Dallas Market Hall Sample Sale

Dallas Market Hall's

Bridal, Quinceanera & Special Occasion Event

Sunday October 21st, 2007 to Wednesday, October 24th, 2007

Now, I have heard from a reliable source that this is the place to be! If you are as crazy/intense as I am about saving money for your big day – I defiantly recommend you check out the Dallas Mark Hall Bridal Event.


DMC (Dallas Market Center) has recently changed all of their events to run Sunday through Wednesday (use to be Thursday through Sunday) making it even harder for the working girl. From what I hear about this sale, taking a day off from work would be well worth it!

The last day of the Bridal Market Sale – most vendors host a sample sale so they don’t have to cart things back home; making this the Mother of All Sample Sales. There is everything from dresses (!), veils, shoes, guest books, and everything else under the sun! The prices are fantastic “vendor” pricing and it is well worth ever minute of searching it might take.

I will be posting more details about the sale as the date approaches. Feel free to email me questions – I just wanted to give everyone a heads-up so you can “call in sick” early enough!

Love!

Leaving in a White Suit

Since we will be having a weekend of festivities (Friday night – Rehearsal and a Low Country Boil, Saturday – the wedding, Sunday – a Sunday brunch) - I need a weekend's worth of fabulous attire. During the Sunday brunch, I envision myself in a fantastic, little white suit witha skirt or dress.

Harder to find than one might think! I suffer from a very serious condition (if you know the name – please – do tell). I inherited it from my mother. Once I have pictured what I want in my mind, I will stop at nothing to get it. I have envisioned a little, white/cream, possibly brocade, high necked dress (or a-line skirt), with a little cropped jacket, with ¾ length sleeves and scoop collar necklace.

I have a picture of one similar to what I want by Oscar De La Renta.

It was featured in Brides magazine this summer.



My mother and I even stopped by a Bridal Sample Sale recently at Warren Barrón and saw it there. It was marked down from the $4,000 tag to a little under $2,000. (I could not possibly spend two thousand dollars on a white suit, when I paid under $250 for two wedding dresses!)

Besides, Oscar went a little nuts with large flower covered buttons on the front. Hate to say it - but it was even too much for me...if you can imagine such a thing. But, he was close to getting the look right…
The search is on….and Lord, help me find this suit!

It is harder than one would think. Most websites do not offer an easy way to search for the outfit you put on after your gown...my best recommendations - find something in the summer - towards the end. This is right after they start stocking their shelves full of taupes, blacks, and grays for the fall season -sending anything white directly to clearance. (At unbelievable prices...)

I am definitely a Budget Bride, but am unwilling to compromise my style or taste!

Seriously?

Now this is just b.c. it made me giggle



Not to offend anyone - especially if this is your look - but what was Oscar de la Renta thinking?

Oh Oscar! How could you?

The Asking of the Maids

I don’t know if it was the sheer giddy of asking bridesmaids – but I asked everyone within 24 hours! Shocker I know!

I’ve asked everyone (and ended up with five fabulous females) and much to my dismay, all of them said yes in true girl fashion (screaming, giggling, and crying!) Even though I have asked them, I want to think of a cute way to ask them again, whether it be a little package, card, etc. Just some token to show them how much I appreciate this and how truly excited I am.

How did you ask your bridesmaids to join you on the big day? How do you pick a maid/matron of honor? What if you don’t have one? How do showers work? Help!

The Engagement Ring

I love, love, love my engagement ring! It is a 1.25 carat center brilliant cut square stone with a huge table (the flat, top portion of the ring)! Honey- to-be- bought the stone separately and had it mounted (my favorite part) in a vintage setting.

The setting is from the 1940’s . It is a huge ring (in width, not size) to fit my substantial hands (*see below). Around the band on and on the sides, there is a hand engraved pattern that look almost like the ends of feathers. Towards the top, where the center stone goes, there is filigree work and my secret, hidden favorite part, is the little bow design on the basket where the stone goes.

On either side of the center stone, there are 2 square, princess cut diamonds that are 0.20 carats each.

This ring is by far the most gorgeous ring I have ever seen. It has everything I wanted:
A sparkly stone, filigree work, vintage, a bow (I never dreamed that would be possible – or had ever mentioned it to honey-to-be).

Since it is a brilliant cut, it sparkles more than I could have ever imagined. LOVE at first sight – with both the boy and the ring!

Who to Don the Title “Bridesmaid” aka the Football Draft of Weddings

Alright, I have been dealing with the question for a long time now. Honestly, you probably know who your maids will be prior to be engaged, even meeting your man.

Maybe you do, but I don’t! I have so many sorority sisters, and am horrible keeping up friendships. While I may loose touch, I never loose the friendships I keep close to my heart.

I struggle with a couple of issues:
1) No matter how many articles or magazines I read, to some extent, I truly believe people expect to be reciprocated with the invite to be a bridesmaid having been in their wedding before. Unless you had a meltdown or falling out, I honestly believe, girls expect it.

2) Some friends are just about crazy enough to consider NOT being asked to be in your wedding the ultimate break-up. Friendship is over and you are dead to them.

How many is too many? Who stands next to whom?

The one, mildly inappropriate notion I have had since I knew that I would have a destination wedding and some could not come, do you have rounds of bridesmaid picking similar to that of the NFL draft, on picking your ladies?

Do I make the most wanted list, ask them, and if I get a no, go to the runner-ups on the list? Now, maybe I’ve done sorority recruitment a few too many times and know about the two Bid List program to see how diluted I must be to make an A and a B list of maids in my mind.

Maybe it is my huge fear of rejection and my perception that everyone hates me (when they really don’t), that leaves me crippled with fear that I will be standing alone at the alter.
I’ve always wanted four bridesmaids, and don’t know what I will do? Plus, how pathetic is it (and probably stupid) to call in your second string. It probably would subtract more from the day than add the joy it is suppose to!

The Proposal

Honey-to-be proposed on Friday night! Yay! So – I flew home from Columbus on Friday to arrive at home about 5pm. Chris had called earlier and told me that he needed to fly and wouldn’t be home till about 7:30 or 8pm.

My mums and brother then picked me up from the airport. Of course, my plane was delayed, lost baggage (found 15 minutes later), and we are finally off. They have the bungalow next to mine as a weekend get away and were cooking dinner over there that night.

When I get there, I am so exhausted and tell them, “I’ll take my stuff over later, I just want to go sit down”. After much persuasion, going back and forth 4 times, my mom convinces me to go to my house first and change for dinner.

I walk into the cottage, and try and flip the lights with no luck. Then, I look in to see a spotless house (the polar opposite from how I left it on Monday when I flew out), adorned with 8 dozen red and pink roses and 50 candles glowing all around the room. Serendipity soundtrack is playing. Honey-to-be peeks from around the corner and is smiling. I walk over and kiss him – then (I honestly can’t remember what he said – it is all such a blur). But, he walked me over to by the mantel, and had me feel how fast his heart was racing; then, he asked me if I wanted to sit down.

So, I did, and he got down on his knee, then he was crying, and tells me how gorgeous I am, how much he loves me, and asks me if I would spend the rest of my life with him. Of course, I said yes and then he put the ring on my finger.

That is definitely the watered down version of the story – I can’t possibly remember all of the details. I do remember – the room was gorgeous, there was champagne chilling in a crystal bucket with two champagne flutes close-by. The candles looked amazing, there were cake stands with candles arranged with rocks; I cannot put into words how gorgeous it looked.

Also – I AM SHOCKED that honey-to-be was able to surprise me so well. I had no idea and being so busy with work, was no longer consumed with the constant wedding bells that keep clinking in my mind. I love him so much, the ring I gorgeous and I love love love him!

I was later told, he called my mom earlier that morning and had told him his plan. He decorated all on his own and dreamed up how he wanted to do it. He must have cleaned my house and decorated it for hours to make it look so good. I love him and was devastated that I had to leave my roses behind in Dallas.

My ring is so beautiful and it is still not old telling my family to “look at it sparkle in this light”. I promise I will post pictures soon!