My Wedding Dress.

I've supported and advocated the Giving Gown Foundation since I first heard what they're about a few years ago and have been all in, what else can I do ever since.

These women are AMAZING and from a simple dream have grown this organization that supports teenage girls, making them feel like the princesses they are by GIVING them a dress, shoes, accessories, make-up etc. for their prom night. And all this through donations from corporations, stores, and people like you.

To learn more, CLICK HERE.

I mentioned in a previous post how awkward trying on dresses would feel without an official proposal but for JoAnn, my good friend and founder of Giving Gown, she'd been keeping her eyes peeled and ears tuned to the type of wedding dress I'd be looking for probably from the first time she met DK in person. In addition to the beautiful formal gowns donated to GG, recently there was also a load of wedding gowns sent from the Watters store in Dallas. So, when going our seperate ways once JoAnn finished running the half marathon in Houston a couple Sundays ago, she says "Oh Liz! I have 11 dresses in my trunk, do you want to see if you like any of them?!" Unbelievable!

Finally, after a few days of driving around with this mound of white fluff in my backseat, I brought them inside and had some Liz time. I turned on music and for about 20 minutes, tried on gown after gown. They were beautiful! It was amazing! And I found two that really stopped me in my tracks - the reflection in the mirror, a beautiful BRIDE, no way it was really me?

I'd made an appointment to go to Brickhouse Bridal the following Saturday and was thrilled for the experience of trying on dresses with Domenica and Ma Olden there to ohhh and ahhh. It was everything I'd imagined and I felt like this beautiful bride standing in the spotlight in front of the tri-fold mirrors. I also pretended too I was on an episode of Say Yes To The Dress. I was an easy customer though :) Lindsey, my Brickhouse girl was incredible and made the experience all the more wonderful. In the end, I definitely had my heart set on a particular dress.

But I kept going back to my GG dress... I kept considering our budget... and I kept thinking of the story about the guy who turned away the car, the boat, and the helicopter as the floods were rising... that God sent this dress for me as a way to bless DK and me, that I'd be crazy not to receive it graciously and then later to strut my stuff down that aisle towards the most incredible man on earth. As his beautiful bride.

Considering those things PLUS the fact it's a beautiful, well made dream gown, (!!!) I'm floored and so grateful! And at the same time, I'm also realizing how the things I knew I'd be a bridezilla about (dress, flowers, ceremony music) are becoming less and less important to me. I can really feel people praying for us because the peace settling over us is overwhelming! I'm worried less about how I look, less about the trivial details, and more and more am getting excited about what this one, most beautiful day truly is, just PART of the overall adventure of marriage.

As I write this, Danielle the beautiful seamstress has my dress and is considering how to put pockets in it.

And that is my dress story :)