The Harris Wedding Part 1: The Dress

I can not believe that the wedding is over!

So much work went into the whole celebration and I am forever indebted to

all of those who made it possible. 

I will be sharing these beautiful day in pieces, first beginning with my amazing dress!

Mom and I have watched countless episodes of Say Yes to the Dress and have critiqued literally hundreds of dresses. I think I could now work in a bridal shop I am such an expert! But if we learned anything it is that there is truly one perfect dress out there for every woman. We also learned that most women completely over pay for that special dress!!

I am so blessed that I was able to find an amazing dress that a dear, sweet lady in our church had. She had inherited a house full of dresses from a renter who owed money and did not know what to do with them. She called Daddy and said, "Do you know anyone who might want a cheap wedding dress?"

Daddy's reply, "Um, yes!"

I was able to go over to the home and look through I'm certain almost a hundred dresses and pick all the ones in my size range to try on. We loaded them up and brought them to our house for trying on. This is a true blessing as I was a bit worried about being critiqued in front of an entire bridal salon.

Our neighbors must have wondered what in the world was going on as we unloaded a van full of dresses and brought each one inside!

But as I tried on and tried on, I was getting a bit discouraged. I actually thought I liked one dress but was not sure. But then as I put on the last dress Minda began to cry. "This is it!" I said I did not think so, but as I stepped out into the living room and looked at the dress in the big mirror I saw what she was seeing! This was my dress.

The original ticket price for the dress was almost $1000 but Ms. Doris would only take $75 for it!!!!

When I went to a bridal shop to purchase the undergarments for the gown, (they cost more than the gown itself!) the attendant was amazed that I had not had a fitting done on the dress. I told her the whole story and she said that this was a miracle dress and that it looked like it had been made exactly for my body!

The original dress had a small white bow on the back.

I really was not happy with it. A little too Minnie Mouse!

So I began to discuss with Minda what might be more me, and she created an absolutely gorgeous

back piece that I adore!! So me and so beautiful!!

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Laura Marie, the same awesome photographer who did our engagement shoot, and my wonderful sis in law to be, took the pics for the bridal shoot.

We decided to take them at the Hattiesburg Public Library. It is a beautiful location and it defiantly speaks to my literary side! Laura created some simply elegant shots and I could not be happier!

 I could not have asked for a more beautiful dress or a more perfect photo shoot.

I think that a dress like this one is one that I could never even dream would be

so exactly right. It fit the vintage 1940s era we were going for, fit my body perfectly and

made me feel gorgeous! What more could a girl dream of!

That said, it being as long as it was I knew that I did not want to wear it throughout

the entire reception allowing it to drag in the backyard. And so I had to pick out the

perfect reception dress!! (And since we had a little wiggle room in the dress budget

I felt justified in having two dresses!)

While we were shopping in Memphis in April we found Mom's dress and my

reception dress at the same time.

The dress has a bit more of a sixties feel to it, but  love it so much!!

For the bridal shoot Amanda Holliday did my hair and make up in the reception dress. We took the pics

at Mom and Dad's amazing house.

I am so in love with the look and feel of the photos that Laura was able to create!

Overall I could not be happier with my dresses. I am so, so thrilled with my portraits!

I will forever look back on them and feel beautiful!!