I have a dress! Not just a dress… but the dress!
I’m thrilled to share my wedding dress shopping experience with Winnie Couture! It’s hard to even find a place to begin, because my entire wedding dress shopping experience was a whirlwind of emotions and experiences that ultimately lead me to the doors of Winnie. Dress shopping was not nearly as easy or simple as I thought it would be, especially after many failed attempts leading up to my trip to Winnie, but boy was it all worth it! Here’s a look at how it happened.
Warning – this is a long one, but I hope you don’t mind, because it’s a fun one!
The Who
It was just me and my mom. And honestly, I don’t think I would trade that for anything! I didn’t plan for it to be just the two of us, but both of my sisters had prior engagements so they weren’t able to make it. And it ended up being such a fun and special experience that just my mom and I get to share forever, and I love that. I had my most trusted opinion there with me, and that’s all I needed! I didn’t need the opinions of a bunch of people swaying my thoughts or feelings toward my selection. I love that my mom and I were able to do it together, just the two of us.
The Where
Winnie is located in Frisco, a suburb of Dallas. I actually lived in Frisco my first year right out of college, and I love. that. city. Everything about it is so new, fresh, and clean. I must have driven by Winnie 500 times (I lived a block away from the store) when I was there, but little did I ever know that would be the place I’d find my dream gown! I was greeted with a glass of champagne and smiles as I came in, my kind of place!
The When
Considering this was not our first attempt at dress shopping, it was mid-November by the time I made my way to Winnie. We were a few days away from the 6 month mark to the wedding, and each time I told a bridal consultant that, they looked back wide eyed and responded letting me know I needed to find a dress soon. However, the girls at Winnie were so helpful through the process and didn’t make me feel pressured or like I needed to rush into picking a dress, and for that I’m grateful.
The How
Brace yourself… this is the long part!
After several failed attempts at different locations in the DFW, I felt super discouraged and confused. Everything I thought I wanted, I started to question, and I felt like there wasn’t going to be a dress that ever gave me “that feeling.” I had experienced it before when I picked my Miss Texas and Miss America dresses, but had yet to find anything even remotely close to giving me that assured feeling of finding the one. I started searching on Instagram for bridal inspiration and thought I had found exactly what I was looking for. I found the designer and style and researched to find it sold at a store in Dallas. I almost stopped at simply just making an appointment there, but my mom and I decided that if we were going all the way back to Dallas we might as well make at least one more stop, just in case. We remembered from my time in Frisco that Winnie looked like a nice place, so I did a little bit of research online and then gave them a call. I didn’t have very strong intentions when making the appointment because I thought I would just be browsing and then would later that day find my dress (the one I found on Instagram) at our second stop.
One thing I really loved that Winnie did is prior to my appointment I was able to set up a “closet” online and select styles I liked on their website to add to my closet. I added about 5-6 dresses to my closet that were similar to the same style I had been searching for all along. I will say, none of them were the one I ended up picking 🙂 When I arrived at my appointment that weekend, the dresses I selected were already pulled and waiting for me! Talk about spoiled. That was just the beginning of an amazing experience working with the ladies there to find my dress.
There were so many things that instantly made the experience feel different than the others I had the weekend before. The store was so beautiful, organized and the perfect size. Winnie has dozens of dresses to choose from, however it isn’t overbearing with too many dresses, but it also isn’t too small at the same time. They also only carry their line of Winnie Couture dresses, so the confusion of brand names, varying price ranges, and differences in quality didn’t have to even be considered. I was the only one in the store all morning, making me feel truly special and comfortable in selecting my dress. I wasn’t just another girl in the store, I was the only girl there. Amariah, my stylist, and the other sweet girls working made me feel like a top priority and so important. I loved that, because wedding dress shopping is already a bit stressful as it is, and when you feel rushed and lost in the shuffle of a large group of girls all looking for the perfect dress, it can be overwhelming.
As I mentioned, about 5-6 dresses were already pulled for me from my online selection, along with a couple others the girls thought I might like based off of what I had chosen. I began trying on and loved the first one I put on! It was the first style I picked online, exactly everything I said I wanted in a dress, and was absolutely stunning. I was about ready to walk out the store with it on, but everyone encouraged me to at least try the others on. The second one I put on changed the game. It was a similar style and silhouette to the first, but had more intricate details that I didn’t even know I would love, but I did. The only downfall to the dress was the sample was in a different color than I wanted — who knew there were so many different shades of white for wedding gowns?! I was assured I would be able to order the dress in the color I wanted, so I thought that was for sure it. I was nearly sold, but wanted to make certain I was absolutely confident about the color. I started looking around the store for a similar size dress, but in the shade of color I was looking for. I found a random one hanging on the wall and pulled it to my dressing room. And then.. I found my dress. A dress I simply pulled to see for color, and it was the most beautiful, unexpected surprise ever! I think it was a total God thing! My mom and I both just kinda sat their silently when I came out of the dressing room, I think partly in awe and partly in shock! It was not at all what I envisioned, but everything I could’ve hoped for all in one! I still had a couple more dresses in my room to try on, but with each one tried on, none of them could measure up.
We wrapped up the appointment with measurements and lots of pictures. It was a magical dress shopping experience, and the staff at Winnie was so good to me. I decided to take the afternoon to think on it, to be absolutely sure, and since I had another appointment scheduled. So we left, but later that night on our way home I called Amariah and we made it official!
The Why
At the end of the day, I know it’s just a dress. The most important thing that day won’t be what silhouette or shade of white I ended up choosing, but the fact that I’ll be marrying the love of my life. But, I can confidently say, I couldn’t dream of a more beautiful gown to say I do in.
If you are interested in visiting a Winnie Couture Flagship store, they have locations in Beverly Hills, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Nashville, Atlanta, San Francisco, Dallas (Frisco), and Charlotte. Click here for more information!
And if you visit the Dallas/Frisco location, tell them I sent you!
214.872.2889
dbrides@winniecouture.com
www.winniecouture.com
129 days to go!
xx,
Madison
