Monday, July 16, 2012

a wedding update

Following the bridesmaid fittings last Saturday was my wedding gown "try on", which was basically to try on the dress after having ordered it in February. The first fitting where alterations will be determined won't happen till October. I have to admit that a few days after buying the gown irrational fear slowly crept into my heart. What if I bought the wrong gown?!? Should I have tried on more dresses? Is the dress not "fancy" enough for the church? But when Ashley from Ritche unzipped the bag and exposed my dress, I fell in love with my gown all over again. I've decided to name her Audrey. Audrey is unfussy, simple and elegant. So things are slowly coming together. Trying on dresses with the girls is turning things into a reality. My entourage list is finally done and I can now send in the invitation drafts for approval. Which means we can start printing invitations soon. I have to admit that I've had several bridezilla moments since I've gotten engaged. Since the wedding is all the way in Manila, I would stay up till the wee hours of the morning emailing vendors and getting some wedding planning done. The stress manifested itself in thinning hair and pimples (at my age!) and the occasional bursts of tears (yes, I am the biggest crybaby. I cry and tear up at everything, even commercials or that episode of How I Met Your Mother with the teacup pig. I want a teacup pig) One of the best advice that I received is from my best friend (whose first year anniversary is coming up in a week!) who told me that when things are not going as planned, or planning is becoming stressful instead of fun, to remind myself of why I am marrying John and of that long awaited "I do". I'm still learning let things go, to give in more and to be more detached. I still care deeply about details but I no longer obsess about them. I've stopped checking my iPhone multiple times a day, waiting for my wedding coordinator and stylist to email me. My hair's thicker and my face has cleared up. I still cry, but mostly just little tears and they're now tears of excitement, or tears after watching a Bob Nicolas video.

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Sunday, February 19, 2012

the dress + the veil

I can add two big fat red check marks on my list - my wedding dress and my veil.
No offense to other brides out there! But nothing could have dragged me into a bridal store - visions of squealing girls and heavy hideous gowns and crying bridezillas came to mind. I wanted to get my dress made. But at the request of john I dragged myself to Ritche on Avenue road with my parents and sister in tow yesterday morning. Let me tell you that i was more excited about having breakfast at Mcdonalds.
A lovely lady named Anna helped me out. Since I was unprepared, I flipped through a binder of dresses and marked them as i went (i never leave home without floss and post-it page markers), as the girls next door oohed and ahhed over their friend bride-to-be.
Anna brought in five dresses. I tried on the first and second but didn't really like them.
Oh, but the third dress! When I tried it on, I just knew. And that's when i started crying. I didn't even have to try on the others.
Anna clamped me up and I went to show my parents. My sister (also the MOH) and mom started crying and my dad tried not to look because he wanted to reserve all his feelings for the day of.
Anna showed me some samples of veils and I fell in love with a chapel veil lined with lace. It was quite a splurge but I wanted to make sure that the veil is as translucent as possible in pictures.
I gave Anna multiple hugs, thanked her profusely and left feeling even more excited. All my prejudices of bridal stores were dissolved that Saturday afternoon.

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