Dressed to Kill...

If you'd have told me a year ago that I'd be driving four and a half hours to buy a dress, I'd have said you were crazy. Anyone who knows me well knows what a dude I've always been. No, seriously - jeans, metal band t-shirt, Sauconys, etc. Bailey says that's one of the things he loves about me, but I also remember him saying, "You know, it's okay to be a little girly sometimes." Obviously he was intimidated.

Either way, one could say I took that statement and ran with it. I now have five adorable dresses hanging in my closet and more than one pair of heels I've actually mastered walking in... and that's saying something. So now that I've transformed into a total girl, what better time to get engaged and, best of all, shop for a wedding dress?


Ah, Brinkley, Arkansas - home of Low's Bridal... and not much else. While in town, we saw a kick-ass antique shop (we didn't go into, unfortunately), a small funeral procession, a couple of cute dogs at the gas station, and a Sonic. But even the Sonic wasn't much to write home about... the ice cream machine was broken. Blah.

Who would've known this place would be home to the wedding dress of my dreams.

I met up with my Mom and my best friend Ashley in Alma, and we made the road trip to Brinkley. Between the three of us, there wasn't a silent moment in the car, there or back, not that that's a surprise.

Anyway, it was a long time coming, and our Garmin did most of the work, but after a few wrong turns, we found it.

What a cool-looking place. Low's is an old Victorian hotel, redone into three stories of wedding mania.

As soon as my Mom walked in, she'd already spotted a dress she loved.

"Look at this, Lisa! It's so you. Let's just buy this one and we can go to the antique store," she said.

I was busy introducing myself, and telling them I was there for an appointment. Apparently that shook things up a little bit.

"When you walked in here, everyone was looking at you, saying 'Whoa, who is that?' I was saying, "Man, I know I'm getting that girl!'" said Lupe, my consultant (who is awesome, by the way. Ask for Lupe if you ever go to Low's.)

"What? You don't get a lot of loudmouths in here?"

"No. Never! Most girls don't know what they want. It's nice to have someone who does."

If there's anything I know, it's what I do and don't want, and I'm not afraid to tell anyone about it. My only requirements for the dress: no lace, no sparkles, no beads, no sleeves. This left me with six dresses in the entire (huge) building. I tried on all of them. Guess which one I bought. The very same one my Mom saw the moment she walked in. How do they always know?

Lupe let my Mom & Ashley take photos of me in the dress, but I can't post any on here. I don't want Bailey to see it before the wedding. Bad luck. My Mom did send one to my Daddy, though. He sent a text back saying, "She is beautiful." That's all I needed to hear. That dress I drove four and a half hours for is now the most important piece of clothing I'll ever own. I just hope Bailey says the same thing.