I spent the great majority of my day doing something that was originally designed to be fun, easy and memorable. It has, however, recently evolved into an experience that will leave one bride-to-be with an overwhelming desire to elope.
Shopping for a wedding dress . it may not be what you picture when you think about it.
The summer is quickly approaching and I have spoken to many women, who like myself, are on the verge of becoming Mrs. So and So.
I would just like to briefly share some of what I have recently encountered with the hope that it may help a few of you.
First of all, determine your budget. Traditional gowns do not come cheap. Consider all of your options . you could buy (ouch), rent (hmm …) or buy used (ew!).
Each one presents its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Ideally, we would all design and buy our own dream dress. However, that is not often practical.
We could buy a used dress, which is much more economical, but how do you know its history . do you really want to say your “I dos” from a dress that may have been a precursor to an ugly divorce?
How about renting? That may seem like an awful lot of money just to wear it once, but consider the circumstances. In all likelihood (and hopes), we will only wear this dress one time, anyway. I know I hope never to have to wear another wedding dress.
The tradition of passing the gown through generations seems to be fading gradually. It is a beautiful idea, and if that is your desire, more power to you, but it’s not the common choice anymore.
I read somewhere that the average cost of a wedding in the year 2000 was $16,000. Did you see that? $16,000! That could buy a new car, a boat, a deposit on a house or a child, for goodness’ sake. I don’t mean to sound crass, but honestly, most foreign adoptions could be proceeded with less money. It just seems like such a waste.
I think, after days of trying on dress after dress, in store after store, from stereotypical salesperson after salesperson, I have decided to rent a gown. This way, I can have it sized to fit, pick it up a couple of days ahead of time, and return it a few days later, free of hassle and stress.
Now . the bridesmaids’ dresses? The cake? The tuxedoes? The reception? The invitations? The thank-you cards? Ah! Good luck to all of you who are in this boat with me! If nothing else, at least this time will be memorable.
Traditionally the word “memorable” has carried good connotations . now I’m not so sure.

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