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Chapter 30: Say Yes to the Dress.

Chapter 30: Say Yes to the Dress.

Since the signing, Frank and I have been planning the wedding. He’s been recording the record as well and he’s also been busy being a father and helping me plan the wedding. I know that planning a wedding takes two people but Frank gave me the things that he wanted and basically said go wild, so I have my mom, sister and Grandma, Frank’s mom and Rae helping me plan the wedding. I love planning the wedding; I always make sure Frank is okay with the things I think of. We both agreed on an alternative wedding to match the record and the books I’m writing.

Today my friends and family are taking me out dress shopping; we already have the bride’s maid’s dresses so we’re getting my dress today.

“You guys, I can’t afford to buy a dress at Kleinfeld’s, I’m gonna have to buy a dress at a second hand store.” I protested, digging my heels into the sidewalk outside of the bridal store in Manhattan. I still couldn’t believe they drove all the way from New Jersey to Manhattan just for me.

“That’s exactly why we’re buying your dress.” Mom said happily, tugging my hand gently with a charismatic smile. I stopped resisting at that moment and froze in shock. I looked at my small group of friends that have brought me all the way to Manhattan to buy a wedding dress.

“You’re what?” I stuttered.

“We’re not gonna let you walk down the isle wearing a dress that was given to a Charity store, you’re going to look like royalty on your special day.” Frank’s mom added to my mom’s statement with a large smile. I swallowed down hard and shook my head in protest again. I knew exactly why they brought me all the way here. There are plenty of bridal stores in New York and New Jersey, but they brought me here for a specific dress that I’ve dreamed about wearing. I saw it online and fell in love with it.

“No, the dress I want is way out of budget.” I said firmly, digging in my heels.

“That’s why you have no budget.” I heard Rae say into my ear before giving me a gentle but firm push towards the store, my mom and Frank’s mom tugged me into the building while my Gran and Jen trailed behind us, Rae kept her hands firmly on my shoulders as we stepped inside the cooling building.

We were greeted by a man with short brown hair and matching eyes that were framed with black glasses. He smiled charmingly at me.

“You must be Eliese Taylor, I’m Randy.” He greeted happily. I smiled shyly and nodded, he led us from the main entrance to the large room that had hundreds of bridal dresses in it. He had me and my bridal-party sit down on the comfortable couch in front of the pedestal and mirror.

“Who do we have with us today?” He asked calmly with a smile.

“My mom, Nancy, my future mother-in-law, Linda, my Gran, Eliese, my sister, Jen and my maid of honor and best friend Rae.” I said introducing my entire bridal-party. Randy seemed like a high energy type of person and that makes me confident that he’ll be able to please not just me but everyone here today. I didn’t care if I didn’t get the dress I wanted, as long as I look stunning and it’s a reasonable price.

“So, what kind of dress are we looking for today?” Randy asked clapping his hands together excitedly. I knew I had to break out of my shell and speak up but I was still stunned by the fact that I didn’t need to worry about buying the dress.

“Well,” I began nervously, letting an anxious smile curl half of my mouth. “–We’re having an alternative wedding so I’m looking for something not conventional, no white, ivory or pink. I’m looking for something almost Gothic; so reds, purples, blues and blacks.” I explained that I wanted a corset with a sweetheart neck line and a floor length full skirt to match the specially designed red and black pumps that a girl I went to School with is making me as a wedding gift.

I watched as Randy casually smiled and nodded at me, looking between my mom and Frank’s mom.

“Okay, what does your party want to see you in?” Randy asked my bridal party.

“Well, we already have the bride’s maid’s dresses and they’re red and black so I want to see her in something that’ll have everyone looking at her. I think she’ll look good in a mermaid gown with a corset and a drop neckline.” Rae babbled happily about what she thinks I’ll look good in.

“I want to see her in a purple Sunday dress with matching waist coat and top hat.” Jen piped up courageously with a smile. Randy thought she was joking but she wasn’t. My mom and Gran said they wanted to see me in something that’ll make me glow brighter than the sun and Frank’s mom agreed with that.

“Okay, well we’re going to go play dress up now and we’ll be out in a few minutes.” Randy said leading me away from my family and friends towards the back room where he instructed me to strip down to my underwear and put on a robe while he looked for a few dresses. It was nerve wrecking, standing there by myself, about to try on wedding dresses. I never thought I’d be doing this. I never actually thought I’d have met someone as amazing as Frank.

Randy came back after a few very long minutes with a large stack of darkly coloured dresses hanging in his arms. He hung them up on the hooks in front of me so I could see them. He huffed a breathless sigh and looked at me, smiling.

“Which one do you want to try on first?” He asked while I examined the dresses carefully. All of them were gorgeous but will they be gorgeous on me?

I pointed at the midnight blue corset with black mesh on the floor length skirt. I don’t know why but that one caught my eye. I’ve never been a huge fan of the colour blue but the way it looked on the silk fabric made me want to try it on.

Randy helped me pull the dress on before he did up the back of the corset. It was a sweet heart neckline, just like I wanted but something wasn’t right about it. But without saying a single word we both walked out into the viewing area where my group was. Everyone was very shocked as I stepped up on the pedestal in front of the wave of angled mirrors. I loved the colour but it’s not the colour for me.

“Okay, Eliese, what’s your reaction to this dress?” Randy asked from the sidelines. I scowled and scrunched my nose slightly as I shook my head.

“It’s someone’s dress, just not my dress.” I explained softly. He stood with his hands behind his back, he watched me in the mirror.

“What don’t you like about this dress?” He questioned.

“I don’t suit the colour and the way the corset is sitting on my chest makes me look flatter than what I really am.”

“Oh, honey, you look beautiful.” My mom piped up from behind me. Without even getting my bridal party’s thoughts, I was away to change gowns. I don’t know how many we went through by the time I began getting fed up. None of these dresses looked beautiful on me. But Randy was hopeful; he pulled their last gothic dress and pressured me into trying it on. The moment I caught sight of myself, I was floored. It looked so good on me. I looked beautiful in it.