Bridesmaids dresses (and an award, and a giveaway)

If there is one thing that has caused me the most grief about planning this wedding, it is the bridesmaids dresses.  I could not find the perfect ones.  Because it is a beach wedding, I didn’t want the traditional BM dress- way to stuffy and formal for a relaxed and casual affair.  So that took out all the bridal shops.  I thought I’d just find a cute sun dress that was blue last summer from a department store and that would be the end of it.  Only, blue just wasn’t a popular color last year, and I just couldn’t find any in the stores.  I ventured online and ended up ordering 5 dresses from a store online, hated them when they came, and sent them back.  I then ordered 5 more dresses from Belk online, thinking they would be perfect, and then they came back a dark turquoise instead of a lighter blue.  So, I took those back as well. 
I finally decided that to keep with the beachy, fun theme I wanted to have seersucker dresses.  Isn’t there something about blue and white seersucker that reminds you of Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard?  That is the feel I wanted for the wedding, so I was sold on the seersucker.  But I couldn’t find them anywhere, and decided to have them made. 
There is a shop online that sales Seersucker dresses called THREADS.  But their dresses run about $300…seriously for a simple cotton dress?  Here are some of their dresses, and you can see more on their website.
 
  The design above is my favorite, but I am wanting to do the blue seersucker instead of the green.  I found a dress pattern that was similar to this dress from Butterick and am having dresses made by the lady who is altering my wedding gown.  Below is the pattern I found.
Yesterday I shared the fabric store that my mom and I went to this past weekend.  We were looking for seersucker fabric and a lining for the dresses.  It was so overwhelming that we didn’t even end up getting anything.  I’m planning on ordering the fabric from Joanne’s Fabric here in Lynchburg soon.  Anyone have any suggestions on what to use for the lining?  I have no idea. 

Here are some inspiration photos of bridesmaids dresses that I have saved.
  
Sorry, this post is long, but I have a few more things to share.  Two sweet ladies,  Lisa from Informal Home and Traci from Tale of Many Cities,  gave me the stylish blogger award this week!  I couldn’t believe that you would both think of me for this award. Thank you ladies so so much!  I am honored. 

In the spirit of the award, here are seven random things about me:
1.  I hate nuts
2. I love Reese Sonic Blast (because Reese is my favorite candy, and then Butterfingers)
3. I am only 5’ 2”
4. Everyone always thinks I’m sixteen years old.  In actuality, I’m turning 23 in March.  My parents keep telling me someday I’ll be grateful that I look young, but that day has not hit yet :)
5. Most of my very best friends I met in kindergarten (or before).  Two of them are in my bridal party.  I feel lucky to have such wonderful friends that have stuck together all these years.
6. I collect spoons from different states.
7. My favorite time of the year is Spring.  At least I think it is, I may only be saying that because it is getting warm and I love it :)  I actually think I love every season in its own way.  (But winter the least, because its so cold.  I only like it because of Christmas and snow. : )
I’m working on my list of who to share this award with.

And last but not least, I’m linking up to this great giveaway in hopes that I win a free portrait session for some friends (of whom I met in kindergarten).    This photographer is located in Charlotte, NC and does awesome work!
http://www.jeredotten.com/2011/02/free-portrait-session-giveaway/