How Our Editor Found “The One” (The Dress)

A reflection on wedding dress shopping  

By Rebecca Padgett Frett

I was the editor of Northwest Florida Weddings Magazine before I was ever engaged or met my now husband. This provided me with a lot of access to viewing beautiful wedding dresses. When I did get engaged and it was time to dress shop, it was one of the aspects of the wedding that I was most excited about.  

Standing at just five feet tall, I only had one “no,” any dress with a big, puffy ballgown skirt for fear I would get lost in it. Other than that, I was open to trying all sorts of styles and silhouettes.  

Accompanied by my mom, sister, grandma, and maid-of-honor, we had four bridal shops to visit. The first produced nothing of much interest. At the second shop, there was one dress that I liked a bit, and that my family really liked. While it was pretty, I just didn’t get “that feeling” that I was supposed to have. 

Between the two shops, we stopped for lunch. I tried to keep my mood positive, but unease was creeping in. Living away from my family, this was the day we had together.  

Again, the third shop had beautiful dresses, but none of them felt right. Alone in the fitting room, my eyes fluttered back tears as I wondered if something was wrong with me. My sister reminded me that I had originally been most excited about our last stop anyways (best for last, as they say). This shop was where my sister had found her own dress the year before, and as she looked, I had spied out several designers that aligned with my style.  

As I’d remembered, the last store was definitely my style. I tried on five dresses, that were my favorites of the day. One I even began to feel a small inkling it might be the dress. As I had looked through the racks, I was drawn towards a stunning dress, but I put it aside since it was $300 over my budget.  

Going back on the sales floor, I pulled it and asked to try it on. As the sales associate adjusted it to better fit me, I got a fluttery feeling in my stomach. I was nervous to look in the mirror. The best kind of nerves. I looked up at myself and saw a bride. It was the one. 

Below are some observations about my experience in hopes that it will help you find the one. 

You Envision Yourself Walking Down the Aisle 

In my experience, it was the first time I envisioned myself as a bride walking down the aisle, rather than simply playing dress up in another woman’s future dress. When your mind makes that switch, it can become emotional.  

You Aren’t Seeking External Validation 

While it was welcome, of course, I didn’t need my family and maid-of-honor to tell me they liked the dress or that I looked beautiful. I loved the dress. I felt beautiful. That’s what mattered.  

Give Your Dress Budget a Bit Of Wiggle Room  

I am not advocating for spending an amount that makes you uncomfortable or that you truly cannot afford all for a dress. I am saying that I made it work because the dress, was one of the most important aspects of the day for me. I wanted to look back on my wedding photos and know I made the right decision. To compensate, I chose a less expensive veil and sought accessories I already had or found on discounted sites.  

You Can’t Stop Thinking About It  

The last dress I tried ended up being the dress. I knew I didn’t need more time to think about it and purchased it then and there. For many, that’s not the case. Maybe yours will be the first, the fifth, or fifteenth, but if you can’t stop thinking about it between all the other dresses, that’s a great sign. Some people want to think on it, but if you keep looking at that one dress on your camera roll, there’s a reason.  

You Feel Like Yourself  

When the right dress was on, my body knew. My shoulders released and relaxed. The pang of negative nerves eased. Smiles came easily. I felt happy and confident and ready.