W is for Wedding Gowns

I got my wedding gown ten days after I got engaged to my husband. I was home in Canada for Christmas and on a whim, my mother and sisters and I went to a small bridal shop in a small town called Elmira, Ontario (about ten minutes from where Mom lives) "just to take a look".

My perception of what my wedding gown was going to look like definitely changed over the years. I remember being really young and wanting something similar to my First Communion dress, which was a simple, cotton "little girl" dress along with thick, white tights and white shoes. Throughout my youth, teenage years and early twenties, that design changed often and I wondered with anticipation what it'd actually end up looking like.

When I was in the bridal shop, it was a wonderful experience. The seamstress went above and beyond to help me find something that I'd like, even if I didn't end up buying that day. It was so special to be able to share the browsing with my mother and sisters - especially since that now we all live so far away from each other; we were able to be together for what would be the most beautiful day of my life. They knew my taste and they helped me pick about five or six gowns to try on.

The first dress was... okay. It didn't really fit me well and I didn't like it on me that much. The second dress was awful. It was such a gorgeous gown but ended up looking like a big box on me. I remember being in the dressing room a little sad after that, wondering if I'd ever try on something that I'd end up liking. Where was I going to find my dress?

I put the third gown on and walked out. I lifted the skirt carefully so as not to trip over it when I climbed up on to the platform in front of the mirrors. My mother had a huge smile on my face and my sisters nodded in approval. It was a lacy, off-white, A-line gown that had a beautiful champagne ribbon under the bust with a bow. There was another bow at the back of the gown, near where my knees were to give it a slight mermaid feel. It was perfect.

Of course, it needed to be altered significantly. It didn't fit me perfectly, but I'm not sure many wedding gowns initially do. I wasn't a fan of the spaghetti straps on the gown - I asked for cap sleeves instead, knowing that my future husband wasn't a fan of strapless. My final fitting was the following July, when I went back to Canada for a friend's wedding. It fit perfectly, the cap sleeves ended up looking fabulous and I was overjoyed to finally put on the gown that I'd been dreaming about my entire life for my special day.

(Oh, and my veil? I made it myself, using tulle and some fantastic lace I found downtown Los Angeles. Turns out that mantillas are super easy to make - and absolutely gorgeous!)