From Bride to Wife... and the Dresses in Between

38 days since becoming Mrs. FJ... What a milestone!

From planning to executing, and now from honeymooning to moving in together; the last 14 months have surely been a whirlwind. So much so that I haven't even blogged anything about it yet! From this point forth, I will try to recount all the details of planning, which eventually materialized to what I call, 'My Wedding'.

About 14 months ago, my then-boyfriend of 6 years-4 months-22 days (but who's counting?) asked me to be his wife. I excitedly said 'yes' and we embarked on a beautiful journey (otherwise known as, wedding planning). There were many sleepless nights and silly arguments. All-in-all, it was a good time (at least it was for me).

'How and where would a wedding planner begin her own wedding planning', you ask?

I didn't, actually! Unlike many brides, I tried really hard to savor every moment of being engaged without becoming too enthralled by wedding colors, flowers, vendors; the works. That is until I saw 6 words.... "SALE: ADDITIONAL 30% OFF + FREE SHIPPING" Ah! Good'ol J.Crew. How could a girl ever pass up on a good sale? I began browsing the sale section, as I always would. Then I found something which seemed too good to be true.

Behold...

This is the Sophia dress made in Blue Hazel silk chiffon. It caught my eye immediately. I can't say I'm a connoisseur in fashion, but I know that I love really classic looking pieces. I am especially drawn to the fashion trends of the early 1960's, where women's wardrobes were dawned with elegance, simplicity and symmetry. The icing on the cake was that this dress was on sale for $49.99 with an additional 30% off! I thought to myself, "If I bought this dress for my bridesmaids, I would only be paying $35 + taxes per dress. WHAT A STEAL!"

It is 9 days after my engagement. I haven't even begun looking at venues, choose a photographer, try on wedding gowns, or even decide on THE date. Part of me began to doubt whether I'd be making a huge mistake, because I knew bridesmaids' dresses are pivotal pieces to a wedding. The dresses are supposed to reflect the overarching theme and colors of the entire affair. After wrestling with myself for about 20 minutes, I followed my gut and decided to do it.

Since it was a sale, I knew the sizes and quantities of the dress were limited. I had to move fast. In about an hour's worth of time, I called/emailed/text'd 11 of the closest women in my life (yep, you read correctly... 11 is right) and asked them to be a part of my bridal party. With their blessings and dress sizes, I made the order over the phone. The sales representative congratulated me. That moment marked the beginning of the next 13 months of my life.