Dress Anx-i-e-ty;

aNGˈzīədē/ noun

a feeling of worry, nervousness or unease, about one’s wedding dress decision. 

synonyms: worry, concern, utter freakout; desire to change one’s wedding dress, typically accompanied by unease.                                                                                                                                          

I first heard the term ‘dress anxiety’ a few months ago, as I was picking out my own wedding dress and had a moment of distress while placing the non-returnable, non-refundable order and watching my mother hand over her credit card to pay for my most expensive outfit to date.

 I think it is typical to have a level of doubt about all decisions in life, especially ones that have significant meaning and financial weight. However, what if your seemingly normal ‘Dress Anxiety’ suddenly turned more imminent, a mere 4 days before you were supposed to wear it down the aisle? Paid in full, alterations complete and in line for a steaming, the gown just wasn’t right. 

This is exactly what happened to Joy, a recent Vanity Affair Events bride. As a wedding planner, what do you do when a bride tells you days before her wedding that her wedding gown is not ‘the one‘? Throw in the towel? Tell her she’s crazy? Too bad, so sad?

Kelsey made it her mission to find Joy a new gown. She reassured Joy that at the very least they would arrive at her wedding day knowing they did everything they could to get her a new dress. And so, early the next morning, the bride, groom and Kelsey set out to search for a gown. They called local stores asking who was selling dresses off the rack and headed straight for AniA’s in downtown Portland, Oregon-where they were eager to help Joy just as much as Kelsey. Sipping champagne and making the experience as special and fun as the first, (with of course the addition of the groom and minus all the voices of her previous entourage) Joy found her dress in a matter of tries. The dress fit her perfectly and needed just a few alterations, which AniA’s was happily able to accommodate through a rush order. Joy picked up her dress the day before the wedding and the rest . . . well it made wedding dress history!

A miracle? Perhaps, or maybe just the result of not giving up on a bride in need of the perfect wedding dress!

Check back soon to see Phil Chester’s photos of Joy in her wedding gown.

xoxo

Danielle