Well, its been a long time in coming but I have finally sorted about a whole heap of wedding stuff and now feel thoroughly excited and very chilled!! ?
Popped up to Glasgow last Tuesday and met my mum. Bless her, she cried when I got off the train and mum is not a crying person so I could tell that she was emotional about the trip.
Once we had booked into the hotel we popped into the shops and had a scout around and straight off found the perfect outfit for Ma. Not sure if many of you have heard of a brand called Nitya but they are a kind of indian/asian fusion fashion brand but not to such an extent that it would look out of place alongside the more traditional mother of the bride outfits. Honestly, its gorgeous and has teal tunic over which goes an embroidered coat to the knee which has various shades of grey, teal and a petrol green/navy colour which is also the sole colour of the trousers. After quite a bit of persusasion she went for a lovely grey hat which she has now branded 'the skydish!!' but it really sets off the outfit.
The following day, hot on the heels of the success of the previous days brief shop we headed for a well known occasion wear shop that we had pinned all our hopes on for my outfit. Quickly followed was one of the most horrific shopping experiences of my life where I was made to feel like an outsize monster. For those who haven't seen my posts I was a v. big girl this time last year and after a v. willful stint on a food replacement diet I shed 6 stone in about 4 months bringing me down from a size 20/22 (at a push) to a 14/16. When we walked in I was immediately pounced upon by the sales assistant who said they would send someone over to help me look through the rails, I tried to insist I would be ok but she said they were done in a specific order so I would need help............ honestly, as if, they were only in size order so it wasn't difficult. I had been warned they were quite a strong willed bunch but I figured I would be ok.
The second assistant came over and tried to work out what size, style, colour and more importantly budget I had to work to. I tried to perservere with the line of, point me in the direction and I will look for myself as a) I don't know what style i'm looking for, b) I'm looking for something in silver/gold so Im focused on that and c) budget will depend on what I see. To say this wasn't listened to was an understatement. Fast forward about an hour and I left the shop in tears after having been told that I would have to look at the size 24 stock (only to have then required alterations), given items that my gran wouldn't even have worn and told that they were the experts and knew what would look good after I had refused to try on the 12th hideous sack like creation in sludge grey. I couldn't get out fast enough and was actually only able to leave as I insisted that it wasn't water I needed but a stiff brandy!!
Normally I would have been strong but it brought back memories of shopping trips of long ago when I was treated as the 'fat girl' and relegated to the shapeless, drab sacks and told how lovely I looked when really what stared back was an unhappy teenager desperate to scream at them to stop lying. Certainly not an experience I thought I would be experiencing now or when choosing my wedding outfit. Myself and mum, in true comfort eating style, put the whole experience behind us by popping to a lovely little coffee house where I quickly got a grip of myself ........ and a coffee and cream meringue!!! One has never tasted so damn good!! ?
After that my mum called my auntie in for backup and we headed to the high street where fifteen minutes later I had stepped into the dress of my dreams, straight off the peg in a size 16. God bless Monsoon. Que more cryiing from mum, auntie and a couple of other shoppers!! My little cousin (the BM) then arrived and said she had seen a lovely dress on the way in, she went to fetch it and low and behold, it was teal. The perfect match for my mum's outfit so from then on in the shopping trip turned from disaster to ideal.
We managed to find the BM lovely shoes which were a perfect match from Jones's and bought her a scarf from Monsoon which we are going to turn into a jacket.
Before I headed back to Manchester on the Sunday we had also managed to pick up my gift for her (jewellery) and her hair accessory, my hair accessory, gloves, bag and jewellery to finish off mum's outfit and ties for H2B and the best man (my little brother)
All I need to do now is find some comfy shoes and some jewellery to set off the outfit properly and to organise all the stationery bits and bobs as I'm making them myself.
If anyone is interested in seeing the dresses I can post a pic if you tell me how!! ?
Amee
x
