Sunday, September 26, 2010

Success! A New Dress!!

I picked up my Mom who just happens to live next door at 10:30am and off we went in search of the perfect dress for the wedding!  Little did I know at the time that the search was indeed a search! 

We pulled up to the first place and I guess I should have thought about it a little more because anytime the words "boutique" is in the title of the store name, one should know that its going to be pricey!  My Mom had a limit in her mind of what she wanted to spend because at this current time my Dad isn't working a lot because #1 he is a realtor and everyone knows what that means in today's economy and #2 he had 2 more stents put in his heart last Friday which now put him at 13 stents!  I just pray that he is okay everyday.  Anyhow my Mom "thought" she could get a dress for around $200.00.  

Well the first "boutique" we went into the lady took us upstairs and showed all where the long gowns were.  The first price tag I looked at said $760.00!!  That's almost as much as Mocha paid for her Wedding Gown!  I explained to the sales associate that my Mom is on a fixed budget and needed to stay around $200.00.....well she looked at me like I had 4 eyes and said that she didn't have anything even near that price!

So we were off to the 2nd place and had to travel 45 minutes.  When we got there we were again taken up to the their 2nd floor (I don't know why these places put the Mother of the Bride/Groom dresses on the 2nd floor....I immediately explained that my Mom was looking for a dress for around $200.00....again I got the 4 eyes look and she said that no indeed did they have anything that price.  She said their dresses start at $500.00!  Sticker shock!!

By then it was 12:30pm and both of us were starting to get hungry.  My Mom has diabetes and so I knew she had to get something to eat soon.  We grabbed a slice of pizza and off to the 3rd place we went.

I knew this place was going to have something because it is the largest bridal store in a 50 mile radius!  When we got there the parking lot was full....until we realized that it was full because there was a parade going on and everyone parked there!  We finally found a parking spot down the street and walked a block down to the store.  I get up to the door and pull on it and it is locked!!  Locked!!!  I then looked at the sign with the store hours and it said, "Saturday...by appointment only!".....what!?   By appointment only!?  On a Saturday!?  Isn't Saturday like a designated shopping day??  And at the largest bridal store around!  Ugh!  So back we trekked to the car and by then we were getting discouraged!

Store # 4 had a selection of about 10 dresses....all in sizes 2 and 4!

Store #5.  My Mom had already been here 2 weeks ago but I suggested we try again because that is where Mocha got her gown.  We get there and it was very busy.  We made a bee line for the "Mother" dresses and I'm crossing my fingers as I'm looking through the selections.  I find 1 for her to try on and she finds 1 and both of them were priced at $208.00....I am very hopeful at this point!

She goes into the dressing room and tries on the one that I had found.  It looked nice on her but she said the material didn't feel very comfortable but she said that she would get it because she said that she was running out of time...and places!  As you can tell from the picture, she wasn't very thrilled with the dress!
I told her to try on the other one because maybe she would like that one better! 
And she did!  She said it was comfortable and she liked the way that it fit!!
Her facial expressions are hilarious!
The sales associate went and got her matching shoes and a purse and the look was complete!

What made it even better was that since Mocha got her dress there, my Mom got $20.00 off the dress and 10% off the shoes!  Then the purse had a missing rinestone that was barely visible and so they took $10 off!  Her total for the dress, shoes and purse was $260.00!  Plus it didn't need altered!

It was a long day but I am so glad that she found something and the price was just right!  When we got home she was so excited to show my Dad!  She put it on and modeled it for him.  He said she looked beautiful!

22 comments:

  1. I agree w/your mother..the first one, I can imagine the material.. She looks great in that purple dress... $760 for a wedding dress is unheard of. Calif. prices must be higher. Guess I am use to "Say Yes to the Dress" show.. then again, I love Vera Wang's collection...

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  2. Your mom looks beautiful.I am lovin' the purple one also. Why do people try to break u when u need to get a nice dress for a special occassion?

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  3. Well done!
    I thought that all kinds of clothes would be cheaper in US but I was wrong!
    I like her dress, sits very well...She looks beautiful!

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  4. It looks to me like that one was just made for her.

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  5. Gentlemen in Blog land: Take some advice from a father of three girls, one of whom got married last month. Learn how to fish!

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  6. she looks happy and confident in the purple dress! it is amazing how the right accesories can complete an outfit - the dress didn't look as good in the first picture as it does in the second - good deal!! And purple is a beautiful happy-mood improving color.

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  7. She looks beautiful in the purple one...the first one looks like she's a mermaid. I think that weddings are big business and they purposely put up prices to hilarious levels. I'm surprised people are still getting married. Your mum looks gorgeous!

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  8. I'm glad you met with success. The purple is a good color on her. That kind of thing is so expensive($760) and I think you're right about the use of the word "Boutique" in the title.I think folks just go into weddings knowing it will be expensive, so the retailers can basically do what they want.You two did well anyway.

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  9. I just love a story with a happy ending :) I'm glad that your mom found something that she liked, that looked nice on her, and at an affordable price. Wedding shopping can sometimes be brutal.

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  10. Oh the last one is so much more flattering on her and timeless I think. The deeper color and the overall style is much nicer. I am happy she found such a nice look for the wedding. Shopping with your Mother must be nice.

    Carol-the gardener

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  11. The second is a perfect choice. The color, drape and fit of the dress are just right. Your mom looks beautiful.

    Thank you so much for your encouraging words on my blog in regards to anonymous bully comment I received.

    Trudy
    www.sewingwithtrudy.blogspot.com

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  12. Wow. I think I would have just looking at formal dresses at the department stores. But, you found something in her price range, she looks beautiful, and that is ALL THAT MATTERS. I can imagine the sticker shock factor, however. That is highway robbery.

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  13. sweet! looks like a very pretty dress and what a great deal with the purse and shoes...she looks lovely!

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  14. She looks lovely!!! And that she feels comfortable even better.. Bless you for sticking with her and helping her find something that she looks and feels amazing in!!! HHL

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  15. Yeah! Success and she looks beautiful in it. It always helps when the dress is comfortable. That alone makes you feel prettier I think.

    Hugs,
    Kat

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  16. She looks beautiful in both dresses, but I can see how the first one would be uncomfortable!

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  17. Love the purple dress. It fits her perfectly.

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  18. How lovely she looks! I can't wait to get my dress back from my alterations friend. While it's been gone I have chosen shoes, clutch and a little jacket to wear with it. But I have not seen them all together and our sons wedding is 10/10/10 ! Only 2 more weeks!!

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  19. YAY for discounts and that she found something that looks so smashing AND is comfortable!! ;D

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  20. Ooohhhh, your mother looks WONDERFUL in that dress. So glad she found one she feels good in and looks great on her! The accessories just make it "pop" too! I love purple ... so elegant! :)

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  21. it's terrible how dresses can be so expensive. the 2nd. dress your mother bought looks great on her. there will be alot of beautiful women at the wedding. rose

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  22. Java,
    You are so lucky to have a beautiful Mom who looks regal in her dresses. And what a shopper you are! Are there some blog awards for shopper of the year? I nominate Java!
    Manzanita

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