Engagement and Wedding Dress Shopping!

I can finally share the news! I hinted a few weeks ago that I had some big life news to share, and now that we have told all our family and friends, and wedding invitations have gone out, I can share the news here! Our summer started off with lots of excitement when R asked me to marry him. It's been a whirlwind summer to say the least! Both being teachers, we wanted to go into the new school year as man and wife and are getting married in August before going back to school. Who says you can't plan a wedding in 3 months or less?! We may be crazy, but we're ridiculously happy and everything has really been a series of miracles (at least according to my mother) in terms of everything coming together for our big day on August 7.

It shouldn't come as any surprise that I have been wearing Lilly for all the big events that go along with wedding planning. When Roman proposed, I was wearing my Lilly Pulitzer Atwood dress from last summer (similar available here) in Sea and Be Seen with the navy Amalie cardigan. I couldn't stop smiling that day! 

Once we picked the date, my mom and I started making dress appointments. We went to one local shop, and then we spent the day in the St. Louis area shopping for dresses. With our short time frame, we new there wasn't going to be any way to order a dress, so we had to find one in my size that the bridal shop would let us walk out with. It proved to be a harder task than I imagined! We left St. Louis frustrated and without a dress. 

My dear friend Maggie went with us for the day of dress shopping! She's the one who originally introduced me to Lilly back in our college days. I'm wearing the Lilly Pulitzer Marlisa Maxi from last summer (similar available here) in the blue Let's Cha Cha with a natural Sullivan belt from a few years ago (similar here) and my favorite navy Amalie Cardigan, Maggie is wearing the Betty maxi from last summer (similar here) in Electric Feel. 

As upsetting as it was to not find a dress in St. Louis, a friend of my mom's suggested we make a trip to Low's Bridal in Arkansas. It was a trip that took us over 3 hours, but we were not disappointed! Low's Bridal is in Brinkley, Arkansas, located in an old hotel. When we walked in for the appointment, I thought I had stepped into an episode of "Say Yes to the Dress" and was somehow in Kleinfelds! There were gorgeous dresses everywhere, they had refurbished the old hotel while still keeping that antique charm, and we were led to a room filled with dresses all in my size. When I found "the one" I had my moment and cried, not cute crying, but ugly crying. I was so happy and relieved to have found the dress (under budget!) that I would be walking down the aisle to marry R in. It was a wonderful day!

Leaving Low's Bridal with my wedding dress in hand! My dress is under wraps until after the wedding day. :) I wore my Lilly Pulitzer Parrish Maxi from last summer (similar here) in Sea and Be Seen. I decided it must be my lucky dress- it's the dress I wore when R and I went ring shopping and found my dream ring, and it's what I wore when we found the dream dress!

I have been documenting all the wedding planning and prep along the way to share with y'all here. Next time, I'll post all about my Lilly Pulitzer themed bridal shower! I'm so excited to share this journey as I get ready to marry the love of my life!

I can't help but share just one more ring pic. Snapped this one just this week after getting a fun summer pink manicure. 

xx, Emily Ann