The latest development in wedding planning: I got my wedding dress.

What a completely giddy and totally bizarre experience is shopping for a wedding dress! I’m one of those girls that has been fantasizing about her wedding since she was very young. I’ve known since I was 9 years old that when I walked down the aisle it would be to the grand strains of the wedding march from The Sound of Music. And getting married at age 31 means that I’ve been to many, many other people’s weddings.

So on the one hand, putting on big, beautiful white dresses and flowy veils was an opportunity to realize what has remained in the realm of fantasy for decades. On the other hand it was bizarre to come face to face with reality after having the fantasy for so long. This really is MY wedding. Oh how weird.

Thanks to my wonderful friend (and maid of honor) Tanya, I was able to get through it without freaking out too much. And after an hour and a half and trying on six or seven dresses, I ended up with the first one I tried on. I know it’s a cliche but it actually happened that way. This is a big purchase. A girl has to be sure! (No refunds or exchanges on wedding dresses.)

And we killed two birds with one stone. We found bridesmaid dresses at the same store. Check two more things off the To Do List!