It was the day every girl dreams of — shopping for the wedding dress! One of my best friends and bridesmaids, Brielle, came to visit and demanded that we at least look at dresses while she was in town — we didn’t know if she’d be able to come down with my mom in a month, and it might have been her only chance to join me in this occasion… (or so we both argued with our inner voices that were saying not to go without my mom). I gathered a party of girls to go with, and off we went to the one shop we were allowing ourselves to indulge in: Boulder Bridal. We agreed that we weren’t looking for “the one”, but that we were hoping to nail down the shape and material, so we could be a little more efficient when my mom came to look.
When we walked in, the store was less than the glamorous first shopping experience I had hoped for — the room was poorly lit, slightly dingy, and stuffed with dresses in every corner. However, the owner and consultant, Nadine, made up for every flaw the shop itself might have had. She was hilarious, flattering, knowledgeable, and best of all, an alterations EXPERT. Nadine was able to stick a pin here or there and make the dress fit much better than the clunky construction-style clips consultants use to tighten oversized dresses. Want a sweetheart neckline? “No problem,” Nadine would say, as she quickly (and surprisingly un-awkwardly) twisted a pin down my cleavage and around my bra. And, of course, it looked perfect!
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Nadine, the owner and consultant at Boulder Bridal, does all the alterations herself!
After trying on several gowns and FINALLY getting the feeling that I was a bride, I tried on a dress that I had initially hated. It was a lace, bead-covered, fit-and-flare with funky but beautiful ruffles on the bottom half. Sounds a bit overwhelming, right? I thought so too at first. But after much encouragement by my friends and family that were there, I decided to give it a go. Oddly enough, it fit like a glove and moved beautifully! I may have found a contender!!
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The bottom of the contender from Boulder Bridal - no full shots allowed yet! Notice the beaded lace and ruffles
When my mom was able to come to Denver a few weeks later, I scheduled two back-to-back appointments with the two most highly-rated shops in the Metro area: Anna-Be and Little White Dress. I had heard incredibly good things from other gown-shopping friends, and was excited to get the full “bridal” experience. I had a better idea of what I was looking for — I loved the fit-and-flare/mermaid dresses, and really loved the feeling of silk satin.
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My fearless (and all-too-patient) shopping team! From left to right - My Grandma Marge, me, my mom Dana, and friend and bridesmaid Brielle.
When we walked into Anna-Be, near the Highlands of Denver, we were greeted by several lovely consultants, and guided to our room. At that point, they offered us champagne (!!) and water, and allowed us to roam around in search of the perfect gown. I was blown away by the gorgeous selection, brick walls, and contemporary feel. Unfortunately, I was also blown away by the prices. I was hoping to keep the attire budget under $1500 (including alterations and vail), but was finding only a few dresses alone that were less than that. We grabbed a few, and discouraged, I tried them on. Instantly, I could see and feel the difference in quality and uniqueness! I realized then that my budget was going to have to change if I wanted the dress of my dreams.
By mistake, I found another contender… I had been looking at a beautiful mermaid gown with ruffled bottom, but I wasn’t a fan of the top. The consultant I was working with suggested trying on a different dress by the same designer; apparently they could order that top with the ruffled bottom. When I put it on, though, I fell in love… with the BUTTONS! It had gorgeous white buttons that went from the top to the very tip of the train. The Martina Liana dress was gorgeous, and with a unique belt, the look was complete!
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The gorgeous, unique belt that finished the look of the second contender.
On to shop #3: Little White Dress. Another beautiful, bridal dream shop in the Highlands area, that boasted a similar experience in a slightly smaller shop. The dresses here were even pricier, so my selection was even more limited. There was one dress, though, that caught my attention. It was a glamorous, gorgeous ivory Justin Alexander, kimono silk dress with… get ready… top to bottom BUTTONS! And to make it better, every fifth button had beadwork similar to the top of the dress. B-E-A-Utiful. I put it on, and instantly (and for the first time) got THAT feeling… that it was “the one.”
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A bit of detail from the back of the Justin Alexander dress.
Unfortunately, it was more than double what I was planning on paying for the dress and I couldn’t justify spending that amount on a dress, so we walked away empty handed.
After a busy and stressful trip to another shop that was going out of business, “Priscilla of Boston”, we decided to call it quits. I had tried on over 40 dresses, and couldn’t even designate one from the other in my head anymore. I knew it would take another visit to see my top dresses… but to see the final decision, see Part 2…
