I found the dress! (No Nick again)

Mom, Shannon, and I went up to my aunt's house near Seattle this last weekend for the soul purpose of trying on THE dress (see the end of last blog). We were referred to the Alfred Angelo store in Tukwila by the bridal shop in town since that is the designer of the dress, they'd be sure to have one for me to try on.

I'll skip most of the weekend since it was mostly shopping and none of it wedding related.

My appointment at Alfred Angelo was on Sunday and one of my cousins (also a bridesmaid) met us at the shop. We didn't waste any time finding the dress and grabbed a dressing room. As soon as I put the dress on I knew it was the one, even before I saw myself in the mirror (it helped that it fit like a glove and didn't have to be clipped at all). I was so excited to finally get to try on THE dress that I squealed (quite a lot) and couldn't stop smiling.

So here are some pictures we took (don't worry, we were allowed)


I was VERY happy with the way the dress looked and fit on me. Can't you tell? :)



Kinda hard to see the back, but you get the idea.



I am going to get the optional capped-sleeves because I think it looks better on me and will give me a bit of peace of mind. I also really liked this veil. It's finger-tip in length and has beading around the edge that matched the beading on the dress really well.



We put my young cousin (who is going to be flower girl) in a dress too and she loved it! She kept sitting down in front of me on the riser and Mom took the opportunity to snap this picture.

No Nick allowed!!!!!

Side note: Just lost whole blog! AGH!!! So hopefully, I'll remember what I said so I can write it all out again.

Last Saturday, Shannon (my maid of honor) and I went wedding dress shopping (or I guess looking, because I wasn't planning on buying then). We went to Michelle Renee's with my grandparents and then headed to Vancouver by ourselves to the Bridal Arts Building. I was looking for a specific dress and those shops were two listed on the designer's website.

First stop was Michelle Renee's and when we got there, a sign on the door said by appointment only, so we went in to make an appointment hopefully for that day. Yay there was a cancellation! Unfortunately, they did not have the dress I was looking for, but had similar styles by the same designer so I could get an idea of what it would look like.

First things first, I tried on an all red gown just for fun. It had a HUGE train and ruffles all the way around on the bottom. I loved the corseted top also. It fit like a glove and was half off! But I want to wear white on my wedding day and that dress had none whatsoever. It was fun to try on, but a little bold for my taste.






The next dress I tried on was beautiful and had a lovely train and intricate beading. Not as much color as I would have liked, but it was added to the small list of dresses I would consider if I could not get the original one I wanted. This one was Alfred Angelo 1612 (you can look these dresses up on http://www.alfredangelo.com/ and see better pictures). Note: The brown would be red if I were to get this dress.






The next two dresses I tried on were pretty also, but not me so it was back to the second dress. We didn't take many pictures of the 3rd dress, but here's the last one. It's Alfred Angelo 2015.




I loved how I looked and it had lacing up the back that I LOVE the look of. Since Mom couldn't come that day, I made an appointment for the following Wednesday to come back and try it on again so we could get ideas.

After Michelle Renee's it was on to the Bridal Arts Building. They didn't have the dress I wanted either, bummer. So I tried on some more that were close (and one that wasn't close at all) to get ideas (but mostly for fun since we were already there).

First dress was nothing like any of the other ones I tried on that day. It just caught my eye while browsing the dresses and I liked the pop of color.




The other dresses I tried were all Alfred Angelos (guess I just love his style). I don't have a picture of 1139 because it wasn't enough color for me. But I tried on 1708 and loved the amount of color on the dress. Wasn't a fan of where the waist hit me, but I was getting closer to what I wanted. Notes: Sorry the pictures are blurry, I was a bad girl and took pictures when I wasn't supposed to, but the dresses can be found on the website. Also, all of the green on the dress would be red if this were the one I was getting.






The next dress was gorgeous too and was already red so I didn't have to try to imagine it! I loved the amount of color and the beading and the length of the train. Very close to what I wanted, but not exact. At least with trying on these dresses, I know mostly what the one I want will look like. This dress is 1516 and has the option of straps (which I would need, and most of the dresses had that option, I just didn't mention it).






So those are all the dresses I tried on Saturday, but not the one I want. Mom, Granny, and I went back on Wednesday to Michelle Renee to try on that second dress again. And I did find out that the dress I want could be ordered, even if they don't have the sample. I am about 90% sure I want that dress, the other 10% is trying it on, which I have to find someone who carries it to do that. I also found out on Wednesday that if my dress and the bridesmaids' dresses are ordered from the same designer at the same time, they will be the same dye lot (I did know that, I just forgot about it). So even if all the dresses aren't the same (I'm letting the girls choose their dresses), they will be the same color. I like that idea so there is some uniformity, but the girls will feel comfortable in a dress they picked for the price they could afford.

I think that about wraps it up, now that I talked your ear off. OH! Here is the dress that I want.




Source


Gorgeous isn't it? Fell in the love the first time I saw it and I still love it. Can't wait to be able to try it on and see what it looks like. I felt like a princess last Wednesday and Saturday and I can't imagine how I will feel when I put this one on.

Bridal expo

Nick, Shannon (maid of honor), and I went to the Portland Bridal Show this last weekend and we got a lot of great ideas for the wedding. There were over 150 vendors to look at; everything from photography to bridal boutiques to caterers and everything in between! Nick became the pack horse while Shannon and I loaded our bag with fliers and business cards from just about all of them.
I almost wish we would have heard about it sooner and been able to go the the Vancouver one because that would have had more things from this area as opposed to Oregon, but oh well. Still had a lot of fun and saw a lot of great things.
It was really interesting hearing everyone refer to everyone else as a crazy bride and I was informed (thanks to Shannon) that I apparently one too. I guess if all brides are crazy, I can't really say I'm not, but I don't see myself as crazy...yet. I supposed we'll see how this next year progresses.

Finally a date!

So we finally set a date after much frustration and some tears. Mark your calendars for March 13, 2010 (don't give me any guff about it being over a year away, I don't want to hear it). If you want to see our wedding website (not finished at all, but started), check out http://www.theknot.com/ourwedding/SamanthaPedersen&NicholasThompson. Keep checking back for more details because right now, there isn't much.

Engaged!

Okay, now that I've decided to start writing a blog, I don't know what to say. Guess I'll start with an introduction.

My name is Samantha and I'M ENGAGED!!! No really, I am! My fiancee, Nick, proposed Christmas morning while everyone was asleep. It was just the two of us and very cute and romantic (although some may not think so; go read someone else's blog). Nick came and woke me up and crawled in bed with me. I was a bit groggy at first, not understanding him talking about how he asked the rest of my family already. But let me tell you, I was wide awake when he said that he'd love to spend the rest of his life with me and asked me to marry him ! I was told by a lot of people that I glowed for the next few days, and still do when I talk about it. The proposal was perfect for the two of us, nothing showy or in front of people; very private and simple.

So now I am ready to start planning...or...start planning for real. I've been planning this wedding since last summer when I decided I wanted to marry Nick (actually I decided last March, but that's beside the point). But now that I get to really start planning, I don't know where to begin.

Guess we should pick a date first, but so far, no one can agree on one that works. We started in October of 2009, but that got shot down, so now we are in March of 2010 and since a long way off, no one knows what will work. I'm trying not to get frustrated or start worrying because I want to have fun planning this wedding and making it special to Nick and I. BTW, I worry a lot (thanks Mom) and usually over small things, so if I start to rant about small things, let me know. Nick reminds me often to take it easy and not worry.

I do have some things that I want for sure, such as:

1. Colors: red, white, and some silver accents
2. Flowers: calla lilies (maybe some others, but not many)
3. Bridesmaids get to pick their own (red) dresses
4. Music for the ceremony
5. Photo guestbook

So I guess I have a small start, but where to go from there?

1. Set date
2. Ceremony site
3. Reception site
4. Officiant
5. Guest list
6. Attendants list (I'm pretty much done, need Nick's side and the flower girl, ring bearer, and such finalized)
7. Set budget

I can't really go any further until I get those things. Looks like fun doesn't it?

Oh! Want to see my ring? I'm warning you, it's gorgeous and you'll want one.