Rob and Kiesha Get Married

The Countdown is on.

So today was the day.

Melissa and I jumped in my car and drove off toward Cincinnati this morning at 9:30 a.m. We got to the “Bridal District” of Reading around 11:30.

“District” is an understatement. Imagine shop after shop for blocks and blocks being completely devoted to weddings and proms. It’s craziness.

We found the shop, Carrie Karibo Bridesmaids.

Cute shop.

I set to work immediately, withdrawing the printed picture of my dress, the dress I have come to love over the past few years. And of course, they didn’t have that one in stock. So I tried on a similar style. It was the right length and cut, but it didn’t have the sleeves.

And you know what? I didn’t really look that good in it. True, it was a couple of sizes too small, so I was holding the back closed and trying to imagine it in a larger size, but it just wasn’t working for me…so I tried on other dresses (gasp!)

It was sort of amazing having two different women rushing up to me with dresses in hand, “How about this one? Do you like this one? Do you want me to put this one in the dressing room???” So I started trying stuff on. Some didn’t warrant pictures, because they wouldn’t zip up enough to stay on me, or because they were just not right.

Here’s one that got consideration:

This one was definitely more wedding-y than anything else I’ve ever considered, but I just don’t know about strapless. I feel like I’d be yanking at it all night and that’s not very becoming of a bride.

So we trudged on, trying on a multitude of dresses, until we came to this one:

Now, the thing I’ve come to learn about bridal shops is that the employees must have awesome imaginations, because they only stock one dress in one color in one size. So this one is obviously not white and not at all my size. In this picture, the back is gaping open and I’m holding it back with my arms.

But I really really like it. Which is amazing, because I didn’t think I would like a long dress. But the lady pointed out that the length and the scoop neck work to make me look taller and leaner, which I’m sure every bride is after.

Another view:

They found basically the same dress in a larger size for me to try on, although this one was tea length and now in vibrant purple! But this time I was able to zip it up (and subsequently swim in it), and they were able to clip up the back to give me a better idea of how the top part would look. So, in this photo, focus just on the top and not the length.

So, I think we have a winner. I’ve got until April to order it, so I’m going to go check out a couple of more places, but I like this one because a.) it’s still a fairly simple dress without too much fussiness going on and b.) the price is right.

I should really hammer home the point that I will not be wearing a blue or purple dress. It will be white. They just didn’t have any white ones available in this style for me to try on.

Mission (almost) Accomplished.

The first major upset of the wedding vendor campaign has occurred!

We decided to go with a different caterer! We sent in the deposit yesterday for Caterers Three, instead of Weiland’s Gourmet Market.

More as it develops.