Memorial Box Monday ~ The Dress

For a full scoop on MBM, see this post.

You can also visit Linny, creator of MBM,

@ A Place called Simplicity, here.

Memorial Box Monday ~ The Dress

This is a picture of my beautiful Taylor girl, taken by me (her proud mama), last May. We did a dress rehearsal/photo shoot, one week before she and Frankie were happily married, on May 23, 2009. I have never seen a smile quite like the smile I saw that day, as I zipped my precious daughter into her wedding dress-- although there were tears in her mama's eyes.

This is the story of "The Dress" . . .

Taylor and Frankie were engaged in August of 2008. Life was busy, Teddi had just come home from China two months prior, and her palate surgery was scheduled for September. Taye was working and going to school full time.

Fall arrived, and we attended a huge wedding expo, we were also working on getting the "major" wedding plans in place. We needed to be dress shopping . . . but, like I said, life was busy.

November rolled around and we set a Saturday aside, to begin the pursuit of a gown for our bride. Escorted by one of Taylor's wedding savvy friends, we began the tour of bridal shops . . .

The first question we faced each time we walked into these very large displays of whiteness was, "When is the wedding?"

"May."

Then with a tiny "hmmm" and a look over the bifocals, would come the reply, "Oh, you need to be ordering a dress right away, if you plan to have it for a May wedding."

Next question, "What is your price range?"

In a couple of shops our "price range" took us straight to the rack in the back corner--the equivalent, I would say, of Rudolph's Land of Misfit Toys. Alrighty then.

Two shops and several dresses in, Taye tried on, and instantly liked (really liked) a beautiful gown, with a $675.00 price tag--if my memory serves me well. A great deal in the wedding gown world, but not in this thrifty mama's opinion. Of course that was a sale price, and we would need to make a down payment within 24 hours to get the dress for that great price. Aye, yi, yi.

Then came the head pieces. Little did I know that you now purchase a veil and a tiara. There's some marketing for you--why sell a fancy veil, when you can take the fancy stuff off, and then charge extra for a tiara--to add the fancy back on! At one point in the trying on of veils and tiara's, as the helpful bridal assistant turned away, I turned tags . . .

Adding the price of the veil and tiara together (all while trying to cover my gasp), I notified Taye that she had about $275.00 sitting atop her precious blond head. Again, I'm sure a grand deal in the wedding world--but, you know what? There are many needs in the world, that carry a much higher priority, than decorating a head for a few hours to the tune of $275!

Needless to say, we did not order a dress that day. We did not order a veil, and we did not purchase a fancy shmancy, overpriced tiara. Nor did we purchase, or order, anything the next month, which was December.

Time was ticking down . . .

January rolled around, and we made a family trip to Houston to visit Frankie the Fiance, over a long holiday weekend. Heading back towards San Antonio on Monday, we decided to make a stop at a mall, just outside of Houston, in Katy. Bry and the Littles went one way, and Taye and I went another. We happened upon a big store that sold prom and Quinceanera dresses. We wandered in and began looking for anything in white. We soon happened upon a small rack of about fifteen wedding dresses, there were three in Taye's size-- and one that she really, really liked!

Long story short, our search, (if you can even call it that, since we had really only made one previous outing) ended in Katy, Texas. And as the Lord (better known at that moment as Jehovah Jireh-- our Provider), had arranged, it ended in a non-bridal shop, with non-bridal shop prices!

That January day, with four months to spare, we purchased "The Dress".

Off the rack . . .

no ordering . . .

no alterations needed . . .

for a grand total of . . .

Yes, a grand total of $239. 95!

That same weekend, we'd purchased a pretty tiara type headpiece at a Claire's* that was going of of business. It was 75% off, making our cost around $4.50! April rolled around and we still lacked a veil, that's when our old friend Ebay* came through. For $28.00 we ordered a brand new finger-tip length veil with a blusher, edged in tiny crystal beads. It arrived three days later in a small padded envelope and I thought "Oh no, what will we find scrunched up in here?" We took the veil out, hung it up, and it was ready to wear-- not even a touch up! Perfect!

Don't you just love, love, love it when the Lord meets your need? Sometimes it takes patience, always--it takes trust . . .

but oh what a feeling when He provides exactly what we were hoping for, at just the right time!

This Monday we will add to our Memorial Box, the price tag from Taylor's perfect dress, as a reminder that HE cares for us, in such beautiful ways!

I have a feeling that on that glorious day, when we, the Bride of Christ, dance with the Bridegroom, extravagance will have its place. For now, we will continue to do the best that we can with what we are given --remembering that everything we have, is because of Him!

Blessings from our grateful nest ~

Tina

P.S. If you haven't read my lil' giveaway post below, pretty please do!