Being the Bride: Take One

And.... ACTION!

I previously mentioned while trying to find the perfect photographer, I fell in love with the backdrop of one my high school classmate's bridal portraits. After a quick email inquiry to Jamie at Colorband PhotoArtisans on the location and $50 donation later, the Guthrie Scottish Rite Masonic Temple was mine for the afternoon on August 9, 2010.

Since my hair and makeup artist was in Dallas, it meant I needed to be up by 3am to meet her up by 4:30am so that I could catch my 8am flight to OKC in order to make the hour drive from the airport to the temple to meet my photographers by 10:30am. Got the schedule down? Yea? Where were you to help me manage my stress when I wasn't sure if I was going to make the time breaks?!

Fortunately, my makeup artist was awesome and worked her magic (and super fast hands). We got done by 6:30am and I frantically defensively drove to the airport, parked, gathered all my bridal gear, briskly walked through the terminal and security to arrive at my departing gate by 7:30. Phew! And boy was I out of breath, beginning to perspire, and Aunt Flo decided to pay me a visit. Now. Oh no! As if I wasn't out of place enough with my full on up do and makeup at the airport on a Monday morning with business travelers, I was wildly fanning myself like a total diva trying to not ruin my makeup. What?! I paid a butt load of money for my makeup and up do, I don't want it messed up before a single photo is taken!

The above paragraph consisted of ridiculously long run on sentences! Yikes!

My mom, Aunt Kate, cousins Hong and Damon, and lil brother greeted me in OKC as the plane's tires gently screeched on the runway. With a quick pit stop at McDonald's to fuel everyone's system, we were on our way to Guthrie! As the building was vacated and is only open for guided tours, we had some difficulty identifying the front versus the back of the building in order to meet our photographers. And genius me didn't have their cell numbers. *face palm* Fortunately, after a few rounds of "ring around the Rosy temple", we located each other, hugged and introduced, then unloaded all the gear (photography equipment and bridal getup galor). Thank goodness for my family coming along. They make fabulous assistants and comedic relief when necessary.

While we checked in with the temple secretary, it became very apparent something extremely vital was missing. Air conditioning. It's the middle of August where the temperature was well in the upper 90's/lower 100's and the air conditioning was shut off. The temple was a scorching sauna with all windows closed and the building absorbing the August heat. I could already feel my makeup melting off my face and I've only been in the place for 5 minutes. *cringe*

With all of us putting on smiley faces despite the unfortunate predicament I was putting everyone in, we located a changing room and I stepped into my wedding gown. While I brought my camera, I wish I had captured the moment when my brother was lacing me up in my gown. While my brother and I aren't particularly close, that moment made my heart melt and I couldn't help, but smile ear to ear. Darn me for not capturing that moment!

While the photographers brought along a portable fan, the breeze of hot air was not comforting. I felt like I was in a movie in the middle of a desert filming a stake out in a high rise with no A/C. But the show must go on!! One of the great things the Masonic Temple has to offer - a wide variety of backdrops!

If you made it this far, I think it's only far to share with you my hot, sweaty mess bridal shots. Please be kind as oil blotting sheets were no match for the miserable heat!!

 

And one of my all time faves:



*All photos were taken by Colorband PhotoArtisans

What was your big face palm moment while wedding planning?

Saying Yes to A Dress

Boy, oh boy, oh boy. The wedding dress. THE wedding dress. Most girls have had their wedding planned out since the sweet age of 2 and have dreamt about what kind of dress they wanted to dance the night away in with their Prince Charming. Me? Does starting to look at dresses a month into planning count?

After looking through a Brides and D Weddings magazines, I bookmarked some dresses I liked and called to schedule my first appointment at Stardust Celebrations. With my family and bridal party all out of state, I knew this wouldn't be the first wedding task to tackle on my own. Honestly, I was okay with it. I didn't wanna induce additional stress on anyone. Plus, since I had absolutely no idea what I wanted, I doubt they wanted to spend hours watching me try on dresses just for kicks and giggles.

After hitting up 5 bridal salons, I started getting frustrated and disappointed. I couldn't find one potential dress and the consultants weren't always pleasant to deal with (one store left me on my own once they put all the gowns in the dressing room. Have you ever tried lacing up a corset dress or pinning it all in yourself? It's rather difficult). I would like the neckline of one, but dislike everything else. Like the bodice on another, but nothing else, so forth and so forth. The thing I did know was I was starting to get a collective idea of what type of dress I did want - rouched bodice, sweetheart top, empire waist, and slim A-line with pick-ups.

While I knew what type of dress I was looking for, I was also curious of trumpet gowns and decided to try one on for the heck of it. While I really liked it, neither my mother nor my FMIL approved. Moving on.

David's Bridal - Oleg Cassini CRL 277

One day while waiting to checkout at Wal-Mart, I was flipping through a bridal magazine (don't recall which one) and noticed some dresses displaying multiple characteristics of things I did like in a dress - rouched bodice, sweetheart necklines. Okay. Okay. I think we're onto something here! After looking for the tiny print mentioning who the designer was, I went home and googled Demetrios and the Sensualle Collection.

There was a store in the next town over and then fiance stated since it was still early in the evening, I should head over and check them out. The store was empty, but the consultant was super friendly and asked what type of dress I had in mind. I told her what characteristics I had in mind and she said she had just the dress for me, but told me to browse the various collections and pull out a few I'd like to try on.

We saved the one she picked for last. While I didn't fall in love with it, the consultant kept ooo-ing and ahh-ing all over it (this was a first!). Plus, I could see potential in it.

Demetrios Sensualle GR169

Not completely sold, I told the consultant I would return with my mother in a few weeks to decide. It also happened to be the weekend of a trunk show! Yay for 20% off everything I purchased that day.

Ultimately, my mother liked it and I was tired of searching for THE dress so I said "Yes to A Dress" and called it a day. I also purchased my elbow length veil that day for $50. What's up with a piece of tulle costing so darn much?! Will the dress grow on me? Guess we'll just have to wait and see!

Anybody else not have a "OMG! Waterworks-thisisTHEdress" experience or is the tomboy in me just too dominating?