Personal Story: How I Found My Perfect Wedding Dress

It was August 2010, my boyfriend of 6 years asked me to marry him. I had been waiting for this moment for a while now. We had searched for the perfect ring, talked about our futures together, and I couldn't wait to be engaged. The first thought that popped into my head was "I can't wait to go dress shopping!" A few months later, after securing my venue and setting a date, the shopping begins.

My first dress shopping adventure was shared with my mom, who will be escorting me down the aisle for our May 2012 wedding. We decided to visit 3 smaller bridal boutiques one afternoon, including the popular Kaufman's of Wheeling in West Virginia. There were so many choices, but none really gave me the "this is the dress" thought. After shopping in 3 stores, I went home for the day and figured out where to shop next.

On my next shopping trip that November, I went solo, and I had decided to visit David's Bridal. As a bride on a tight budget, I figured I may be able to score my dress for much less than those smaller boutiques wanted. I was always interested in their infamous $99 sales, and buying a dress for that cost would have been wonderful! However, it was to my dismay that the only dresses in this particular store that were marked down to $99 were not my style and not even in my size.

I started working with a consultant, telling her I was interested in the halter neckline, and an overall simple gown. She brought out a few dresses for me to try on. I even tried on a strapless, even though it wasn't in my choices, just to see what it looks like. After 4 dresses, I tried on the very last one.

This dress had everything I wanted; the halter, beading on the bodice but also plain on the bottom, with a train that was the perfect length for me. I knew I wanted this dress, then and there. However, it was not a dress that could be ordered, since it was being discontinued. I didn't have the money at the time to buy it in full, and I was definitely not opening a credit account to purchase it. So, I went home, told my mom and matron of honor about it, and in the back of my mind, I kept thinking, "I need to buy that dress!"

January 2011 rolls around, and I see advertised a sale on the weekend before Martin Luther King Day. I thought it was odd they were holding a sale on that particular weekend, but I picked up the phone and called back to the same David's Bridal to see if they had that same dress, because I planned on buying it that weekend. "Sorry, but we no longer have that dress in stock", is what I heard from the girl on the other line. I was so bummed, but I asked if any other store in the area had it in a size that I could buy.

Luckily, a location about 20 miles away had a size 14 in stock, and it was the last one! I rushed there the same day, on my own. When I walked in, I told the consultant the style number of the dress, and she immediately pulled it off the rack and showed me into a fitting room to put it on.

That was the final moment that I knew that this wedding dress was indeed mine, and that this was the dress I'd be wearing on the day I marry my best friend. There's nothing that I could compare that feeling to, it's just incredible. I felt like a beautiful bride, and also a budgeting bride, as I scored this dress, originally priced at $799, for $199 plus tax. I also purchased the $10 gown bag, since the dress was not in a plastic bag like the other ones on the rack.

So, even though this dress has some minor details that need to be fixed and worked with, it's perfect for me. By the time May 2012 comes around, it will need taken in, hemmed, etc. just like any other bridal gown. But, I feel so good that I found my dream dress, at a great price, and it's one less thing I need to worry about in the next few months as I finish planning our wedding.

Best of luck to my other fellow brides out there, as you all shop for your perfect dresses!