Cindy*

FI and I are paying for our wedding ourselves. I fully expected that I would be paying for my wedding dress but actually got an unexpected surprise. My grandmother passed away about 2 years ago. Turns out, she had left money for me specifically for my wedding dress. So after we got engaged, my dad let me know about that. It was such an amazing surpirse. The nice thing is I found a dress that was less than what she left me so I splurged and bought fabulous shoes as well. In terms of the issue of expecting your mom to pay or at least offer to pay, I unfortunately can't really comment. My mom is passed away. Though I have a good relationship with my stepmother and though she has been my stepmother since I was 10, I have never felt like she considered me "her daughter" and would never have expected her to pay for my dress.

Hat0112 - I actually heard you shouldn't alter you dress until about 6 weeks before the wedding. That you should do it as close to the wedding as possible to ensure that you are pretty much the size you are going to be at the time of your wedding. 6 weeks or so should also leave enough time that if any additional alterations are needed (i.e. didn't quite get it right the first time) you still have time for that. I am planning to take my dress to be altered at the beginning of September (wedding at the end of October). You should probably check with the salon where you are having your dress altered. If your dress has heavy beading or really intricate details maybe it will be longer.

Wow ladies, last week. So through this season, I have to confess I haven't been the most dedicated in terms of my weight loss goals and I've only lost about 4 (maybe 5 lbs by Friday) total all season. But you know what, it is better than staying the same or gaining weight. FI and I decided to get more serious about our weight lose and have started P90X, both the fitness and diet plans. It is only day 3 but we are really sticking with it. We are getting up and doing the workout at 6 am before we go to work and have been making the lunches the night before when we make dinner so that it is easy and convenient. So far I feel great. If we stick with it for the 90 days, I know I will lose that last 9-10 lbs in time for the wedding. So hopefully their is a BL 10. If so, I am in for sure. So Jennypenny, I guess I have met this week's challenge as the P90X diet and exercise plan is definietly a new activity for me.

So my dress is in!! I'm so excited, I go on Friday to try it on. I already know it is quite a bit big (I needed more material in the bust so I had to order up, knowing it would have to be taken in in the waist and hips). But I won't have it altered until closer to the wedding date as FI and I are now doing P90X and I'd like to drop 10 lbs before the wedding. Talking about exercise and diet, I agree with everyone else about taking in less calories than you burn and building muscle being key. I am already pretty active - I distance run, play soccer and volleyball but I don't really watch what I eat. I don't eat terrible but I am a carb lover and not really a fan of protein. I am 10 lbs heavier than when I met FI 3 1/2 years ago (we both are actually). So to shape up, we are doing P90X, both the fitness and diet plan. I am loving the fitness plan (I don't normally do weights but when I do I tone up a lot so that goal is making me enjoy the pain). I hate the diet plan because its all high protein but I'm sticking with it. OMG, my wedding is now less than 4 months away, I really need to get on top of my planning. Yikes.

Your photos are gorgeous. Congratulations on your wedding and thanks for the review.

Love it and it looks great on you. I can't believe how cheap it was.

Everything looks great, I love the bags. Congratulations!

Haha, love it Cougs. My confession is that I wish I ate 2 Canadian chocolate bars today but this P90X diet won't let me.

Di - your photos are gorgeous and so unique. You look beautiful in them. Del Sol did a fantastic job.

What a cute story, congratulations on your engagement.

Hello ladies, FI and I are on day 2 of the diet and exercise plan. We started the exercise only plan a few months ago but only did it for about a week. Now we are taking it seriously as our wedding is only 4 months away, eek. The diet plan is a little hard for me because I am a carb girl and this 1st 30 days of fat shredder is pretty much all protein. Oh well, I'm determined to stick with it. My goal is to lose 11 lbs (go back to the weight I was when FI and I first started dating) and tone up a lot. I used to have really cut arms that I was proud of when I worked out with a trainer years ago, I want those back for my wedding photos.

Boo - how funny that we have the same ring. You have great taste!!

Thanks Tammy for this update. Do you know if there has been any change to the videography policy. I am doing my videography through Dreams and they confirmed Dino Gomez as my videographer. I guess I'd better contact Yarai and find out.

Confession #1 - all the eating and drinking at girl's weekend resulted in me weighing 1.2 lbs more this morning than I did Friday morning and I totally think it was worth it. Confession #2 - FI and I started the P90X diet and exercise plan today and I hate the diet plan. It is all high protein and I am a carb girl. I am already fantasizing about cheating and its only day 1.

Everything looks really beautiful. Wow you leave so soon, you must be so excited! Congratulations and I hope you have an amazing wedding day.

Great review and beautiful photos. I love your dress, the back is really unique and pretty.

Oh no, so sorry to hear that. I can't wait to see your planning thread, I know it will be fabulous!!

Thanks for the nom Krista!!

Everything looks great, congratulations!

I have the bold. It is through work so I have no idea about costs or anything like that. I love my bb. I use it all the time. I have not only my work email but also my personal email and my fb hooked up to my bb. Seriously, I don't know what I would do without it.

Quote: Originally Posted by diamondpooch Cindy, are yours the real thing or knock offs I had orginally got real Loubs, but ended up with buyers remorse and took them back, so now I think I'll just get knock offs! Normally, I hate imitation stuff, but I'm getting over it Mine are real, I bought them at Neiman Marcus. I love them and I figure my wedding is the one and only time I will buy the real deal so I am keeping them. Because they are turquoise, I know I can wear them again.

What a great story, congratulations!

Mrs. - Bachatabride (Manders) B2B - Nsbride2010 (Natasha)

Everything looks amazing, thanks for sharing. Congratulations!!

Quote: Originally Posted by karielk Cindy, that's a beautiful dress! I'm still a bit confused, though. Did you order the dress in a size to fit the bust and then still add inches on the neckline? Or was it the size to fit your waist/hips etc.? It sounds like a great option--thanks for the tip! I ordered the size that fit in the bust and took in the rest but also added 2 inches of material to raise the bustline up because even though the dress that fit in the bust zipped up, the material didn't fully cover my chest and I didn't want to be flashing anyone.