456 Days to Go: And I am FREAKING OUT about colors.

Confession: I don't exactly remember what my dress looks like, and by exactly, I mean actually. I can sorta picture the neck line, and a I have a vague recollection of the train (almost called in a skirt), but beyond that...not a damn clue. This is the most important dress of my life (let's be honest, it's probably the only dress of my life...well, there was prom) and I couldn't describe it for a sketch artist. WTF?

This little confession is a segue to a much bigger confession: I don't have the damnedest notion for to my colors. The problem: I like everything. Burgundy and cream? Oooo, that's pretty. Plum, gold, and burnt orange? Like that too. Chocolate and mint? Now I just want ice cream. Lavender and smoke? Hot stuff. Merlot, latte and fuchsia? Despite my best judgment, yes.

It's all sooooooo pretty. Okay, I lied about the lavender and smoke, but a fall wedding just lends itself so readily to every freaking possible color combination on the effing wheel, and I have ADD (seriously, I do. Adult ADD, formerly just childhood ADHD. Scout's honor). I mean EVERYTHING sounds good, EVERYTHING looks soooo good, and this would all be much easier if I knew exactly what my dress looked like and exactly what color it was.

I do know a few things:

While I love red, and I love brown...they do not love each other. Merlot is not aubergine, no matter how much I like the sound of the latter. Claret is the color, chalet is a word I made up in my brain. There is no "A" in burgundy. Despite my best efforts, gold may be on the guest list, burnt orange too.

And regardless of color, decorations, venue or food, I'll get to spend the rest of my life with this guy:




Don't worry, I'm still freaking out.

470 Days to Go: One down, 55 million to go.

Houston, we have a dress.

I did NOT think I would find THE Dress today. I really only went to appease a bridesmaid and a wedding coordinator. After a few "maybe"s and several "Not if Hell froze Over"s, The saleschick comes in with a few more options, two of which were discontinued, could not be ordered, take it now or leave it for ever types. The first of these two was lukewarm at best. But the second... the second made everyone catch her respective breath.

Except me. I'm indecisive to say the very very least, and this is, after all, my wedding gown, the be all and end all of my dress wearing career. I'm also as NOT a dressy, fussy, girly girl as a girl can get. Walking into this place, I was dumbfounded. The only articulate thought I might have had sounded something like "Ooooo, pretty..." I thought I knew what I wanted. I thought I wanted a high neck halter with LOTS of lace... like almost all lace. I thought I wanted an antique white at the very least, and an ivory for sure.

This gown had no lace, was NOT a halter, and might be antique white in the right light. And it had a zipper - did I mention no zippers?

And somehow it really was perfect. I looked good, and other than that I was still wearing my slacks, it was comfortable. It was beautiful. It was only $323.25 after taxes.

Wait, what? You spend HOW much on your WEDDING GOWN?!?!?!

That's right ladies and gents, not just under budget, Two/thirds under budget. Can I get a what? what?

The icing on the cake? My two year old dress expert looks at me - done up in veil, jewelry, et al. and says "You beautiful Jon."

Sold.

479 Days to Go: I didn't flake, I swear

So, we didn't go shopping today, for two reasons.

One: MY wedding planner/aunt had to cancel except...

Two: I cancelled on her first. Yesterday was a bad day, and last night even worse, so I wasn't in the shape nor mood to go try on eighty-seven different dresses.

We'll try again next week. Or we'll push it back for a month. Not knowing where you'll be living in two weeks really puts your life in perspective.

482 Days to Go: I should be more excited about this...

But I'm dreading this Tuesday.

Why, you ask?

I'm going dress shopping.

Pray.

492 Days to Go: The best part about looking for a Wedding Dress is...

The inordinate number of maternity wedding gowns with which I'm inundated.

I don't think I'm old-fashioned or narrow minded, though I will admit to being a little old-school with in my own relationship, but really ladies?

You should have worn the dress before you needed to purchase maternity wear, or at the very least, waited until after you need to the maternity wear to purchase the wedding dress.

Because this

is not only a really, ugly dress, but the absolute pennicle of TRASH.