It Even Has Pockets

It's interesting to compare my do-it-yourself, budget wedding planning experience with the experience of my dear friends who are concurrently in the throes of wedding planning. When I explained to one of them that Matt and I are attempting to throw a seriously budget shindig (i.e., $2,000 max), she replied, "Oh, the only thing we're spending a lot on is food." Remembering that she was having a nifty dress personally designed for her, I asked, "So how much will your dress cost?" The answer? [insert the cost of my entire wedding]

Wow.

There was a brief, fleeting moment during this whole process when I thought to myself that I might need to get a real wedding dress. I knew they were over-priced. I knew I would never be able to wear it again (unless I drenched it in fake blood and wore it on October 31st). I knew it would probably be uncomfortable (sidenote: my other wedding-planning friend explained that brides' dresses are not designed to be put on independently). I even knew there is an entire racket around the cleaning and preserving of dresses. One such company was sued because it would only pretend to clean dresses and would get away with it by sealing them in boxes with ominous warnings along the lines of, "The preservation of this dress is no longer guaranteed if the seal is broken."

Give me a break.

But I wanted a real dress. I warned Matt of my irrational craving. I told him to get used to the idea. My plan was to buy one, wear it, and then sell it on craigslist.

Luckily, that craving passed without much notice. Instead, I started searching for organic cotton, hemp, or bamboo dresses. You know, something that wouldn't be so environmentally damaging.

Unfortunately, the dresses I found were pretty much dismally ugly. Instead, I tried the budget route. Did you know Target actually has wedding dresses from $99-$159? But they look too much like real wedding dresses (I really am over my primordial craving).

So I tried bridesmaid dresses instead (they do come in white, you know). The nicest ones were out of my budget (Matt and I did budget a hefty $200 for my clothing).

As of this moment, I've decided on a white sundress. Yes, it arrived in a tiny box. But that made me smile. Yes, it needs some sort of sash, so it doesn't add the freshmen 15 onto a single spot on my hips.

The good news is I just found a good sash material, while cleaning out our craft room, and I even have a necklace, shawl, and shoes to complete the outfit. I'll have to see what Matt thinks when he gets home from the Houston Marathon.

The best part? The dress was on clearance and only cost $20, including shipping and handling. And, it even has pockets!

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