Say Yes to the Dress - Tips from my Experience

Last Friday, I went to David's Bridal to try on wedding dresses.  Let me tell you, it took a LONG time.  But after a little more than 2 hours, I bought a wedding dress!

Before I continue, I must apologize.  I can't show you pictures of the dress, or tell you what it looks like.  Honestly I don't even have a picture of me in it.  There's too much risk in Dustin seeing this.  However I will say this: Looking online, I would never think to try on this dress, but I love the way I look in it.

Now that is out of the way, I have some suggestions for all of you bride-to-bes out there.

Wedding Dress Shopping Tips:

• Take advantage of your wedding dress consultant - These people consult 4 to 5 women on a weekday and 10 to 15 on a Saturday.  They know what they are doing.  If they have an idea of something to try on, listen to them! 
• Come in with an open mind - While it's nice to know what dresses you like beforehand, don't have a particular one in mind.  If you try it on and it doesn't look as nice as you expected, you become disappointed.
• Try on every style dress possible - You are not going to look like the models in the pictures, so it's important to understand how a style looks on you.  This helps eliminate options and lets your consultant narrow down what dresses to pull for you to try on.
• Remember you are in charge - Your friends, your family and people walking around the store are going to comment about the way you look in the dress.  Even if they tell you that you are beautiful in a dress, if you aren't confident in it, don't get it.
• Don't settle - Keep on trying on until you find the perfect dress.  Trust me, you know when you try it on.  If you have an open mind, it'll be okay if you try on 10, 15, 20+ dresses.
• HAVE FUN!

I'm Going Wedding Dress Shopping!!!

Tomorrow is a very exciting day!  My mom and I have an appointment at 4 o'clock at David's Bridal in Asheville with my lovely SAI sister Jessica Sigmon.  (She says she already knows some dresses for me to try on!)

When it comes to looking at wedding dresses, I'm being very cautious.  So far with everything I have had my heart set on, I have been disappointed in.  Which is fine, because I am really happy with the direction the wedding is going, but I don't want to go and try on a dress and I thought I would love and become heartbroken.  So I've just been looking at dresses online, but I have been keeping an open mind.

All I know is I want a dress that is fun and makes me feel beautiful.

This leads me to the point of this blog.  I have some questions for those brides and brides-to-be out there.

1. Where did you get your wedding dress?
2. What were you looking for in your dress?
3. What did the winning dress look like?
4. How did you know you wanted that dress?
5. Any tips or suggestions?

I hope to have an update on this soon for you!

Just an Update

This past week was really busy for me, in every aspect of my life EXCEPT wedding planning.  However, this coming week is sure to bring a lot of excitement!

My mom is the main person working with the vendors (mainly because she is in Waynesville, and I'm in Columbia!).  So other than researching things and sending her random thoughts and pictures, I'm not responsible for much in that area.  But there are some things I am working on.

ADDRESSES!  I have started to go address crazy!  I'm messaging friends and family, as well as making Dustin contact his friends and family, to get addresses into our database on the knot.  (I highly recommend this to anyone getting married!)  From that, we will copy it into our notebook to have two copies of the list.  (I like to obsess over details).

DRESS SHOPPING!  On Friday, October 22 I am going to meet my mom at David's Bridal in Asheville to go wedding dress shopping.  My lovely SAI sister, Jessica Sigmon, works there and says she already has dresses in mind for me to try on.  And of course I have my own list ready. :D

ENGAGEMENT PICTURES!  Sunday, October 24 we are meeting Susan Fowler in downtown Greenville and Falls Park to take our engagement pictures.  This will help us with our save-the-dates.

There are soooooo many things to decide, but I still feel like I'm making some progress.  I just get nervous when Dustin's mom asks me what color I want her to wear, and I thought that she got to pick what she wears.  AH!

More to come later this week... :D

Fashion Crisis: Engagement Pictures

What to wear; what to wear!  

Dustin and I scheduled our engagement pictures for Sunday, October 24.  We are taking them in downtown Greenville and are hoping for a "fall" look.  The photographer we are hiring Susan Fowler with Fowler Photo to do the pictures for the wedding as well as the engagement pictures.

We are really, really excited for our pictures.  Our problem is we have no idea what to wear!

I've been to the mall.  Of course I bought new jeans so they will look nice, but other than that, what do you wear?  Some people say that you need to choose simple outfits so the clothes won't go out of style: others say choose clothes that represent you as a person.  Is it okay to wear flip flops?  Should our pictures be formal?  These are just a couple questions that go through our minds (okay... mainly mine :D).

What did you wear for your engagement pictures?  If you aren't to that point yet, what do you think?

Choosing the Perfect Wedding Party

One thing that all of my friends agreed on, throughout the years, was that if you were to ask us at any moment, we could tell you who all of our bridesmaids would be if we were to get married.  Now certain people that remain fixed in your wedding party (i.e. siblings), however as the dynamics of your friendships change, so does your perfect wedding party.

Ashley Joyner Davis Wedding Party

When Dustin and I called our friends telling them the big news, we also proudly told them their role in our ceremony.  There was little controversy (minus a father/brother best man battle), and we knew exactly who we wanted to include.

BUT!  What do you do with your beloved friends that were once in your mental wedding party?  Do you just leave them out?  That could hurt a lot of feelings.  

That's when the lovely filler positions come in handy.  Instead of not including them, let them help with guest registry or programs.  Any way to involve them is great.  ALSO!  Don't forget to invite them to engagement and bachelorette parties, as well as wedding showers.  These are your friends to remember!

So with all of that being said, I would like to announce the wedding party of Kristen Cooper & Dustin King.

Bride - Kristen Cooper

Groom - Dustin King

Maid of Honor - Amy Cooper

Bridesmaids - Elise King, Alyssa Pierce, Kelly Litfin and Kristin Beesley

Junior Bridesmaid - Kristan Misenheimer

Flower Girl - McLain Youngwood

Best Men - Ethan King and David King

Groomsmen - Jonathan Churchill, Keith Marwitz and Kris Bence

Ring Bearer - TBA (We don't know anyone in the appropriate age range!)

Guest Book - Megan Misenheimer (and hopefully Liz Luedeman!)

Programs & Favors - Nathan and Dylan Misenheimer

We are so thankful for all of our friends and family, and are excited for our big day!

What a productive week!!!

I just want to say that I love my mom.  She is making planning a wedding so much easier.  I think that she is enjoying obsessing over all of the wedding plans more than I am, and with her being in Waynesville, it just makes life easier.

So that being said... This was a productive week! 


Last Saturday, Dustin and I made pro/con lists and finally decided our location. CHECK!

We submitted our preferred date to the church, and it was voted on in staff meeting and now is reserved on the exact day I wanted. CHECK!

Wedding party informed of duties.  CHECK!

Now it's time to start looking at vendors.  This is where my mom went crazy!  According to my lovely wedding-planning book, I need to have my vendors chosen early on.  I decided to have this done by December.  We'll need a planner (optional), officiant, caterer, musicians for the ceremony, music for reception. photographer, videographer, florist/designer, and a stationer.  (I'm sure there are more, but this is what I'll probably need.

I emailed the officiant, should have the final word soon.  CHECK!

Preferred ceremony musician contacted.  CHECK!

Photographer chosen AND engagement pictures scheduled.  CHECK!

Videographer chosen.  CHECK!

And if we go with a certain caterer we are interviewing, Dustin and I chose the menu.

Maybe we are just getting excited - but this is starting to get fun!!!