My vera wang story -- i'm crying with joy

[johnnynorman3]

I'll be straight with you all. My future wife does not know about this board. I think she'd kill me if she knew that I'm learning why a $1000 suit is really a better deal than the $250 suit that fits pretty well, and that I agreed.

She's pretty frugal, even though we are financially stable. Without my knowledge, she really skimped on herself on her wedding dress. I mean really skimped. She spent like $250 on her dress. Like a bespoke suit, a wedding dress takes months to get in. We're getting married in less than 3 months -- not enough time to get a dress without spending exorbitant rush fees, etc., etc. Well, her $250 dress came in yesterday, and I could tell she hated it. The fabric was like canvas, and it had never been touched by a human hand. It was the Jones New York of wedding dresses (okay, even worse). I went to bed feeling like ****, because while I've been here looking for suits and buying and returning, buying and returning trying to find something to make me look dashing, so that she could be proud of me, my beautiful fiancee was devestated at her dress. I felt torn -- should I tell her that the dress wasn't deserving of her? Should I tell her she made a mistake, and that she couldn't wear that dress? Should I take that risk, knowing that we might not have time to find another dress that wouldn't bankrupt us and that would still be the style she wanted? Well, I took the risk. I told her. I told her that she was a deserving person, and that the reason I worked and the reason I went to law school was because I wanted to provide for her. We shouted, and she cried. It was a cathartic moment for her, I think, because she admitted that when she picked up the dress on Saturday, she was really devestated and depressed. She had been trying to tell herself it was beautiful, when she knew that it wasn't. So, I drove her down to a super-expensive bridal shop today and she tried on dresses. They were going to run about $4K with the rush charges and all. It was looking dim. Then, after Ebay was a nonsuccess, on a lark I went to Craig's List. There is was -- posted just 10 hours before was the most beautiful, 100% silk Vera Wang wedding dress. My future wife was at the grocery store, and I called the store and paged her. I told her we were going to look at a dress. I called the couple that had posted the dress on Craigs List and said we would be over in an hour (it was already 10 pm, and they were nice enough to allow us to come over). The style was exactly my future wife -- it was the one she would have picked out of a 1000 dresses. The woman had worn it once to her wedding a year prior. She was cute, happily married. Their life stories were eerily similar to both of ours. We had indeed both lived in SF during the late 1990s before moving to Boston around the same time. The dress had retailed for $4000. They sold it to us for $500. It is truly the most beautiful, simple, and elegant thing I've ever seen, including the Borrellis that I saw today. It is the wedding dress equivalent of a Bijan bespoke: simple, made with love, and perfect. We both hugged and cried a little. The Tiffany diamond necklace that I've been saving up to buy will look beautiful with it. And, now to the punch line: of course I'm the hero. So, I believe that my wedding suit saga may have come to an end, because I told her that I wanted to get rid of all my old, cheap suits, and get measured up for some new ones by W.W. Chan, who are visiting Boston next month and have informed me that they can have my wedding suit to me with time to spare. And, when I told her that I was planning on picking out 3 more to have Chan make me, she smiled and said okay. So, now I'm going to be collecting pictures for my Chan appointment. I think that it will turn out perfectly (or at least better than RTW&#33

. And I can do it all without guilt, because for at least a little while, I am the best guy in the world. I've been trying to call my mother to tell her this story -- I seriously have never been happier (because of the fact that I gave my future wife such a wonderful gift -- I bought the dress for her -- not because of the Chans&#33

. I couldn't reach my mom, so I thought I'd share it will you guys, because I think you'll appreciate it.

 

[norcaltransplant]

So I'm guessing this trumps the Canali story...

Congrats man, I would love to be able to afford a Vera Wang dress and a Tiffany's necklace for that special future someone...

Best wishes man.

 

[Alias]

Simply awesome. Next thing you know you'll be saving millionaires out of burning buildings, upon which they will reward you with truckloads of Borrelli shirts.

 

[HRHAndrew]

Well done, I am sure you are both very happy. Now here is the best advice that you will ever receive about your wedding. You will never be able to make all of your guests happy, so don't try too hard. And most importantly, your guests will actually think that on your wedding day, that they are more important than not only the lowly groom but the beautiful bride as well. If you learn to make that not affect you, you will have a magical day.

If you think I am lying here is an example. I served steak and lobster at the reception, because that is what I want. One of my cousins said that if I didn't change the menu that her whole crew wouldn't come becuase it was cruel how they caught lobsters.

 

[Alias]

If you think I am lying here is an example.  I served steak and lobster at the reception, because that is what I want.  One of my cousins said that if I didn't change the menu that her whole crew wouldn't come becuase it was cruel how they caught lobsters.

Cruelty has never tasted so delicious.

 

[norcaltransplant]

Congrats again

Sorry for the tangent...

So I assuming that you offered Foie Gras as an appetizer and substituted veal medallions for the steak?  At least lobsters are invertebrates.

 

[LabelKing]

If you think I am lying here is an example. I served steak and lobster at the reception, because that is what I want. One of my cousins said that if I didn't change the menu that her whole crew wouldn't come becuase it was cruel how they caught lobsters.

I'm quite sure then nobody wore fur. Provided it wasn't a spring wedding.

But yes. Very good deal for a Vera Wang.

 

[johnnynorman3]

So I'm guessing this trumps the Canali story... Congrats man, I would love to be able to afford a Vera Wang dress and a Tiffany's necklace for that special future someone... Best wishes man.

It does trump the Canali story.

The weird thing is how this has all been just working out. I mean, I've put in some work looking for things, but I've been so fortunate -- first the Canali, then this. By the way, while I think Tiffany is a bit marked up due to the name and the assurance of quality, I have figured out a way to basically strip off that markup premium -- Ebay giftcards. I got $3000 in Tiffany gift cards for $2440. That's a pretty big savings in my book. So, if you know you are going to get something from there, just go the Ebay gift card route. Sure beats buying jewelry directly from Ebay and hoping its authentic.

 

[FIHTies]

And, now to the punch line: Â of course I'm the hero. Â So, I believe that my wedding suit saga may have come to an end, because I told her that I wanted to get rid of all my old, cheap suits, and get measured up for some new ones by W.W. Chan, who are visiting Boston next month and have informed me that they can have my wedding suit to me with time to spare. Â And, when I told her that I was planning on picking out 3 more to have Chan make me, she smiled and said okay. Â So, now I'm going to be collecting pictures for my Chan appointment. Â I think that it will turn out perfectly (or at least better than RTW&#33

. Â And I can do it all without guilt, because for at least a little while, I am the best guy in the world. I've been trying to call my mother to tell her this story -- I seriously have never been happier (because of the fact that I gave my future wife such a wonderful gift -- I bought the dress for her -- not because of the Chans&#33

. Â I couldn't reach my mom, so I thought I'd share it will you guys, because I think you'll appreciate it.

Great all around story from the bargain you got to the happy ending in it all... (I know...its not the end. its just the beginning) More than buying her dress...Man...You bought her DAY. May the rest of your life be at least as lucky. Congrats. JJF

 

[Lomezz]

Great story. getting the dress of your dreams and a bargain to boot - you just can't beat that.

Good luck to you and your fiance, and may your life be paved with many great sartorial bargains

 

[acole]

Speaking as an erstwhile groom who scored some sharp, repeat-wearable bridesmaids' dresses at a great price just when all seemed hopeless on that front, I know how you feel.  It's always nice to ride in and save the day.  I wish we'd found a deal like you did on my wife's Lazaro dress.

Since everyone is chiming in with unsolicited advice, I'll throw my hat in the ring as well:  

1. This is kind of site-specific, but:  If your fiancee's dress has any kind of train, have her make damn sure the MOH/BM's do their job and hold it up off the floor when moving about.  My wife was pretty distraught when, after walking unassisted to the front of the church for pre-ceremony photos, she discovered ugly black floor grime had got all over the train and hem.  They were able to arrange it so it didn't show, but it would have spared us much grief to avoid this.  If you can get your venue to mop the @#$%ing floors beforehand, so much the better.

2. Plan like a crazy MF, stress as much as you need to to get everything arranged...but on the day itself, you should be a Zen master of serenity and concentrate on what's happening. Don't let your wedding become a blur, as it is to so many couples. With any large, organized gathering there's always something that goes haywire--whatever it is, delegate immediately and remain above the fray.