welcome to dress-topia.

kids -- i simply cannot keep this a secret any longer...  through one of my crazy wedding websites, i was introduced to a shop in virginia.  various bridal stores and designers donate new / sample / overstocked dresses to them, which they sell and use the money to fund the ywca of central virginia.  the programs that directly benefit from the sale of these dresses include: the domestic violence prevention center, transitional and permanent housing centers, mentoring programs for girls and the racial justice program.

does it get any better than that??  i became basically obsessed with this place...  and lo and behold -- they started a blog, where they feature a beautiful amazing dress every single day.  and so the hunt began.  i wasn't sure exactly what i wanted, or what it looked like... but i knew it was going to pop up on there eventually.  mind you, this place has hunnnndnreds of dresses, and this is just the tiniest peek on a daily basis...  but you can call / email and explain what you are looking for and they are more than happy to help.

if you - or someone  you know - is on the market for a gown...  i can tell you that i have seen more than one monique lhuillier gowns -- one just the other day actually that sold for $650 (actual retail was $6,400).  i have seen gowns from monique lhuillier, carolina herrera, christos, reem acra, jim hjelm . . . etc etc.

and then one day....  they posted several short vintage / retro dresses that had been delivered to them by a purveyor in new york.  there was one that caught my eye immediately -- adorrrable.  i emailed asking about the measurements and price.  it was just the teensiest bit too big, but nothing that couldn't be easily altered...  and the price was an equally adorable $300.  i decided to think it over a couple of days.

i kept going back to the picture...  thinking of the different places and/or events that i could wear this dress ...  and easily justifying the cost because of the great work this shop is doing.  i mean -- now that i KNEW about this shop, i simply HAD to buy something from them.  otherwise i might as well just walk around punching people.  who am i to stand in the way of the betterment of women and the empowerment of impressionable girls?

and wouldn't you know.....  just about the time that i have decided that i need and must have this dress, i get an email from the girl at the shop.  oh!  she is so sorry -- she realized that she had, in fact, quoted me the wrong price for the dress.  it is not $300.  no, not at all.  it is $125.  1.  2.  5.  one.  two.  five.  one hundred and twenty-five american dollars.

i am sure you can guess how quickly i responded.  the next day i began to research the brand of dress, and found that they retail between $1200 - $2000.  no, that is not a typo...  i did not accidentally hit the zero too many times.  $1200 - $2000.  you can imagine how my little bridal heart began to race.

within a couple of days, a box arrived to my office...  and as any mature, classy bride would do - i ran squealing into the bathroom, ripped the box open and put that little darling ON.  it is more beautiful than i had imagined and the quality is unbelievable.  and it had, in fact, a $1200 tag still affixed. <woot woot wokka wokka>.  it is the softest seafoam green you can imagine -- and i just want to eat it!!

so....  let me share!  i will post a picture of ME in the dress once it is altered...  but this is the picture from the website... as well as the website itself, in case any of you are looking for a gorgeous dress...  apparently they have more than just bridal -- also other cocktail and formal dresses.  so check them out!

Church Street Bridal Shop  http://churchstreetbridal.blogspot.com/

i also want to share the credit for the photographer that donates his time and skills to the shop (and took the picture of the dress i am sharing!):  david duncan photography http://www.davidduncanphoto.com/