and would you choose the same dress if you were getting married today?
Well, although my husband and I had been dating/living together for almost two years when we got married, it was a very hurried affair from “Whee! We’re engaged!” to “Whee! We’re married.”
About a week, to be exact.
(And no, it wasn’t because I was pregnant, or anything like that. We decided to get married, and then decided that if we did it soon, we’d have a good excuse to drop everything and fly to Seattle to see the last shows of one of our favorite band’s tours as the honeymoon.)
So…about 4 days before the wedding I went to the mall to try to find a dress. I ended up with a summer dress that was on clearance for $20. It looked nice, and it fit (with a little help from Grandma and her sewing machine!), so I got it. (Here’s a picture: http://www.stellaluna.org/temp/wedding.jpg )
I would not have chosen that dress if I’d had more time to plan the wedding. I’d actually wanted something with a corset-type top and a full skirt, but when you’re running on that little time, you can’t be too picky. Plus, the really important thing wasn’t the dress or the wedding, it was (and is) the fact that we still love each other just as much as ever. Plus, we saved ourselves a lot of stress and still had a fun, memorable ceremony and honeymoon.
I got sick of the cheap crap that was being sold in bridal stores after many dresses were tried on. You pay several hundred dollars or more for something with glued-on beads and other shortcuts, and I was just tired of the whole thing.
I finally went to a Jessica McClintock store in a nearby mall and found a lovely dress - I don’t remember if it was even in their bridal section. A-line design, shimmery white fabric, going up to two broad straps above the bodice. These straps went over my shoulders and into a latticed panel that covered the back and then met up with the dress around the middle of the back. The best part was the price, $175. It just happened to be a popular dress style right around the time of the wedding, and I got a lot of compliments on it. I would definitely do this if I had to do it all over again.
Are you just going to exclude male dopers who enjoy wearing wedding dresses? Not that I’m into that sort of thing…
runs
egg
Candy-apple red cotton, off-the shoulder, full mid-calf skirt, black beaded fringe across the bodice and hem. $70. I added a wide black belt, my favorite big black earrings, and black hat and shoes. Honest! I call it the “Spanish harlot” look. We were married at the courthouse. I wore the dress to my friend’s wedding, on the same date one year later.
I don’t know if I’d wear the exact same dress again, as my taste has changed, but I’d wear something equally unusual and colorful.
Mine was a lavender sleeveless dress with a floral print. Purchased from Motherhood Maternity for about forty bucks. Given the fact that I’m not pregnant anymore, I’d pick a different dress.
When we were first discussing wedding plans (right around the time I got pregnant), I tried on a few wedding gowns. These all weighed a ton and weren’t terribly comfortable.
So, I got the lavender and floral dress, wore sneakers with it, and was fine. I spent more on hair and makeup than I did on my dress.
Robin
We ran down to the courthouse during lunch one day. I was still on active duty in the Navy at the time, so I was in my khaki uniform - short sleeve shirt, slacks, black shoes. My husband was in jeans. There were no photos. I didn’t have to inflict butt-bows on my friends, and I didn’t spend a fortune on a dress that I’d never wear again. I think I made a good choice.
I found a pattern and bought the fabric and made it myself. It was plain, cream satin (well, actually acetate wich looks like satin but costs a lot less.) A friend of mine who worked as a seamstress did the bead work on it to make it look fancy. My two bridesmaids used the same pattern in a scaled down form for themselves (but in a cotton floral fabric.)
If I had it to do over…Off the rack at Nordstroms 
Much less stress!
We ordered some undyed silk from a supplier for not a lot of money; they sell great stuff, but only undyed. My mom made me the dress–we used a pattern for another dress I already had, but changed the sleeves, sewed on some good lace at the neck and wrists, and there it was. It was very simple, and looked good.
I got a lot of compliments on it, and was very happy, and I’d do it over the same way but with a different slip underneath.
I wore a red velvet street-length dress, since my wedding was at Christmastime and it was a small wedding.
I always planned to have a bigger wedding later with a bigger, poufier dress, but it looks like that’ll never happen.
Since I’ve never been to a prom or formal, eventually I’ll probably just make myself fairy princess costumes every Halloween to satisfy my latent desire to wear a big, poufy dress.
I loved my dress, so I would wear the same thing again. It had a short-sleeved, beaded bodice and an A-line skirt with a chiffon overshirt. Very simple, but beautiful.
Am I the only person here who loves frou-frou? My dress was sleeveless with a jewel neck and a beaded bodice, and a fluffy tulle skirt with beading around the bottom. It fit perfectly right off the rack and made me feel like Cinderella. I’d choose it again in a heartbeat.
Nightingale - nope, I went frou-frou.
My idea was that you only have a limited number of times as an adult you can look like Cinderella outside of Halloween, so I was off to the races.
I had mine made. It had a fitted (scoop neck) bodice and a HUGE pouffy skirt that the overskirt opened in the back to reveal the underskirt. Hemmed with satin ribbon and beading to a v on the waistline. Completed the look with a jewelled headpiece and a fingertip veil hemmed in ribbon.
for the ceremony I wore satin heels, for the reseption I slipped into white platform sneakers
I felt beautiful, exactly how a bride should, no matter what she wears
Yes I would choose the same again.
LIke DeniseV, I found salvage via Jessica McClintock. My dress was floor-length, no crinoline, with long sleeves and a lace inset at the bodice, with the same sort of lace on the sleeves. Plain, simple, elegant, about $300, I think.
That said, it wasn’t my first choice. I went by what people said looked good on me. I really wanted a slightly different style. But now when I see the photos, I think it was a good choice.
The best part was the floor-length cape my mom made me to go over it. She made it black wool (white wouldn’t have been as practical later) lined with a gorgeous purple. I wore it for halloween last year, with a witch’s hat. Heh.
I will admit to falling in love with a dress I tried on. The bodice was all soft lace, with lace flowers sewed on so that they were a bit raised from the rest, and the bell skirt was plain matte silk. I looked great in it, but it was expensive (by my standards) and too fancy for the wedding we had planned anyway, so I had to give it up. Sigh…
Wedding Number One: My mom made this one out of polyester chiffon. Looks just like the real thing but you can throw it in the washer. Very simple…empire waist A-line with cap sleeves, a little lace and a simple train.
Wedding Number Two: A black cotton shorts jumpsuit and bare feet at the beach in Cocoa, Florida.
When I went to Davids Bridal, I had all intentions on going in there to buy a $99 dress. I wanted a fitted, floor length, pearl color, sexy wedding dress. I was set on it. This was all I could afford. UNTIL…
The most beeeautiful dress caught my eye. The nice lady Mani said, “try this on first Jerseydiamond”. Well, every other dress I tried after that looked like poop compared to that dress. I felt like Cinderella, only prettier. Yes, yes, I bought it, but to my surprise, it was on sale. It was 50% off AND on the clearance rack. Lucky me. Yes, I still had to sell my liver to buy it, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
I’ll be wearing a navy blue wool pinstripe suit - the jacket and skirt are very tailored - the jacket is double breasted too so it’s cool - and a white blouse. Probably taupe heels. We’re getting married November 29. At the courthouse.
Mine was ridiculous. Lots of beads. Cathedral length satin train with lace inset. Crinolined skirt. I hated it by the time I had my first fitting. $1100 for the privilege of hating my wedding gown - it still burns my ass.
Oh, no way!
It was used, and looked it. I’d gotten it for $7 from my husbands best friend (a guy).
Nowadays, when I marry again, I will get a simple white dress, or even better, a white top and pair of pants.
(I kindof want a “hippie” wedding, so it won’t be formal.
I’ve always hated fancy frilly clothes.