THE dress.

still am in total shock that i have found and purchased my wedding dress! i really wish i could post pictures and flaunt it to the world but as we all know i must keep this secret like i have never kept one before!  let's just say that i picked one that i least expected walking in.  keep in mind i really had no "expectation" about the actual dress... since my body is constantly changing with the weight loss and muscle toning, i am not sure what i look good in anymore let alone a wedding dress.  i no longer have a type or a set look.  what used to make me feel comfortable and pretty now makes me feel frumpy and blah.  i had a lot of fun trying on the different styles and materials mainly because i found confidence in myself that i haven't ever had.  i was able to have fun with this event instead of being critical and pessimistic.

my lady entourage minus 1 and a half
with "say Yes to the dress" signs
made by my sister, Danica & nieces!

it's funny because going into this part of the wedding adventure i had some sort of different expectation beyond the actual dress... i didn't feel any pressure while trying on dresses and i listened to myself more then i listened to my entourage (but truly valued everyone's opinion)... but... i expected a certain reaction... THE reaction. yes i do watch a lot of wedding shows (probably too many) so i thought i was going to have this dramatic emotional response to THE dress.  i had my own reaction.  basically, i almost had a panic attack, haha!  i had hot flashes and couldn't breathe.  a feeling of wanting to rip the dress off and sit in an ice bath :)  that's when i knew this was my dress for our wedding day!

celebrating a victorious dress shopping
experience with Margaritas and Salsa
with a few of my favorite ladies!

i also learned something about myself during dress shopping.  i think everyone has a part of the wedding that is a their thing... their special part of it... their "have to be perfect's"... (for lack of better terms.) either the ring, the music, the dress, the flowers, etc.  i thought the dress and the process of dress shopping was going to be "my thing" and learned that it wasn't.  i do really love my dress and get more and more excited about wearing it but i don't find it being my main aspect of the wedding.  so far my main "aspect" throughout this whole process is our engagement and my engagement ring. the Seattle engagement is something i will never forget and relive it daily in my mind.  thinking about it and seeing our 1 million pictures gives me comfort, love, and true unconditional happiness.  every time i look at it i think about my personal future, my future with my soon-to-be husband, and love.