After contemplating a cute, but probably too-casual dress on Etsy, and then a better-on-the-hanger Anthropologie dress, the Cinnamaids have something to wear!

We never really went on shopping trips together – we had the one abortive trip to Anthro, and then I sent them various links to things. It was getting late in planning to not have these booked, so I went and put down a deposit with Amanda Archer for two dresses. Now, I’m not that controlling a bride – it was a dress both ladies had seen pictures of and had said would be nice to wear.

Painted Roses Dress by Amanda Archer on Etsy.

We’re getting it in a nice teal colour called Glacier.

Going the custom route really was the best choice for us, as there is a 10″ height difference between my two maids of honour. Oddly enough, there isn’t a 10″ difference in the length of the dresses from shoulder to hem. I guess A’s height is mostly in her legs, not torso? That difference can also be length preference, I told them knee-ish, above or below, whichever makes them feel best.

Accessories and shoes I am not planning on planning. They’re not clones, and although I wanted them in the same dress, I don’t want them to be exact replicas of each other, that would be silly! One has short spiky pink-and-black hair (currently!) and the other has straight blonde hair. They are both free to accessorize as they choose. It also takes that stress off me!

It is so great to have that checked off the list too. Now everyone has clothes to wear! Well, the groomsmen are responsible for their own black suits, so I don’t know how they’re getting on. We’re probably going to cover their vests, and shoes if we go with something other than black dress shoes.

Did you buy any clothes online for the wedding?

You might remember my soppy love letter to Anthropologie about their Take Action dress. It was a beautiful-looking dress from my favourite clothes store, and in my wedding colours to boot! Match made in heaven, right? I even found a time when both Cinnamaids and I were free to meet at the mall! No mean feat!

The Take Action Dress – Anthropologie

We met at the mall, and all was well. Cinnamon Buns dropped me off and said hi to the girls before going to get an oil change and groceries. I thought I was getting a great deal, being left at my favourite store while he traipsed around Safeway!

We picked up the dresses that had been reserved for my girls to try on, and went straight to the fitting rooms. I suppose the first warning sign should have been when the 5’4″ bridesmaid and the 6’1″ bridesmaid said they took the same size in dresses. I suppose my hope deep down was that it would fit tall Cinnamaid A, then we could get Cinnamaid K’s hemmed.

There are no pictures of them in the dressing room because…. it wasn’t pretty. And neither wanted to stay in the dress long enough to be photographed! Needless to say, it was about the right length on Cinnamaid K, and uncomfortably short on Cinnamaid A. The cute little pleat at the neck made the top bag weirdly on each of them. And, there’s something a little odd going on the straps – I’d expect the outside of the strap to be straight up and over the shoulder, but they taper towards the neck a bit. I wouldn’t say it was ‘weird’ but the lines of the garment over the shoulder were not what I generally expect from a dress. It sounded so perfect for us on paper (and in model-less photos) but in reality, it definitely wasn’t meant to be. I was so set on it when we went into the store, but it was easy to leave it behind once each girl came out of the dressing room to an overwhelming ‘eh….’.

The Cinnamaids got out of their matching dresses pretty fast, and we browsed around the rest of store. I hadn’t realised that I would be introducing them both to Anthro that day! Our store is only a couple months old, but I’ve been stalking the website for so long I forget other people don’t know about it.

I have found a new love since the disappointment with the Take Action dress, though:

The Painted Roses Dress by Amanda Archer. It comes in all sorts of colours (samples are on their way to me right now!) and better yet, it is custom made. As in, one can be 6″ shorter than the other!

Did you have your heart set on something, only to find it in no way suited your bridal party? Was it easy to move on?

Dear Dearest Darling Anthro,

I am finally putting words to my emotions and am writing this letter to tell you my true feelings. At first I read your name on the internet, and found a cute clothes store that I didn’t think too much about after closing that browser window. Then we bumped in to each other again late one night in Portland Oregon, after I stumbled out the wrong exit of Powell’s Books (reeling from the delicious book fumes). I bought one of my favourite dresses ever that day, and I still treasure it.

When my fiance and I went to San Francisco, not even the excitement of getting engaged could keep me from visiting you, and spending more than I should have. Once I got home and started browsing for bridesmaid dresses, I found this:

(from The Knot)

It looks like another bride has a similar relationship to you and I! I dreamed about being able to buy bridesmaid dresses (and me dresses!) from you. Every weekend that summer I debated jumping in the car and going to visit you in Edmonton. I almost managed to convince myself that 3 hours of driving in each direction would be worth it for another sight of you, but I never did get in the car. I kept a close eye on your lovely website though, and that is where I heard it, those sweet sweet words: Anthropologie. Opening in Calgary. Winter, 2010. Instantly I started counting down, trying to divine exactly which day of winter 2010 you would open your doors here in my city.

But while I waited, all the countdowns and checklists that brides are assaulted with kept urging me to make a bridesmaid dress decision. I even did the research and found a dress I liked made by someone else. I’m sorry I didn’t trust in you, but at least that dalliance was with an Etsy seller, right?

I was there, the day you opened your doors on December 17th, and every dress I saw was sized up as an option. I’m sorry to say that none of them were right for the wedding. You were too full of corduroy and wool and long sleeves. While I like those things, they do not work for summer bridesmaid dresses. I tried to make it up to you by buying some long-sleeved corduroy dresses for me.

The New Year has been rung in, and now that I can say “I’m getting married this year” I started worrying about not having dresses for my ladies. I spent time fondling the swatch of fabric the Etsy seller sent me, looking it at how perfectly it matched the shirt we bought Cinnamon Buns for the big day. I started to think that I wouldn’t get to be an Anthropologie bride. I’m so sorry I doubted you! You made me wait, you tested me, you teased me, and now you send me the perfect wedding (or is it engagement?) present:

Anthropologie

A light, floaty dress, with bra-covering straps, a pattern, and in my wedding colours? My patience is rewarded!

Of course dear Anthro, the proof will be in the pudding, as they say. This dress isn’t available online until January 18th, and I don’t know if that means stores don’t get it until then. You can be sure I will check in with you every time I am in the vicinity, and as soon as I see that dress, THAT DRESS in the store I will know if your teal is teal enough, your apple tart enough, the dress cute enough for my ladies. I’m hoping it will be.

Please, don’t let me wait too long, my gorgeous one?

Miss Cinnamon Bun