Give Me that Dress!

After most women get engaged they are dying to start planning their wedding. Not Me!!! I hardly wanted to tell people because the MINUTE you tell people you're engaged, here come the questions. When is this? Where is that? Who's gonna do this? Uhhh...I don't know I just got engaged last week! And I'm not one of those girls who has been planning this day since I was 4. Matter of fact my grandma even said to me, "I wasn't sure you were going to get married. You didn't talk about it. You're not mushy. You're not like most girls." Yep Grandma...I know. So when I did start to inform friends and family, I quickly followed with I'm not going to start planning until August. Why August? No special reason, I just wanted a couple of months just to be engaged and enjoy it.

Well how quickly plans can change. Check it out! It was the Saturday before August 1, I didn't have a lot planned for the day (which is rare), my mom didn't seem to have a lot going on (which is also rare), so I randomly asked her if she wanted to go to the bridal store that afternoon. I know she was shocked because her eyes about popped out of her head and then she proclaimed, "but it's not August yet." So I explained to her that I was bored and that I might as well do it while I had the time. Needless to say...we went. We spent about 2 hours in the store and I think I found "the dress". I didn't purchase it, but I really really liked it. I told no one of this event and just kept it between me and good ol' mom.

The next day, my friend Tiffany informed me about a Running of the Brides event she read about in a financial magazine offering money saving tips for brides. All she remembered was that the event was in NY and you run into a store to get a cheap dress. She said she thought it would be fun and of course I was game, so I told her to send me the info. The next morning she text me the website and told me that a Running of the Brides event was taking place that weekend. I go to the website and see that the event was taking place July 31 in Washington, DC. Immediately I was game! Then I started to do some research on this event. Sounds crazy. A bunch of brides, teams with matching clothes, 1000+ dresses gone in less than 2 minutes, lots of trading of dresses, but much success. I got my team together and Thursday night we headed to Maryland.

Team Tameka woke up at 5:30, left the house by 6:15, on the metro before 7AM and this is how they were feeling.

We arrived around 7:20am and the line was already around the corner. The front door is to the far left.

Had to stay entertain during our wait. The line moved pretty quickly and all of people who were outside made it in the store.

Dresses, Dresses Everywhere! But just like the research said, all the dresses were off the racks in the first 2 mins. Soooo you walk around and watch other brides try on dresses and then you take what they don't want. Then once you have a stack of your own you start to trade with others. Many brides are walking around in bathing suits, biker shorts and sports bras, but I had on leggings and a camisole. Some dresses that people don't want are just tossed on the floor and you are welcome to look through them. After about two hours, the Filene's employees begin putting dresses back on the racks.

You gotta try on some dresses that will just make you and your team laugh. The last one was really pretty though.

SUCCESS! Thanks to Team Tameka!

This event was a lot of fun and I would do it again with another bride.