Wedding Chicago: The Quest for the Right Dress

May 27, 2005

When I got engaged I was so excited about shopping for that one perfect dress.  I thought my mom and I would go together to some of those fancy bridal salons and surround ourselves with silk dresses all calling my name.  Well, the reality of dress shopping was a lot different than what I had imagined.  My girlfriend and I hopped from one salon to another desperately searching for something that was at least somewhat presentable.  All in all, my quest took on a life of its own.

Let’s get this out in the open right now - I am not a size 6.  I have never been a size 6 and I don’t see that in my near future.  I was heavier when I first got engaged, so that made my experience a little different. 

The samples in a bridal salon are usually around a size 6 or 8, so it’s a challenge for a bride who’s a size 10 or 12.  Every salon my girlfriend and I entered had dozens of brides and their families milling around, yanking dresses off the racks in their search for the right dress. When we found a few samples we liked, the friendly saleswoman showed us to a large dressing room to try on the dresses at our leisure. 

This is the moment that my experience gets a little shaky.  Because I was over the normal size for their dresses, they would often pin a dress on the front of my body to give me an idea of what the dress would look like in the right size.  If that didn’t convince me, they would have me try on this dress and use these orange clips to bring the dress together in the back.  Oh, it gets worse.  Then, they would parade me out toward the 3-sided mirrors in front of the other brides and their families to get a better look at myself squished inside this teeny, tiny dress.

As you might have gathered, I don’t have the best memories of dress shopping.  I ended up buying a gorgeous dress online for $400.00 less than the price in one of the fancy bridal salons.  The process will be different for everyone, but if you can, try to take a friend or a loved one along with you.  You can also try shopping online for your dress, just make sure they have a good return policy.  All is not lost.  You’ll find the right dress that works for you.

Have a great day!

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