So I don’t know how I missed it, really, because I think it’s fairly obvious that I am a person who loves some quality television, but until this past Saturday, I had never seen a single episode of Say Yes To The Dress.
SHOCKING, isn’t it?
I’ve been hearing people talk about the show (which chronicles the behind-the-scenes drama of brides-to-be who are on the hunt for the perfect wedding gown) for the last year or so, but I never made a point to watch. Since I was never a girl who wanted to be a princess and spesh-ul and all that on her wedding day (I have issues with being the center of attention, and the primary issue is that I CANNOT STAND IT), sometimes I don’t really relate to wedding shows where brides are super-obsessed with all the details surrounding their ceremonies and receptions and photographs and flowers and whathaveyou. It makes me very tired.
But.
Saturday afternoon I was doing a little channel surfing while A was at a friend’s house and D was saving the world from certain peril on the Xbox, and I ran across a SYTTD marathon. I started watching because I am a little fascinated that nobody seems to wear sleeves anymore when they get married – THE WHOLE WORLD’S GONE STRAPLESS, MY FRIENDS – and sure enough, the girls on the first show I watched tried on strapless gowns exclusively. Clearly they have some upper arm confidence that I myself have never possessed. So I watched another episode. And another. And by that third episode, I was hooked. My DVR will be on SYTTD duty from here on out.
From this day forward, if you will.
Watching a show about women trying to find a wedding dress made me think about what that process was like for me back in the late 90s, and honestly, I thought that shopping for a wedding gown was pretty stress-free. When Mama and I were looking at wedding gowns one day in Memphis, I saw a dress that I had loved when I was browsing in a store in Baton Rouge a few months before. It was discontinued, but the Memphis store had my size in stock. It was the second dress I tried on, and that was that. Easy breezy.
The show also made me wonder how many of those girls are going to look back on their wedding gowns and regret their choice. I have a couple of friends with some significant Wedding Dress Regret, mainly because their taste has changed a bunch since they got married. And even though I don’t really think about my wedding gown that often, by the time I watched my fourth episode of SYTTD I was pulling out our wedding album and trying to figure out if I’d still say yes to my dress some 14 years after I walked down the aisle.
Perhaps a visual aid would be helpful.
Now. I will share my thoughts in a handy numbered format.
Thought #1) Hey. Nice bangs.
Thought #2) Seriously. Wasn’t there somebody around who could have helped me a little bit with my bangs? THEY’RE ENORMOUS.
Thought #3) I would give anything to look that rested again.
Thought #4) And also: to be 40 pounds thinner again.
Thought #5) So far I’m not really focusing on the dress, am I?
Thought #6) I could live without the little rosettes on the sleeves.
Thought #7) There’s a little bow behind the bouquet. I could live without that bow, too.
Thought #8) I like that the skirt is very simple and plain.
Thought #9) I’m a little shocked that I still really like the dress – even with the rosettes and the bow – 14 years later.
Thought #10) Conclusion: I would still say yes to my dress.
Thought #11) Conclusion: I have to say no to those bangs, though.
So what about y’all? If you’re married or have been married before, would you still say yes to your dress? Or do you wish you’d gone in a different direction? Or are you so sentimental about your wedding day that you’d look back on a dress made from potato sacks (adorned with seed pearls, of course) with fond memories and tears in your eyes?
If you need me I’ll be in the comments – waiting to hold your bouquets and fix your trains, of course.
I love this post. I’m sorry that I don’t live in the U.S. and cannot tune into this show, because I’m sure I would LOVE it.
I have been married almost 33 years – and YES my taste has certainly changed (thank the Lord). BUT, I look back at my dress (the 2nd one I tried on) – off the rack of Frederick & Nelson’s (not to be confused with another store that had a similar name back in the day) – this was a nice department store, along the lines of Macy’s – anyway, I think I did a fine job. Keep in mind I was 19 years young.
The funny part: it was dotted Swiss. Fast forward 33 years and my husband and I live in Zurich for his job. I love the symmetry of that.
I will be peeking back here to comments – can’t wait to read what others have to say.
It will be 46 years for us in a couple of weeks. I kept my dress until about 2 years ago, when my daughter decided that she wanted to be married in something very simple (my dress would have been out of place at a beach wedding!). It was pretty simple, similar to yours in shape, but with long sleeves and some stitching design on the front. Buttons, ’cause you’ve gotta have buttons. As I recall I paid $120 for it and was appalled because I’d never bought anything so expensive. I still liked it when I gave it away to someone on Craig’s List. I hope she got some use out of it. I have gained >100 lbs since I wore it and it was unlikely I would ever wear it again. I had no real sentimentality about keeping it.
I wore my mother’s dress. You can see it here http://www.owlhaven.net/2008/10/30/our-love-story-fairy-tale-wonderful/ It is simple and elegant and flattering and the price was certainly right. I still love it.
Mary, celebrating 25 years with my prince this summer
I saw the top 1/2 of my dress in a bridal magazine and knew that was the one I wanted! I searched and searched and finally found one I could go try on…6 hours away. It was the only dress I ever tried on! It was definitely THE ONE and when I got back to my hometown, we ordered it from a local bridal shop. I still LOVE it to this day, 7 years later.
Have a look-sie! http://athomewiththebilletts.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html
We’ll celebrate 14 years on the 20th of this month, and I just had to smile when I saw your wedding pic….so many similarities to my own. Flipped out hair? Check. Bangs. Double check. (I think mine may even have had about a 1/2 inch more “poof” to them) :) And I am thanking the Good Lord that I got married when I did, before the strapless dress trend hit full force….because that ‘upper arm confidence’? Not so much. Overall, I still really love my dress…..short sleeved, a-line skirt, just a little “sparkle”, but not over the top. I’d choose it again in a heartbeat (along with the groom…he’s a keeper, for sure!) Wish I had a blog so I could link to a picture….it’s been fun looking at your other commenters’ dresses! I’ll have to check back in the morning to see more!
We will celebrate 22 years together this December. I borrowed my wedding dress for my wedding that was planned in 2 weeks. No, I was not with child. We simply decided 2 weeks prior that we could not live another day without each other. My wedding was in my aunt’s living room and her neighbor was a judge who married us. The total cost of my wedding in 1989? $400.00, including the borrowed dress.
Wouldn’t change a thing!
I got married in December 1977. Stupidest thing I ever did was get married a week before Christmas. We’ve never been able to take an anniversary trip ON our anniversary. Any brides-to-be? DO NOT get married close to Christmas! :)
That said, my dress *did* have long sleeves. I was in college, my husband-to-be was working, my parents were divorced and each raising another family, and I was the oldest child so I wanted my parents to pay as little as possible on my wedding.
My dad and his wife offered to buy my dress. I never went to a bridal shop to try one on. I found it in the J.C. Penney catalog for $99 – and I still love it. Although my style has changed, I would still pick a similar dress even if cost were no object.
I got married in December as well, only a few days before Christmas and I’ve never regretted the date. Not a good choice if you work retail or other jobs where you’ll never get time off, but for us we’ve always had it work out very well for anniversaries. We do end up doing a lot of joint anniversary/Christmas presents to each other so some people might not like that, but I’d just as soon do it that way.
I picked my dress out during a day of shopping with my mom. Neither of us are shoppers so we were thrilled to find one at the second store we visited, and the 7th dress I tried on. I still love it, and think I will continue to do so. I am very very pale so pure white doesn’t usually look the best on me and I went with an ivory dress and wondered if I’d later wish that I’d gone with white. And it was 8 years ago, but the strapless dress thing had already started apparently because one of the reasons I didn’t try on a mountain of dresses was after ruling out all the strapless ones, the selection was much more manageable! Strapless just does not flatter me, both because of upper arm and cleavage concerns, and it was a very easy decision to avoid it.
Can’t believe you’ve never watched Say Yes to the Dress! My daughter loves it.
Go here to see my dress and my daughter in my dress:
http://itwasbroughtonbylove.blogspot.com/2009/10/wordless-wednesday_21.html
So, yeah, I’d say yes to the dress today!
Ironically, my husband was sitting with me while I was watching Niecy Nash’s Wedding Bash just last night. She was talking about how you know it is your dress if you cry when you put it on and then she started quoting SYTTD. He asked me if I cried, and I said I didn’t think so. It led into a discussion about who went with me to get my dress, did I like the first one, etc. That was over 13 years ago. I still love the dress and would pick it again!
I’ve only been married since 11/08 so my wedding wasn’t that long ago, but I’d still say yes to my dress and think I still will 20 years down the road. It was fairly simple, but very me and made me feel like a princess – http://www.flickr.com/photos/nutsycoco/3087545798/in/set-72157610855292664
I too hate being the center of attention with all eyes on me, but I did feel really pretty on my wedding day which made it a little easier :)
While, yes, it seems the brides have gone strapless, lest we forget that the beautiful Kate Middleton had sleeves on her dress just a little over a month ago? Interesting!
I think my dress, 12 years ago, was a sleeveless version of yours. Given the way my arms look now, 30 pounds later, I would not go for sleeveless, but I do still like my dress. :-) (I had some rockin’ bangs as well!)
Not really fair for me since mine is only three years old, but yes anyways. It was a knee length satin sheath dress, so it was pretty classic! I would also say yes to my red heels again!
I would so say yes to my dress all over again! I could hardly believe my good fortune that God had finally blessed me with my husband, so I think my ear to ear, non-stop grin makes my dress look way better than it every would have. Seriously, I do still love my dress, though.
And can I just say “welcome” to the Say Yes to the Dress family? It is a standing date my 11 year old daughter and I have together every Friday night. We will be tickled to think you’re watchin as well…..
Have a great day!
I am Southern, but my computer keys are sticking. We will be tickled to think you’re WATCHING as well. ;)
P.S. How’s your tooth feeling?
Glad you’ve found SYTTD. I just love that show! I love seeing all the different gowns (even tho they are mostly strapless). I do hate the drama from mothers/friends, tho. Sad. My mom made my dress, and I would still say yes! We went to Oklahoma City and tried on some, and when I found one I really loved, Mom went to the car and sketched it out. We went to the fabric store and found some wonderful satin-sort of material and some beautiful lace and Mom did her thing. Really special! Love reading everyone’s stories of wedding stuff!
You looked beautiful! I love classic dresses. Mine was fairly simple but had lots of beadwork. The only thing I didn’t love about it was that it was very heavy and by the end of the night it hurt to haul that thing around the dance floor.
Ahh, the problems of a first world bride.
My daughters (15 and 10) and I loooove this show! I went one further than you. I pulled out my old wedding dress from the carefully preserved box and both my girls tried it on! Of course it was huge on the 10 year old, but the 15 year old would only need a few alterations. I was so happy that both my girls would say yes to my dress because I don’t see a real live “trip to Kleinfelds with a $10,000 budget” in our future!
I think your dress is beautiful too! I personally had Elvira hair for my wedding day, so I can’t say a word about your bangs!!! :)
I have loved Say Yes to the Dress for several years. It blows my mind the money people spend on their dresses, but I just love seeing all the beautiful (and hideous) dresses they try on. I’ve only been married 10 months, so I still love my dress, but hopefully I’ll still love it years from now. When we were shopping, my mom made the same comment as you about strapless dresses. My dress ended up being strapless, but my mom was the one who picked it out, so she loved it too.
I LOVE your dress! Still! I wore my mom’s dress. She was married in January of 1961 (I was born 10 months to the day later!) and I married in November of 1983. Mom had it professionally sealed after her wedding and refused to open it up until I came home with an engagement ring! We had a dress-opening ceremony and it fit like a glove – no alterations necessary! I still think it’s a beautiful dress, although I’m sure it’s not necessarily what I would have pulled off a rack. I just loved the sentiment of wearing my mom’s dress. It was way too much dress for my daughter 26 years later (also, she was a summer bride), so it’s probably retired now. (She ordered hers from JCrew online and it was perfect! So I’ve missed out on the whole “shopping for a wedding dress” experience. I am not sorry about this!
I would still say yes to my wedding dress. It was simple and elegant, no pearls/bows/ribbons/frills, which was perfect for a HOT afternoon wedding. The only thing I would change is that it was floor length with no train. I would pick one with a train, because, seriously, when ELSE in my life am I going to be able to wear a dress with a train??
Amen to Jody!!!! We have been married for 9 1/2 years. We got married on the 22nd of December. We can’t seem to get away for our anniversary. There is always something going on and if we do have plans the weather ends up changing them. One particular year we had planned on going on a romantic dinner and a blizzard came in. The restaurant closed and we spent our anniversary at Pizza Hut, how romantic!?!?!?
That being said, we are still happily married. We have 2 great kids and are loving life.
As for the dress, I still love it. The strapless craze had hit and yes my dress was strapless. Would I pick the same dress? I don’t know. I would probably get married in the summer and my dress would be a lot lighter and simple, barefeet would be a must. I suppose if I married in the summer, anniversary plans would still be an issue. He would be in the field and unable to get away…it is always something!!
I find this gap in your TV watching appalling. Am so relieved to hear you’ve remedied it. My sister and I were watching it Saturday afternoon, too. I informed her that she will have to say “I feel like a Brri-iide” when we go shopping for her dress some day.
My dress is pretty classic. Sort of like a white button shirt from Ann Taylor. Nothing that will knock your socks off, but will last you for 40 years. It was very much “me” when I was a shy bride of just-barely-20. Scoop-neck with scallops, a cap sleeve, pleated skirt, long train. Now I wish I’d done something more fun or daring, but I probably would have regretted it.
I also regret my hair, but i cut it all off a month before we got engaged and there wasn’t time for me to grow it out 8 inches. I had bangs that were pretty spe-shul, too.
I love your dress. I would not have regrets at all!
I had a VERY simple (strapless) dress because we got married in Las Vegas. A pre-planned event, but a low-key event all the same. However, there was this one other dress I tried on that was halter-style that I remember thinking I looked better in and thought it would have looked better in pictures and I regret that I didn’t choose that one. Because mine was like SO plain it sort of looked like a strapless white sheet of taffeta surrounding me. Which is so odd because I am normally the gaudiest person in any given room. I have no idea why I took this simple-classic route when I am a)so gaudy and b) was getting married in the CITY THAT ORIGINATED GAUDY. Sigh.
When I got married in 1990, all I wanted was a plain cotton dress from Laura Ashley. I had seen their wedding dresses, and I thought they were simply perfect. My family, alas, did not agree. For some reason that I may never understand, I let my mother and my sister Gay [ her name, not her lifestyle] pick out dresses. Gay was a bridal consultant for McRae’s at the time. Lord and butter – my dress was the epitome of 1990 dresses – the sequins! the pearls ! the cut-away sections with net ! the mutton sleeves !!! It also had a pretty long train – what a workout to walk down the aisle !
The strapless gowns – please let that trend end soon! It’s very few young ladies who can really pull that off and no one seems to tell them that! I’m hoping Kate Middleton’s dress will influence a generation!
I really loved my wedding – small simple with all the people I love! But I’m not sure I would pick my dress again. The neckline was a little plunging for my taste…so I can’t talk about the strapless girls too much!
I got my dress from the Penny’s catalog. I tried it on at the store in a fitting room in the sporty wear department. Still like it, wish I could zip it!
I would still say yes to my dress but it was only 9 years ago for me. But yes, I DID go strapless but when I went dress shopping, I had fully intended to NOT get strapless. I’m still not even sure what happened there.
Yeah, and those bangs? Wow, I haven’t had bangs since about the 4th grade and it was the best decision I have ever made. Ok, maybe not THE best but certainly one of the best!
I love that show. I especially like the “what is your budget?” question. Seriously? $10000 for one dress? I think I might faint.
I would still say yes to the dress. In 1991, every dress I tried on made my 5’2″ self look like the Michelin man/Stay Puffed Marshmallow guy. It was all froth and bows. I was really discouraged. One day, the Hubster (then the Fiance), and I were walking through The Mall. There, in the window at Casual Corner (remember that store?), was my dress. It was a straight, slightly bustled, Victorian, with short sleeves, high neck, and no frills! The Hubster picked it out. When I came out of the dressing room, he cried. That’s when I knew.
On a strapless note, I’m hoping and praying that Princess Kate’s dress starts a new trend back to sleeves. I’m really tired of seeing, well, you know what, at weddings!
I would still say yes to my dress. I got married in January 2005, and I actually chose the date to avoid getting married right around Christmas, for the reasons discussed in other comments. However, I didn’t count on getting a new job where our biggest fundraiser of the year usually lands on the weekend of our anniversary, and enrolling in grad school which meant evening classes after work. Oops. We’ve never really taken an anniversary trip, and many years we’ve not even been able to go out to dinner, but that’s OK. Maybe next year… :)
You look beautiful. My dress? Ugh. Straight and fitted. Why?? It did have a really big, cool train, but still.
And weddings kind of annoy me. So much $ and fuss. But I just went to one last weekend in West Virginia. So beautiful. Outside, in the hills, simple decor–lots of Mason jars and wildflowers and little candles. Perfection.
I loved my dress. I got married almost five years ago. It was the third dress I tried on. It was simple and classic, my favorite :) The best thing was that it is two pieces. Skirt and a corset strapless bodice. I have plans (if I can stay the same size) to get a nice simple skirt to put with the top for one of our anniversaries and go to dinner.
I got my dress on sale for $79 at White House/Black Market. It was 4 sizes too big, but my friend did a beautiful job with the alterations. My husband wore his go-to gray suit. I bought the bridesmaid dresses on sale online and we asked the groomsmen to wear black suits. We had no idea that was such a lofty request! I thought every guy over the age of 21 had a black suit. Apparently not! Blondie loaned his black suit to his brother and his cousin got his at a thrift store. I think everyone looked pretty good, especially considering our limited budget!
http://ourlameadventures.blogspot.com/2010/11/wedding-photos.html
Got a BUNCH of comments already…seems we girls LOVE to talk about our weddings!!! Probably second to talking about birthing our babies!!! I’m like you, don’t want everybody looking at me which is why I had an “immediate family only” wedding…is that even a term? Got my dress at Pier One, paid for my own bouquet, got married in the morning because well, why not get up, get dressed and have the rest of the day!! Plus we were both DYING to get to that hotel!!!
When I got married in 1975, the movie Romeo and Juliet was the hottest thing going. So my veil was attached to a “Juliet” cap. I’m sure Juliet never wore anything that remotely looked like that floor length piece of tulle attached to that cap bur I loved it and still do.
My dress was homemade by my aunt and continued the Juliet theme. It had long sleeves and it buttoned all the way up the front. It was, I believe a Butterick pattern.
My bridesmaids all wore pale yellow dotted swiss dresses and we all carried daisies. Just a nod to the hippie generation of the time.
Perhaps the most striking member of the bridal party was my husband. It is a testament to his love for me that he wore a yellow tux. That’s right, a YELLOW tux. I thought he was handsome. What can I say, it was the 70’s.
I love your dress! I only got married 8 months ago and would certainly say yes to my dress. I saw it on David’s Bridal website & went ahead and ordered it. It was the only dress that I ever tried on & I loved it! Best part – it was $79 with free shipping!!
My dress was beautiful. The hair OK. The make-up not too scary. BUT the bouquet was something else. At the time, it was hip and happening and cutting edge. Now it looks like I am carrying a giant potted plant. In the pictures there are three of us- my husband, myself and the plant/ bouquet.
Before I got rid of cable, I loved this show! AND I would still say yes to my dress! Although now divorced, I loved my classic, elegant and timeless style gown … which if anyone wants is available!
Absolutely NOT. I was married in the mid-’80s and my dress has a HUGE bow across the butt. I’ve told all three of my daughters that they are forbidden to wear it. It is hideous. I mostly bought it to make my mom happy–let’s just say the price was right. A couple of months after my wedding I was dress shopping with a friend and found THE PERFECT dress for me. I have regretted my own dress ever since. :(
You were a beautiful bride! I am getting ready to celebrate 19 years of marriage in August (yes, I was a child bride!) and like Pat’s comment above – the sequins! the pearls! the big fat bow on my rear end! Ha ha! That part I would change and also the shiny satin fabric. I did pick long sleeves and I laugh at my inspiration – I was so in love with The Little Mermaid’s wedding gown! Hahahaha! Yes, I admit it! Her poufy sleeves in that animated movie were perfection!
Oh, P.S. I love that picture of you! You look like you just stepped out of Cinderella’s carriage with all the fairy dust around you!
I still love my wedding gown!! We will celebrate our 31st anniversary on June 21st. My gown had sheer long sleeves and I wore a picture hat (remember those?) with a matching sheer overlay (is that the right word?). Anyway, it was the 2nd one I tried on. It was 1/2 price in Sept., 1979, so it cost all of $100. It is hanging in my closet and still makes me smile :)
The strapless gowns?? My grandma calls them “those NAKED DRESSES!!” Of course, my daughter and my cousin’s daughters all chose strapless gowns. They are what’s in style. My daughter, my only daughter, got married on Oct. 22, 2005 in a beautiful antique gold strapless gown. It was the 3rd gown she tried on and we knew it was the one. I paid $1500 for the gown and veil. That’s quite a bundle for this ol’ elementary teahcer who had 2 kids in college at the time. I used every penny of a supplemental contract I earned for her gown. No regrets!!!
My hubby and I will be celebrating our 8th anniversary on the 28th of this month and I would say yes to my dress again. It was the second one I tried on. I dreamt of a tight bodice with lots of puffy tulle for the skirt, but when I tried it on I realized how unflattering it was on my 5’4″ frame. So the second one was breathtaking. Lovely. A strapless (just hit the scene) Maggie Sottero that laced up the back like a ballet shoe. And since I had been working out and had muscles at the time, flabby arms were no issue. I tried on others at different stores later that day, but knew the one I left behind earlier in the morning was “the one.” I still love it. But my only regret was that I didn’t order a size bigger (like I wanted but was talked out of). Because, you see, while most brides use undergarments to give their bosom a lift, I used mine to keep my bosom stuffed into my dress like a spring-loaded toy snake in a fake can of peanuts. And while I couldn’t breathe for the majority of the day, I would like to state that my feet were ever so comfy in my white satin Isotoner slippers.
I will be getting married on Saturday (yep, 5 days away!) on beach in Perdido. We’re from Nashville, so other than the drive, it is a very easy-going, stress free ceremony with just our parents and our pastor and his wife (I was saying AMEN and PREACH about not being the center of attention and all the details of flowers, reception, invites, etc… I wanted to AVOID! AVOID! AVOID!).
So, such a simple wedding required (blissfully) a simple dress. It is a white eyelet knee-length dress with about 1″ wide straps. I plan on even wearing it after wedding day out and about or even to school (I’m a 2nd grade teacher) with a jacket. I think my future self will still say yes to the dress. :-)
I would say no to my dress, and actually said no to it the day of my wedding. It’s quite a sad tale, actually, but in a nutshell…
My mom couldn’t be at the wedding, and I lived on the other side of the country, so doing all the wedding dress shopping alone was no fun. Plus we had approximately $25 to spend on the entire wedding, dress included. I ended up choosing an ivory dress that was technically a bridesmaid dress, and in the picture it was beautiful, simple, elegant and understated. On me however, it looked boring and drab. Wasn’t the best style for my body type at all. So I felt so unconfident on that day, and have regretted that decision ever since.
Gonna get balloons and cake for my pity party now.
Love this post!
My dress was the 3rd dress I tried on…although, i found one I liked even more before I got engaged…but found out it was retired 2 weeks before I got engaged. I still dream about that dress, but am satisfied with what I got. Because, i HAD to look like a princess! :)
Okay…..you had me at strapless! What is it with the strapless thing? Something tells me that this will be one of those fads that we look back on in a few more years and say…..ooops! What were we thinking?!!! There are so few women who actually look good in a strapless dress. I was thrilled when I saw Kate Middleton’s dress…..beautiful sleeves !! I bought the first dress I tried on……I think I paid $200 for the dress…..seemed like a lot in 1981 :) I may review my wedding pictures when I get home tonight.
I was married in 90, but had a 80’s style dress – huge puffed sleeves, highly ornamented bodice, big lace all around the hem & train. I don’t know if I would pick the same dress today if I was getting married, but I was certainly happy with it then. I felt like I looked beautiful and was so happy to finally be married to my sweet man. Almost 21 years and still going strong =)
You look beautiful! Your dress is very pretty–simple lines and not too much detail will always look good. I still love my dress. It was exactly what I wanted. I also love my veil, I wore a cathedral length and I loved the dramatic look.
We celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary yesterday. I am 33 now. I was 21 then. I would probably still say yes to my dress as I loved it then and I love it now. It was gorgeous, it was a sleeveless sort of halter-ish type dress. It had eyelet lace minimally on the waist and the hem. It had the most gorgeous back of a wedding dress I have ever seen and when I was 21 I had a beautiful, strong back. My back still isn’t bad. I would love to try one of those strapless numbers, though – just for fun!
Welcome to the SYTTD world! It’s been my fav for some time now. Did you know they also had a season of SYTTD ATLANTA?? It was Bridals by Lori shop in Atlanta instead of Kleinfeld’s in NY. They used words like “steel magnolia” and “y’all.” Not saying it was a good as the NY version, but it was such a southern joy to watch!
We’re celebrating 25 yrs. this month — so it was the end of the 80’s for us. While I am most definitely NOT a fru fru (how do you spell that???) girl, the sleeves on my gown were curly organza ruffles. So was my tiara. Which was actually kind of an upside down halo with a curly pouf in the back. After I tried on so many gowns I completely lost focus and the ability to make a choice, so my sisters and mom picked it out for me. I have OFTEN thought about what in the world I would wear if I were planning a wedding now because — the sleeveless. NO. NO. NO. I think I’d rather have the curly organza ruffles.
I love SYTTD. LOVE IT. Even more, I love SYTTD Big Bliss (even though the title makes me want to vomit). I love Randy. I don’t see how I could ever get married without at least going to Kleinfeld, if not buying a dress there (ahem, I live in St. Louis), because it will be my one and only chance to meet Randy. I just do not understand the sleeveless thing either, especially for the fat girls. Being a fat girl myself (and comfortable with my size), the last thing I want to do on my wedding day is parade my big pale freckly upper arms down the aisle. Styles better have changed by the time I get married.
I love that show! I worked in a bridal shop owned by friends in our church when I was in high school. That was where I bought my bridal gown. It was pretty quick and easy as I knew exactly what I wanted. I would still say yes today. just wish it would still fit.
The style guy (I cannot remember his name) on SYTTD commented after the Royal Wedding that he was hoping that Kate’s gown would be a good influence on bridal gowns. He said that he was tired of the strapless look. And I have to say, it is not for everyone.
I also have to say that bangs or no bangs, you looked beautiful on your wedding day!
my 18 year anniversary is sunday…i paid $193 for my dress…it had poofy sleeves like princess diana’s (i was a bit obsessed) but a beautiful v back…i might do without the sleeves today..i saw it in a magazine and when i found it was so cheap, i was sold…wish i could still fit into it
Love that show! My dress was a straight, simple one that I bought becuz I had to buy SOMETHING. I would likely take a little more care with the choice if I had a do-over, but a. it was the cheapest of the bunch ($300 smackeroos), b. it was flattering, c. I could actually get it within a month, seeing as I had procrastinated the shop til a month before the big day, so it was the lucky contestant. I actually wanted to wear my mom’s dress, but she had taken it out of the sealed box years earlier, and it got all nasty by the time I got around to getting married. Oh, and my dress was sleeveless (not strapless), and looked great with those above the elbow gloves, but that was before I had floppy arms.
Thought #1) You are the sweetest bride. So pretty. And your dress is too.
Thought #2) I just got married last year, and I love the dress I ended up with, though there was quite a bit of drama getting there.
I was an, ahem, older bride (39). And my friends had been waiting a sweet FOREVER for me to nab a man and do the whole Wedding Thing. I took my two, wonderful matrons of honor with me to look for dresses. It was a disaster. These two women had a million ideas about what dress I needed, based on what they would pick if they were my height, size, coloring, etc. I just wanted a dress that “felt right.” The lights, the sales people, the hundreds of people all nodding, oohing, ahhing – gah! A savvy sales lady, winked and told me, “Honey, you don’t want any of these. I can tell. Its ok. You’ll know.”
Went to a consignment shop around the corner. A solo appointment with the owner. Nice and quiet. No one else’s opinions! The owner asked me a bit about me and my fiance and our love story, and after oohing and ahhhing and squealing, she found me the perfect dress. We both cried when I put it on.
This dress was a floor model and it had never been worn, or even tried on. It was a couture dress, and I got it for 1/3 of the price! No WAY could I have found/bought this dress in a normal shop. It was beautiful, and I felt exactly right in the dress. Lots of folks complimented it at the wedding, but the best reaction was my man. He was blown away. Magical. :)
Oh Sophie, Can’t believe you have never watched!! This is one of my favorite shows. It is so addictive for some reason. Jerry just thinks its so funny that I watch it every Friday night of course after we watch Friday Night Lights.
Sophie, Can’t believe you had never watched it before. Jerry says I am addicted to it. it is for sure one of my favorite shows I watch it every Friday night of course after we watch Friday Night Lights. BTW your wedding dress was beautiful!!!
What I want to know is how you achieved the fairy dust effect down around the place where your dress hem hit the carpet!
I married my Beloved on October 9, 1999. I LOVED my dress! I would say “YES” again to both of them.
The dress was very simple, sort of Elizabethan–a pure white, sleeveless, off-the-shoulder fitted bodice, with beaded detail around the top edge and the waist that dipped in a V in the front, with buttons down the back. But we added buttons so that they continued all the way down the chapel-length train.
I liked my veil, too, but I would probably change the length…I went with elbow length because we had an afternoon wedding, so not very formal. But I feel like it sorta chops me in half in the pictures. Looking back, I think a train-length would have been the way to go.
Either way, married is married. I am so blessed to be making a life with my incredible Man. I’d marry him 51 more lifetimes over…one for each of the United States of America, and also Puerto Rico. :)
Do you know when I read that you had never watched that show, my jaw actually dropped? DROPPED.
I’ve been married for 13 years this summer, and my dress was fine and lovely. I’d probably say yes to it again. I’d definitely say yes to its $300 price tag. Rather than the $11,000 that some of the SYTTD brides are paying. I do remember there was a $600 dress that I was insanely in love with. Removable train and all that. But in the end, we got married with 64 people in attendance, and we had a hambun and cake reception, so my dress was much more appropriate for that sort of thing.
Now. If I were getting married this summer. I’d be ALL OVER a strapless dress. YES I WOULD. So is that still saying yes to my dress that I had?
I don’t know. But I’d definitely say yes to the husband! He’s a keeper.
My first wedding dress – I’d totally say no. For several reasons. I was rebelling against my dear Mom, and refused to let her go with me to buy it, or create an original. ::facepalm:: and, fact: I’d also say no to the groom ;)
My second wedding dress – I repented from my erring ways and Mom created my special dress. I occasionally try it on again to see if I could possibly pull it off as a fun summer dressy dress, but no, it’s too wedding-y for that. So, I still love it. My groom is pretty awesome too. He is an original. I still love him. We just celebrated 4 years last week :)
So so sick of seeing strapless for the last 10 years!
Boomama, you look classic and elegant! :)
What a fun post and comments!!! I still love my wedding dress (from almost 13 years ago), it’s pretty classic, so hopefully it will never look too dated or fad-ish. Oddly enough, I sometimes wax nostalgic about my runner-up dress. It was a totally different style from what I chose, so I sometimes wonder “what if.” But mostly I still love love love my dress (and I wouldn’t mind if my daughter wanted to wear it in 25 years or so). ;-)
LOVED the dress, LOVED the bangs and that wide and enthusiastic smile : )
You were one happy bride.
It occurs to me I still wear my hair in the wedding day style when I am going out somewhere special……..it further occurs to me that I should rethink that SO many years later.
Went wedding dress shopping with my DD and it was well nigh impossible to find a beautiful dress for a young bride with sleeves, she eventually had the most gorgeous ivory thai silk gown with swarkovski crystal beading and a bolero……..(which I paid a dressmaker to sew to the dress…………Modesty is really expensive, these days !
Can I just say that your blog posts continue to be GREAT, even though you’ve been blogging for so many years. So many bloggers I loved now just write recaps of their weekends as posts, which I mostly find boring. But you continue to bring it with original and clever topics. So thanks for writing.
In answer to the question–I’d probably still say yes to my dress. It was simple and classic. And it was not strapless.
I definitely would still say yes to my dress. BUT … originally it was sleeveless and I had fabric ordered from the manufacturer and sleeves specially made for the dress. But looking back, I would now choose to have had lacy sleeves or 3/4 sleeves, not full length long sleeves for a May wedding. But I still love it and am glad I took time to get the sleeves made since that is how I wanted it. (and so many decisions of my wedding were not based on that premise :)
You are absolutely beautiful. Dress, bangs and all. And I am happy to know that I was not the only little girl who always dreamed of a magical wedding day with a fairy tale dress. And for the same reasons. I’m the girl who when she walks into a room hopes nobody notices. I’m not so sure that’s real healthy but that is my reality.
Thanks for sharing the picture Sophie. Really, you are just beautiful.
I would still yes to my dress, but I would have to say no to eating for approximately 6 months to fit into it. :D
And AMEN about the strapless – I would love to be able to pull that off, but I look (or maybe just feel?) like a linebacker in a strapless anything.
I would say yes to my dress. It was pure 1993 gigantic sleeve poof, but I still remember the beautiful fabric and how it made me feel. I would also like to throw my vote in for the return of sleeves. Sleevelessness is a slippery slope to high hems and tube tops! Okay, that is too far, but there should be more sleeved options for girls who are shy about their arm pits or have back fat they would like to minimize.
i had/have upper arm issues too – even 45lbs ago and a size 4 I still made sure my dress had sleeves!
Our budget was small and top to bottom I was in less than $500 total!
my anut made it based on what I wanted
it wasn’t overly adorned – only beading at the end of the short sleeves and neckline and the top of the empire waist. i remember the beading was the most expensive part – like $40/yard and I think we bought 3 yards.
I’d have gotten a makeup artist because I looked ‘underdone’ in pictures.
I did not wear a veil because my husband wanted to be able to see my pretty hair – back then my hair was long, lush, golden blonde and beautiful – i wore it 1/2 up and 1/2 down and curled. I still think it was pretty.
I’d change one thing about the dress and it was minor – i’d still say yes to my dress.
:)
yes, i still like my dress. the rosettes and puffy sleeves make a tad outdated, but at least i had sleeves. i will never fit in it again. i weighed a mere 97 pounds on my wedding day.
what is that sparkle dust around your dress? were you a real princess?
I got married in June, but wanted a long sleeved dress. I go back and forth about whether I would pick it again. I loved it and for sentimentality, I wouldn’t change it. And it really was and is beautiful. My hubs loved it! But there was a dress that I tried on before that one, but it was $200 more. (And my Dad had just passed away, so I was trying to limit the cost.)
THere are two things I do regret… I took my heels off and donned the tennis shoes. Wish I would have never!!! It took away the special-ness of the whole dress. And then, I left in my tennis shoes!!!
As you see from all these comments, we LOVE to talk about weddings and our dresses! I wish I could see all the wedding pictures!
I would still say yes to my dress 17 years later! It’s my veil/headpiece that’s a little overpowering. It was the style then, but it just looks HUGE now. :)
I love it, Sophie! It’s a classic style and the fit is perfect. After reviewing my pictures I think I would choose my dress again, too. Here it is… http://thehillhangout.com/?p=347 And I really think I would still say YES to it. It was simple and what I considered classic, so definitely yes!
PS, what is it with all the red-carpeted churches in M-town? Was a local flooring company having a special on red and every church in town said yes to the carpet?
I was 22 when I got married almost 11 years ago. That was before the strapless dress rage. Since then, I’ve been a bridesmaid in quite a few weddings and have worn strapless. All were pre-baby, so I was okay with it. However, I don’t think my post-baby self would go for it. About SYTTD, what I find so shocking about that show is the number of fiances that shop with their bride for the wedding dress. Call me old fashioned, but I wouldn’t have dreamed of allowing my now husband see my dress before the wedding!
You look purdy! Even with the big bangs, which I am sure were the style then. I watch a little of Say Yes to the Dress but I just cannot stomach what those brides put everyone through. The dads who pay, the mothers who have to help choose, the bridesmaids who always have a opinion. It’s either a cry fest or a gotta-mortgage-the-house fest! I always wonder if they really know what a wedding and marriage is all about. I’m also not fond of the strapless. Do you see how they are always adjusting the tops? Jerking to keep them up. How uncomfortable would that be?
That said – I got married in 1971. I was going to school about an hour and a half from home (and mom) and didn’t get home that often as I didn’t have a car. One weekend mom said I had to pick a dress. She got out the JC Penney catalog and I paged through. I said nope – don’t want one. So she picked one out, ordered it in my size, I tried it on the next weekend and it was just fine. $56 and had lacy sleeves and lace at the top. It was actually quite beautiful. My whole wedding cost about $500. That included food, flowers, and the cake. We got married on a Friday night and went back to work and school on Monday.
I also hated being the center of attention – I was so nervous I shook the whole way through and it was a Catholic wedding with mass! So about an hour later we were finally married. Best day of my life.
Hugs from Minnesota
Marie
I can take that show in small doses…I have had people I know (we’ll leave it at that and not reveal HOW I know them) go to such incredible lengths for perfection at their weddings that it kinda makes me sick, and too many of those girls on the show are like that.
Anyway.
Almost 2 years ago, on our 10th anniversary, I pulled out my dress and put it on, primarily to see if it still fit. And it did, despite the fact that I’d gained armpit fat and a thicker middle after 10 years and 3 babies and countless sweet teas and pizzas. I was surprised at how pretty I still thought the dress was, despite the fact that my taste has changed significantly since I married at 22 and I would likely choose something different now (and the hair – THAT I would change). Here’s my post, though, in case you’re interested: http://heresthediehl.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/youll-never-guess-what-i-just-did/
Loved this post, Sophie!
I wore my mother’s wedding dress. It was beautiful then and I love it still 19 years later. My issues with it then though, were would I fit into it? I am 3 inches taller than my mom and that was actually a blessing in disguise, because it meant I did not have to wear the hoop skirt! I actually had dreams that the dress was too short so I had to squat/waddle down the aisle so my feet would not show. Luckily that did not happen. Also, it was definitely not strapless. Just beautiful.
Girls and their dresses…. mine looked almost exactly like yours, minus the scalloped neck. I even had the bow at the waist, and of course I added one to match on my headpiece. :) I’d still say yes!
My first wedding was in Dec 1975, so, the dress was long sleeve lace with a Juliet cap veil and I would say yes to it again. the second choice was a Quiana knit that was all the rage, and that would have been a regret! I’m a widow and getting married again in July—this time it’s jeans and a lace top at the river with a BBQ reception. But I still love watching SYTTD. it’s the only reality TV show that I watch.
Funny this is, I celebrated my 13 year wedding anniversary last week and did a blog post about my wonderful hubby. As i looked at our wedding picture, I was pleased to discover that I still loved my dress. So, yes, I would absolutely say yes to my dress. It was flattering and strapless with two pieces that formed a v-shape over my arms by velcroing around the sides. I cannot explain them appropriately, but still loved the look of it because it was so different from any other dress I have ever seen.
If you’re interested, you can check out the post, here:
http://www.frominmatestoplaydates.com/2011/05/23/on-that-day/
What a fun post! I RENTED my wedding dress for $250. (Wouldn’t those Kleinfeld ladies be horrified?!) It fit like it was made for me and was exactly what I was looking for. Then I didn’t have to store it or worry with it afterwards. I think I would say YES to my dress-for-rent again!
I would say yes to the same dress 19 years ago. Tried to find some thing like what Caroline kennedy wore and I got pretty close. My veil was fresh white sweetheart roses in a ring w/ a little puff and the length of my train….I loved it! Tried to find a veil like Jackie Kennedy when she married JFK but could not. Mild obsession w/ Kennedys I can’t help myself. I wedding pic today of a bride whose something blue was a knockout pair of wedgewod blue sandals w/ sm platform. what a statement. We just did not think out of the box like these brides today. Payless cardboard shoes $19.99 and dyed to match ! I did splurge on my wedding shoes…I was comfortable on the big day…..July 25,1992. Seems like yesterday and sometimes a million idealstic years ago. Would trade a one!
You bet I’d say “yes” again!
Why would I say yes? My mom made my dress. It wasn’t fancy at all. Very simple. Very plain. I tried on dresses and with lace and appliquéd bits and bobs, I felt my eyes went to that, rather than to me or the style of dress. So the “simple and plain” look is exactly what I wanted, hopefully making it timeless. And I, too, had sleeves in the form of a very cute bolero (sp?) jacket. And it was a shorter skirt because we got married in a garden and I didn’t want it dragging on the ground. My only “regret” with the dress? I needed a much better bra. But if that’s the worst thing, I’ve got it made.
(and we are so on the same page about strapless dresses)
I rarely comment on blogs, but I just felt the need to tell you that I would read any kind of book you write. You are such a great writer. So funny and so spot-on in your observations!!
We were married almost 21 years ago and I loved my dress. I was in London and my family was in the States (where we were going to live after we got married), so I was going to quit my job as a nanny and move back to the US, but my boss had other ideas. As her kids were going to go to boarding school that fall, she bribed me into staying by introducing me to her dress designer and paying for 20% of the dress if I would stay. I looked through one bridal magazine, saw my dress and told the designer that I wanted something similar. I love my dress. It was strapless but had a jacket for the ceremony (if I had gone into a church in a strapless dress, my grandmother would have vaulted over the pews to cover me up). I still like it today.
When I got married (1984), the trend was to have a gown like Princess Diana’s. Oh, how I wish I had worn something more fitted because I had great upper arm confidence and a skinny body back then, but to look at the pictures, you’d never know that because my dress is so poufy. And, my hairdo was a hair-don’t. But, the hubby and I will celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary in August, so there’s that.
HoLy GuAcAmoLe BaTmAn – 15 years ago I got married in that same dress!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great minds……or at least folks with great big bangs….. thing alike :)
how bizarre is that?
I found my Laura Ashley wedding dress the week before my husband proposed. I had dreamed of a Laura Ashley wedding dress since high school. The dress was perfect for who I was back then. I like that my dress was simple, but I would probably choose something with a longer train now. And I would definitely choose a tiara to go with my veil. And a flat iron for my big hair!
And I agree about the strapless wedding dresses. I’m really hoping sleeves, or at least straps, are in style many years from now when my daughters marry.
Kind of related, but not – have you ever seen How Do I Look on the Style Network? That is my new go to show on the DVR. I like how it’s not just a makeover show, they also work with the person regarding their perceptions about fashion and style (I could never wear that, nice clothes are too expensive, “it’s not me”…etc). And the host is too adorable for words.
I, too, am in shock that you’ve never watched SYTTD before! I love it!
I’ve only been married since 2005, so I’d probably still pick my dress. It’s strapless, with a beaded top, and chapel-length train. I bought it before we were technically engaged! ha! I knew it was coming, so my mom and I made a trip to Lowe’s in Brinkley, Ark., during their sale! :) I didn’t tell my boyfriend, but no worries, he had planned all along to propose a few weeks later! It all worked out!
Oops…of course I meant “Low’s”…not the home improvement store! :)
I am not sure if I would pick my dress again. For sentimental reasons, I would because my mother made my dress and she passed away 3 years ago. It was a Jessica McClintock pattern with a dropped waist and a huge round collar. (It was 1992!) It was made entirely of eyelet and the full skirt’s eyelet was scalloped on the bottom. I was 18 and a tiny 5 ft tall very young looking 18 year old at that, so the dress did suit me. I do regret that I never got to try on wedding gowns. My daughter and I watch the show and I look forward to dress shopping with her someday. I will probably be like the mom in a movie we recently watched and end up trying on the dresses myself! PS Getting married at 18 now seems like the most ridiculous thing EVER, but I must say, after 19 years of marriage, it just keeps getting better and better!
I absolutely love this show. My husband thinks I am crazy, but honestly there are some people that should NEVER put on some of the dresses they do. And the funny part is — they think they are gorgeous. Let me tell you… beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder. I have my DVR set to this also. So I get to watch a marathon when hubby is not around. Thanks for posting about this.
You were a beautiful bride! I remember it well for a very good reason. Your wedding was the first wedding at which I ever cried. In fact, it’s still the only wedding I’ve attended (excluding my own) that has brought tears to these eyes.
Should that question ever arise in a “how well do you know Kathy trivia game” because I’m certain those are held on a weekly basis at household around the country, you now know the answer.
My mother recently snuck my dress back to me. She got tired of storing it in one of their closets and returned it to me several months ago. I found it hanging in the guest room closet shortly after their departure. I asked her what was I supposed to do with it. To which she responded as long as I didn’t return it to her, she didn’t care. It was my dress after all. And then as I side note added, “but if you plan to sell it, be sure to have it cleaned first. I think that chocolate stain is still there.” I cracked up. How appropriate that a self-proclaimed chocoholic would still have a such a stain nearly 13 years later!
I loved my dress then (short sleeves – no sleeveless or halter for me then or heaven forbid now) and I love it now. I just wish I could GET IN IT!!!!
I’ve been married 20 years and I do still love my dress. (We eloped, but I did buy a dress, because I knew I’d probably regret that part.) I can even still fit in the dress, even after twins. :) It is a pretty ivory dress, as I look like a zombie in white. However, it was 1991…so I had a HAT. A satin-y hat with a veil, but still…a HAT. I’d do that part over.
Funny story…my daughter found said dress in back of closet when we were moving a few years ago. While looking at it, Husband says, “Your mom can still fit in that…HAHA.” SO, I put it on, zipped and all. Then I asked him just where his pants were from our wedding day, hmmm???
Loved my dress. Love it still. my 10 year anniversary is on the 16th. {sigh} I feel old and that it’s gone too quickly.
moving on.
Yay for this weekend. Because Cali is so far WEST, I’m leaving tomorrow too. Otherwise I wouldn’t get in until 6ish at the earliest and that’s if everything was on time. Anyway, I might get to squeeze your neck even before hand. But I promise I won’t stalk you down. ;)
xoxo ~ rachel
I’m engaged and will be married this August. I bought my dress one month before I was engaged, because David’s Bridal was having a $99 sale, and I didn’t want to miss it. (I knew the engagement was coming.) Since I wasn’t yet engaged, it was no fuss. I didn’t even make an appointment, and I went in with just my mom. I looked only at the $99 dresses, and since there weren’t many, it made choosing easy. I tried on three and picked the best! Is it my dream dress? Well, I don’t really have one. I bought a very beautiful dress at a great price. I don’t believe I’ll have any regrets, because I kept true to my budget.