Diary Of A Real Bride Loren Penney: Say Yes To The Dress?
Written by on September 20, 2016.
Tagged under: Diary Of A Real Bride Loren Penney: Say Yes To The Dress?, Wedding Gowns Dubai, dubai bridal boutiques, wedding dresses
Diary of A Real Bride
It’s a stressful time for our real bride Loren Penney, who’s currently in the midst of the often baffling and sometimes frustrating search for her wedding dress. Having visited several boutiques in both Dubai and the UK in her pursuit of ‘the one’, it’s crunch time, and our Loren is certainly feeling the pressure. We personally think she looks fab in all the dresses she tried on below, but when it comes to selecting your dream gown, only you know when it feels right. Read on to find out more about Loren’s search.
Have you seen the American reality TV show ‘Say yes to the dress’? Well that is exactly the opposite of what is happening with me this month. Visions of sipping Laurent Perrier whilst swishing in front of my female relatives as they wept with happiness were quickly replaced with real life tears of despair. I’ve come to the conclusion after trying on no less than 40 dresses both in Dubai and the UK that the moment when you find the dress equivalent of your hubby-to-be is in fact a myth. Sure, I’ve found dresses I like, even some I’ve proclaimed to have loved, but there always seems to be a but.
I’d like this if it had a sweetheart neckline or I’d prefer this if the sequins could be removed, have frequently come out of my mouth, much to the annoyance of my nearest and dearest, each of whom have very differing opinions on what my wedding dress should be like. In fact, I have since decided to go it alone, preferring to send photos (only the flattering ones mind you) via WhatsApp now that an ocean and several continents separate us again.
After getting stuck in a Disney style prom dress that had to be tried on just to relive a childhood fantasy, and tripping over a feathered mermaid tail resulting in a spread-eagled bride-to-be on the floor of a very upmarket bridal store, I now have a ‘shortlist’ of at least 5 dresses that I know of which, I will buy one. But deciding between them when in all honestly even I can see that they all look basically the same, is proving more than a little hard. I’ve learnt that weddings are all about compromise, but I wasn’t prepared to apply this to finding my ideal dress. I assumed I’d put something on and instantly know that this was the one.
I’ve also found the entire experience slightly less glamorous than the movies make it look. First, there is the arm ache. Browsing through tons of layers of taffeta really works the biceps and as a bride-to-be in the initial wedding planning stages, you seem to be permanently in your underwear, holding your breath and practicing sitting down, standing up, pretending to dance etc.
A wedding dress is most probably the most expensive dress you will ever buy, so being 100% sure, especially when your big day is little over 8 months away, is crucial. If, like me, you’re not a standard sample size you will need to order in the dress which can take between 4-6 months depending on the brand, and then there is a month and a half allowed for alterations. All of these things that have made me decide to try and get my dress from Dubai as opposed to my native UK, even with the inflated price tag.
I’ve given myself a timeline in an attempt to put an end to my procrastination, so in two weeks’ time I WILL have decided between champagne or ivory and lace or tulle. Wish me luck!
Judy says
Where is that first dress from? (the one with the straps and the low cut neckline? Its fab
Loren penney says
Hi there, it’s from Pronovias isn’t is gorgeous ?! X
Judy says
It’s Gorgeous on you! what’s the style name? Did you try it on in Dubai?
Loren penney says
aw thank you! It’s called Ralea and it’s actually by La Sposa at Pronovias and from the 2016 collection. This particular dress was tried on in the uk but there are many stockists of La Sposa here in Dubai so I’d advise checking with them to see if they have it x