The most important dress you'll ever wear

When I was a senior in high school I went into NYC with a friend for her birthday. Her mom and a few other girls were with us and we decided to go to bloomingdales to try on prom dresses. Big mistake. Huge.

I found it. It was red, and reminded me a bit of Julia Roberts' dress in "Pretty Woman". It was the very first one I tried on and it went home with me. That sounds great, right? Wrong. My mom wasn't with me. And she was devastated. We kept looking, but nothing compared to the first. She made me promise that day that I wouldn't go wedding dress shopping without her. So, more than ten years later, when I had that special ring on my finger I knew what I needed to do.

Now, it wasn't easy.  I live in California.  My mom lives in Pennsylvania.  My sister (the Best Woman) lives in North Carolina, and my two bridesmaids live in New York.  So just two weeks after the engagement, when we somehow all found a way to be in one place, I decided it was then or never.  The thing was, as much as I am wedding-obsessed (I can watch all day marathons of "Say Yes to the Dress")... I wasn't quite so particular about my dress.  All I knew was that I DIDN'T want strapless.  We went to a local bridal salon and I tried on maybe 5 dresses.  Just five.  Now what is it that always happens in every movie or TV show or even story that people tell about wedding gown shopping?  They KNOW it's THE dress when their mom gets teary.  And I found my dress!

And then my mom?  She didn't cry.

She said the next day that wasn't really mentally prepared to find THE dress... she just thought we were going to look.  Honestly, I felt the same way.  It was almost too easy.  But I have a feeling it was meant to be.

My relationship with the Guy has been the same.  So easy that you wonder if you're doing something wrong.  How did I get so lucky?  I'm not saying that it will always be easy... I'm not that naive.  And he is definitely worth fighting for.  But at the beginning?  If EVERYTHING is difficult... maybe they aren't "the One."  You know?  You deserve someone who complements (not just compliments) you, who challenges you (without hurting you), and who wants to be with you... more than they want anything else.

Now the only big dress decision is what to do with it afterwards.  Sell it?  Or save it?