"Oh, We're Just Looking..."

Apparently, that's what ALL the brides say that walk into Jon's Bridal in South Tampa to peruse through their selection of wedding gowns...

My mother, grandmother, and I spent my last day in Florida "just looking" at Tampa's bridal boutiques for wedding dresses. I knew it was only 5 days after I'd been engaged, but hey, I wanted my grandma to be with me at least once when I went out looking for the my wedding gown. So off we went!

Our first stop was a place called Emelina's. And I knew we'd be in trouble when I could hardly understand the lady on the phone due to her heavy accent. When we pulled into the parking lot, it was a rather small boutique, but we decided to try it anyway. Once inside, I felt immediately claustrophobic. Walls and walls of wedding dresses surrounded us on every side and the heavily-accented saleslady kept shoving the most expensive (and most hideous, in my opinion...) dresses my way, then just left me in the dressing room to fend for myself amidst the racks of heavy gowns.

Needless to say, we made Emelina's a very short stop.

Our second was a place called Jon's Bridal. Their website had looked appealing, but when we drove past (because we missed it the first time) it was an older looking building that -once again- didn't look promising. But Mom and Mamaw, true to their optimistic spirits, convinced me to at least go in and look.

And look we did.

Oh. My. Word.

Inside was a beautiful boutique. A saleslady greeted us, happy to be "saved from upholstering that bench over there." I found out later she's a mother-of-the-bride herself (her daughter's getting married in April) and she's been doing this for over 13 years. And she was phenomenal!

The first thing she asked me was my price range, and after hearing it, would show me nothing beyond it. She said, "Because if I show you anything else, you're bound to fall in love with it and just be heart-broken in the same breath because you can't afford it."

And one of the first things we told her was "Oh, we're just looking, really..." She rolled her eyes, shook her head at her co-worker at the counter, and said "That's what they all say. Do you think most brides just waltz in here and say, 'Hi, I'm going to buy a wedding dress today'?"

We loved her instantly. (Her name being "Gigi," my mamaw's nickname, had nothing to do with it either, of course....)

After she took me through their entire selection in my price range, we ended up with 4 or 5 dresses to try. She led us to a fitting area in the back, and the fun began! The dresses -unlike at Emelina's- were in my size, my price range, and my style! So fun to try on!

We came to a dress I had absolutely loved on the rack. And I loved it even more when I tried it on. It was a discontinued designer dress (and therefore, also extremely discounted) and was just the right look I was going for! I tried on another very pretty dress right after it, but immediately just wanted to put that first one back on. I just absolutely loved it! (And Gigi could tell.) She discreetly left us to talk while we excitedly discussed whether I could have found my wedding dress already...

But when my mom asked if I wanted her to buy it for me right then and there, I hesitated. I was "afraid of committing" to a dress so early on in the shopping process. Plus, big decisions tend to make me freeze up with indecision and fear in general - another trait I'm working at changing....But my mamaw's words over our lunch break were so wise:

"What are you afraid of? That God has answered your prayer -for a beautiful dress well within your budget- too quickly?!"

I laughed. Then I told my mom I completely loved that dress, and it was an answer to prayer.

So I said yes to the dress.

And started crying happy tears.

Sigh.

So much for "just looking"...

So yes, less than a week after my wonderful fiance popped the question, I have a wedding dress hanging in my closet. Call me crazy. But I'll just choose to consider myself blessed beyond measure :)

I'm so thankful my grandma and mom could both be with me when I found the dress I'm going to wear down the aisle! And that was the biggest blessing of the day, in and of itself...

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think...to Him be the glory in the church by Jesus Christ to all generations forever and ever. Amen!"

~Ephesians 3:20-21