How I knew she was "the one"?

My fabulous MOH bought me the "Offbeat Bride" book which I read feverishly on the train every morning. I really loved the book even if it didn't really apply to me. For instance there is a chapter titled "Vanity, Fashion & Other Things We Shouldn't Care About"... anyone who knows me (or has seen my credit card statement) knows that this chapter almost certainly doesn't apply to me. Her chapter on wedding dresses titled "Clothes for her: On Poufy Dresses and Barefootedness" ended with a story about a bride who got "white blindness" pretty quickly and eventually gave up "in disgust convinced that every single dress looked exactly the same: hideous!"

(!!!!!!!!)

Now, I recognize that everyone is entitled to their opinion (even if it is wrong..hehehe.j/k) but this made my stomach turn. I L.O.V.E. WEDDING DRESSES! I had the hardest time finding a dress because I LOVED the trying them on so much.

The first time I went to look at dresses I went with my MOH and learned 3 things: (1) I love looking at myself in wedding dresses, (2)I could try on wedding dresses forever.... and (3)Did I mention that I look A-MAZING in wedding dresses? (This is actually not a sign of my vanity... I swear. I've just always been a fan of playing dress up).

Five bridal salons and 30 some dresses later, these were my top two contenders:



I called the first one "Kate" and the second one "Anne." (Ten points to anyone who can guess the reference!). I raced home and emailed my mother and sisters to ask them to weigh in. My sisters both loved Kate so I was pretty much sold. Then my mother sent me an email which basically said "You don't have to settle. There is still plenty of time."

Devastating, right? I was so defeated that I decided to stop looking for awhile. A few months later I went home to visit my family back in Texas and my sisters suggested we try again. The first store I went to, De Ma Fille was an adorable little boutique but with their limited selection I wasn't really able to find anything I wanted to take home. Next I went to Bliss Bridal Salon where I tried on 10 BEAUTIFUL dresses and finally FOUND MY DRESS!

I am not going to share my dress now but I will once it comes in!

I am just SOOO excited. I can't believe I actually bought it! It was all very surreal. . It was gorgeous. It fit beautifully and it wasn't like any dress I had ever seen (considering how many blogs, tv shows and bridal boutiques I've read/seen/been to, that was actually quite a surprise.) Even though I was head over heals in love with the dress, I wanted to make sure my mother loved (liked?) it. I took her back the next day and she LOOOOVED it. Color me surprised!

It was amazing and it was obvious that I had to just pull the trigger. There definitely were no tears when I tried it on but I did definitely know almost immediately. Instead of squealing like I had with so many other dresses, I just stared. I was speechless.... that was how I knew she was "the one."

How did you find your dress? Were you surprised by the dress you ended up with? How important were other people's opinions in the process?