On a whim yesterday, my better half and I stopped at a shop in downtown Antioch to see what they had in the manner of wedding dresses. Fred has been after me to stop by and check the shop out because it has clothes that will fit me, from undergarments outward. One of these days, I'm going to just accept and go along with his ideas. He's seldom wrong and usually we get the desired results with a minimum of fuss or expense.

What I didn't realize yesterday was that the shop was having a 50% off sale. We went in and, of course, were asked if we were looking for something specific. My wonderful better half said I needed a wedding dress. This delighted the sales clerk, it was her first day on the job and one of her last customers of the day is looking to spend some serious money. Or so I thought.

Turns out that the first dress I tried on, picked out by Fred, was perfect. I wasn't sure I wanted a traditional wedding gown but I kind of got the vibe from my hubby-to-be that he didn't want me in just any fancy dress. This was on top of the fact that he's been talking about buying a tux - men just don't do that very often. I keep getting the feeling he wants a real traditional wedding, even though we're getting married in Las Vegas. After all, he's waited 25 years for this and it just feels right to me too. So, a semi-traditional wedding it is.

I bought a traditional wedding fown, ivory colored (couldn't bring myself to wear the true white) with a three foot train, beading on the bodice, sleeves (shear material) and hem. For once in my life, I will actually have to wear heels underneath a storebought full length dress. I'll probably have to have some alterations done before the wedding but that really doesn't matter - the dress fits and looks fabulous on me. Fred was a little stunned at the price of the dress but I told him that in a regular bridal shop, the dress would have sold for at least 3 times the amount on the tag. Especially since the dress was a plus size - they always charge you more for that. Then the other clerk in the shop states that the dress is half off. I almost choked and Fred said, "We're buying it". No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

I ended up paying just under twice what my sister paid for her traditional wedding dress 25 years ago. She got a great deal on hers too and I will reap the benefits because hers came with a full length lace mantilla which, fingers crossed, will go with my dress too. Plus, the second clerk said that I might want to get a crinoline (a type of petticoat for ball gowns) for under my wedding dress to help keep the skirt full. I just happen to have a crinoline. I've held onto it even though the two ball gowns I own no longer fit me. Guess it pays to be a packrat occasionally.

Maybe next week we'll go look at tuxedos. I definitely will need shoes to go under my dress and I have to consider jewelry too. But the jewelry can be borrowed.

I'd also love to find a sixpence - I'll have a look at all the leftover coinage I have from my trip to Europe 10 years ago. Maybe I'll find one. For those who don't know, it's part of the saying, "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something new and a sixpense for her shoe."