Fantastic Lies: Seriously, I hate tule

I guess every girl dreams of her perfect wedding dress. I don't think I really ever did. I just knew what I didn't like.

I knew I wanted to feel pretty, and I wanted Aaron to think I looked just amazing. I also had that annoying Taylor Swift song stuck in my head every time I tried on dresses. The one where she says the bride was dressed in a gown shaped like a pastry. I certainly did't want anyone associating me with food.

So, once I determined what I did (amzingness) and didn't want (pastries), I set out trying to find the perfect dress. It took three different cities and five different stores, but I found the dress of my dreams.

More pics after the break!

First let's take a look at the ones that didn't quite make the cut:

This one was a strong contender and the first wedding dress I ever put on.

That face says it all. Little did I know what I'd end up with

I need to get out of this dress ASAP. I could barely take one step in it.

This is the type of dress I though I would wear. And apparently the type of dress everyone else thought I would wear as well

My mom wanted me to try this one one. Obviously, it's just too much dress. Whoa.

After trying on the above dresses and not feeling that spark, my mom and I drove to Dallas with our first (and only) stop at LuLu's Bridal Boutique. We walked in and met the wedding dress consultant of my dreams. She was a tall big-boned woman with a thick Russian accent. Her name was Rose. I knew she would be the one that would find my dress. She asked me to show her some of the dress I tried on before and wanted me to tell her what I liked and didn't like about them. The first thing I said was I don't like tule. I really do hate that stuff.

I found some dresses I liked and hurried back to the dressing room to get started. At the last minute she grabbed a dress completely made out of tule and instructed me to try it on first. She said she just got this one in and wanted to see it one someone. I listened to Rose since I was standing there naked, cold and ready to put a dress on.

I loved the dress immediately, and so did my mom. Since I pretty much had every dress in the store to still try on, I took it off and tried to talk myself out of liking a dress made out of tule. But every dress I tried on didn't compare. My mom showed me a picture of me in the dress, and I cried. I knew - and so did Rose - that it was the dress for me. I put it back on and tried to make the decision to say yes, no or maybe.

I love it!

So beautiful, and so full of tule!

I started to get a little overwhelmed, so we left the lovely dress and the lovely Rose and got some lunch. I didn't want to go try on any other dress because I loved that big tule dress. Mom asked if I was ready to make the decision to get THE ONE. I wasn't. So, we drove back to Shreveport. I slept on it. And we went and bought the dress after Christmas.

The dress is finally mine!

Since the dress was made for someone who wasn't petite, I had to get the entire bodice reconstructed by a saint named Ruth. After three fittings (who am I? Catherine Middleton?) and a body that was 20 pounds lighter, my dress was ready. I hugged Ruth (my personal angel) and stuffed that dress in the back of my Jetta.

The first fitting. Love the bangs, hate the stomach pooch.

Notice all the bunching in the back. Ruth will fix that - now worries!

Second fitting. Looking better. Ruth and I are now BFFs.

Final fitting. So ready to get hitched in this thing.

And now because this post is already too long and full of entirely too many pictures of myself ... here are my lovely bridal portraits. It should be noted that I have the best photographer in the world. I pretty much want to be BFFs with Britney Smith from Magnolia Pair.