposa link doesn't work properly, Flora is 75/100 in the 2009 collection, there is a link on the bottom to change languages.

[LLLBelle]

Congrats on having a good luck at the dress shop, the carrie dress looks gorgeous, I can't wait to see pics of you in the dress. I loved the La Sposa line as well, but they were too pricey.

The lace really makes a difference, plus if you lose some weight (this is the benefit for me) they just have to tie it tighter rather than having to have it altered like a zip back.

[princess22]

All of those dresses are gorgeous. I think Carrie is a great choice. I'm sure you're going to look beautiful in it!!!!

[MainStMandy]

WOW...the carrie is just gorgeous!! I love it. The detail is just amazing. i know what you mean about it not looking right on the hanger. I would have NEVER tried my dress on but my consultant brought it to me and I loved it. How exicting!!

[GoonieBride]

that dress is beautiful!! i'm glad you found the dress. I have to admit if i didn't find my la sposa dress on sale i wouldn't have been able to afford it.

but the carrie dress is just wow!! congrats!

[Bridie1996]

I love the "Carrie" dress. I'm currently trying to decide between MS's Carrie and Adelaide, so I think you've made an excellent choice in dresses!

I'm from Long Island too, and while I live in DC now my parents are still back there. I looked into planning something there and decided Disney was the way to go!

[Pirate's Princess]

Those dresses are great!! And hooray for liking the cheaper option...that never happens for me.

[pezaddict231]

Originally Posted by Pirate's Princess

Those dresses are great!! And hooray for liking the cheaper option...that never happens for me.

I know! I told DF about the price and he was shocked, he was like "that never happens!" I can seriously go into a store where everything is on sale but I will find that one thing that isn't!

Originally Posted by Bridie1996

I love the "Carrie" dress. I'm currently trying to decide between MS's Carrie and Adelaide, so I think you've made an excellent choice in dresses!

I'm from Long Island too, and while I live in DC now my parents are still back there. I looked into planning something there and decided Disney was the way to go!

Oooh, both seem really pretty. Good luck deciding! I can't take credit for the Carrie dress it was all the consultant. Aww, cool, yeah we thought about having it up here, but financially it just wasn't going to happen, and I couldn't see spending all that money when all I really want is Disney! DF is very excited about it now too.

Originally Posted by GoonieBride

that dress is beautiful!! i'm glad you found the dress. I have to admit if i didn't find my la sposa dress on sale i wouldn't have been able to afford it.

but the carrie dress is just wow!! congrats!

Thanks! I really love it! I'm trying to keep an open mind still and feel like I should do some more shopping. The La Sposa line is beautiful, if only it had a lace up back...

Originally Posted by MainStMandy

WOW...the carrie is just gorgeous!! I love it. The detail is just amazing. i know what you mean about it not looking right on the hanger. I would have NEVER tried my dress on but my consultant brought it to me and I loved it. How exicting!!

Thanks! I thought it was so beautiful and kind of different too. I love all the layers of fabric!

Originally Posted by princess22

All of those dresses are gorgeous. I think Carrie is a great choice. I'm sure you're going to look beautiful in it!!!!

Thanks! I wish I had snuck some pics, she did leave me alone in the dressing room, but at that point she had already unlaced it, so it wouldn't have been the full effect.

Originally Posted by LLLBelle

Congrats on having a good luck at the dress shop, the carrie dress looks gorgeous, I can't wait to see pics of you in the dress. I loved the La Sposa line as well, but they were too pricey.

The lace really makes a difference, plus if you lose some weight (this is the benefit for me) they just have to tie it tighter rather than having to have it altered like a zip back.

Thank you! I'm very excited about it! I'm going to another store tomorrow, so we will see if anything else compares. I love the lace-up, it seriously was like it was a magic dress! I've been doing WW for a while, so my only concern is buying a dress now when I might lose more weight before the wedding. I only have 12 lbs to my goal weight, so it won't be a huge difference, but I do feel better with the lace up since they could just pull it tighter and it probably won't need as many alterations. She also said the Maggie dresses come in petite, so they probably wouldn't have to take too much off the bottom either.

We'll see how it goes tomorrow, but I have been thinking about the Carrie dress all day and that's how I am when I want something, I think about it so much and can't get any rest until I have it!

[pezaddict231]

So today I went dress shopping with my sister. We stopped in a small salon near my apt. since I knew they carried Maggie dresses. I wasn't crazy about this place, they were very pushy with the lady even asking me if I was planning on buying the dress today. Ummm, no. I had told her at the beginning it was one of my first times shopping, and made references to maybe bringing my mom back. I also never once said that the dress was the one or that I loved it. I just said that it was pretty and I really liked it.

Here's the only one I liked, it's Maggie Fiorella. I also didn't like how they changed the style names to numbers so I had to look this up when I came home.

from the front:


from the back:


She kept saying how I would never find a dress more beautiful and that kind of rubbed me the wrong way too.

Afterwards we went to lunch and then had another appointment. This store carried a lot of Maggies but it didn't seem like they had many of the newer styles, and they did not have Carrie. I did try on the famous Victoriana, it is a beautiful dress and I can see why it's so popular with the disbrides. It really is a princess dress. I like how in this pic you can see my sis in the mirror taking her sneaky pics!


Another that I liked, Jean by Maggie.


Overall I liked the consultant at this place, but what kind of annoyed me here was she kept pulling me full on ballgowns, but that's not really what I wanted. It was kind of like she decided since I'm getting married at Disney I need a ballgown. She did say that they could order Carrie for me though and at $100 cheaper than the other store!

I think it's official...Carrie is my gown. Every dress I tried on, did not compare. I was always like, oh the other dress this...or the other dress that. I was really sad that I couldn't try it on again.

I'm going to go back to the other store next Saturday with my Mom and both my sisters and try on the dress and see if they will match the price.

We looked at some BM dresses, and found one we liked. It's by Bill Levkoff. It was really cute and fun looking.
http://www.billlevkoff.com/#/9/bill-...tyle-370/1188/

Afterwards we went to a different shop that had the Alfred Angelo dresses, but I did not like any of the ones I saw online in person. The one with the flower was weird looking in person and the flower was kind of cheesy. So that was disappointing but we did find the BL dress we liked earlier.

I do have to say that dress shopping is exhausting!

[GoonieBride]

dress shoping is sooo much fun!!! take some pictures of the carrie dress so we all can see it!

[pezaddict231]

I definitely will! I think my sister had perfected taking the sneaky pic...she really just looks like she's texting.

[Pirate's Princess]

Congrats on the Carrie dress!!

[LLLBelle]

I love the BL bridesmaid dress, it's very classy. I'm glad you felt the same way about the Alfred Angelo dress, it's just disappointing because they look like that would be really cute dresses.

Yeh, for finding your dress!! The Carrie dress is beautiful.