By our guest blogger Laura Lowe
If I’m honest, this was the part of the planning I was really looking forward to... bridesmaid dress shopping with my best mate, plenty of coffee and cake stops, and a chinwag. I have spoken a little about Laura before, but words don’t really do her justice... she’ll hate me for this, but I’ll put a picture up so you can see for yourself...
It is probably worthy to note here, my fellow Brides, that my plan of attack was – in hindsight – probably not the best way of going about the choosing of dresses. Due to my highly organised professional life, I think I’m starting to take after my mother and be totally the opposite at home. See below.
10.07am: 7 minutes late (due to *ahem* unpredictable traffic). Pick Laura up, have a gossip with her and her mum (who I’ve known for years) and put the world to rights.
11am: Arrive in town. It’s packed... saturday shoppers, mothers and their damn pushchairs, schoolkids. Nightmare. Decide it’s too much to handle, go for coffee and midmorning snack (Starbucks cappuccino and double choc chip cookie). Note to self: STOP EATING!
11.30: Feeling refreshed. Take one look at queue in Debenhams, head to M+S. Try on some ballgowns in a lurid green colour. Hate them. Move on.
11.50: Fight through the crowd at Beatties and try on some hugely expensive dresses. Looks lovely – but then, Laura would look good in most things, lucky cow! Decide it’s too expensive. Definitely move on!
12.13: Debenhams. Lovely dresses. Great style. Fit beautifully. Wrong colour. Move on.
12.25: Head out of town towards the independent wedding shops. Get sidetracked at Frankie and Benny’s. Drink wine and eat pizza. Not to self: STOP EATING!
13.15: Independent wedding shop in Telford. Ask to try something on, get a snotty reply about booking an appointment. I point out that there’s no one in the shop. Get a withering look. Try on some dresses. Love them. Laura loves them. Send pic to Rob, he loves them. Get presented with a booklet of 150 colour combinations and lengths. Get very confused.
14.00: Still in the wedding shop. Annoy the assistants with our indecisiveness so take the booklet without ordering anything. Get more snotty looks.
14.15: Head to another shop. Discover that you really do need an appointment. Leave without booking an appointment. Note to self: MAKE AN APPOINTMENT!
So, our day of dress hunting, out of wedding season and with no organisation, wasn’t very fruitful. However, I’m sure you’ll all agree that catching up with your best mate is always a winner and we had a fabulous day!
The real ins and outs of planning a wedding by the future Mrs Burke
