All you need is love . . . and a dress! When my mom, who lives in Michigan, came to town for a weekend visit, I knew it would be the perfect time to dress shop. I booked us four appointments in one day, since we had limited time. (In hindsight, I would not recommend doing this—we didn’t have time to eat lunch, and by the end, I was getting HANGRY.)
It really was a day to remember. My fiancé Kirk’s mom lives in South Dakota, and she drove up to dress shop with us. We started the day at Annika Bridal Boutique at 50th & France, which is actually co-owned by a good friend of mine’s cousin. I loved the whole experience. There was a huge dressing room and a private sitting area for my “entourage.” Going in, I thought I wanted a feminine, flowy ball gown. I tried one with a criss-cross back, and while I liked it, I didn’t L-O-V-E it. Annie, the shop owner, encouraged me to try on different styles and brought me other dresses she thought would look good on me. I started to realize I may not want a princess-like ball gown after all, but something more fitted.
Our second stop was at Flutter in St. Anthony Main, where I (completely randomly) got to work with my former boss’ daughter! I tried on another ball gown and, again, didn’t think it was “the one.” Margo then brought me a strapless, fitted dress by Ivy & Aster, and while I initially didn’t want to go strapless due to comfort, I really liked it! My concern was that I’d be pulling up the dress all night, but Margo assured me that since wedding dresses are tailor-made for your body, they don’t fall down the way an off-the-rack dress would. I kept that in mind as we moved on to store number three.
By the time we went to a&bé bridal shop in Loring Park, I finally felt like I knew what I wanted—something still feminine but more tight-fitting. There, I tried on some fitted gowns by designer Katie May that were nearly or totally backless, which she’s known for. I adored the look (it was definitely dramatic) but wondered if a nearly backless dress was “me,” and if I would feel comfortable baring that much skin.
Our fourth and final stop of the day was down the street at Che Bella. At this point, I was getting tired and a lot of the dresses were starting to blur together. But one in particular really stood out: It was a strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline, a fitted silhouette, and a lace underlay by Aire Barcelona from Spain. I was immediately drawn to it because the underlay was a light blush pink, just like one of my wedding colors. My mom and Kirk’s mom were both wowed. While I knew I wouldn’t make a decision on the spot, they were both in agreement: This was the dress.
After nearly eight hours of dress shopping (I think I tried on about 10 per store, so 40 in total!) we went out to dinner and relaxed. I was so glad to have both of our moms’ opinions, but knew ultimately I’d sleep on it and make the decision myself. It wasn’t like Say Yes to the Dress where I knew right away, but the more I thought of the Aire Barcelona, the more the other options faded into the background.
About two weeks later, I made it official by going back to Che Bella and ordering my wedding dress! I am so excited to wear it when I marry Kirk. It feels like “me.” I definitely went in a different direction than I imagined, but dresses—like love—can surprise you!
Follow Jenna’s adventures in wedding planning on Instagram or Twitter @jennasbennett.
