Chapter 2
The Dress
Shopping, my worst nightmare. Especially with a fashion crazed vampire with an endless ammount of money. Alice was so insane when it came to shopping, and she always found someway or another to guilt me, or talk me into, going shopping with her. It really wasn't so much the shopping as it was getting shoved into dressing rooms all day with piles of clothes to try on that cost a fortune. She knows how I hate for people to spend money on me but it never stops her.
We arrived in Seattle and headed east, trying to find a florist shop. I sighed as I sat back in my seat, staring out the tinted windows of Alice's yellow porche as she sped down the highway. I still understand how they could drive so fast and not get in a wreck or something. Not that it would matter, they'd just be able to walk away anyway. But what if they got distracted and I was with them? I shuddered at the thought.
"Don't worry Bella, we'll get there soon. I know you don't like shopping but this is something that has to be done for the wedding. Come on, relax. It won't be that bad. I promise." Alice looked over and flashed me a perfect smile before letting her gaze return to the road. We arrived at a place called Chars Floral Design. I sighed as we walked in and tried to put on a real smile as I looked around. Alice grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the counter to talk to the person working at moment. He was about 6'1'' with blonde hair and green eyes. He stared at me with a lustful look in his eyes which caused me to blush and turn away. Alice seemed to notice this and cleared her thoat.
"Excuse me, this is Bella. I'm Alice, we're here to order some flower arrangements for a wedding, and a bouquet. We already know what we want." The man looked at Alice and got a pen and a pad of paper to write down what she was going to say. " Ok, for the tables we want a glass vase, one of the wide ones, filled half-way with water and a white, rose shaped candle inside. Around the vase we want red roses and a little bit of babies breath. For the bouquet, we want a dozen red roses surrounded around the edge with babies breath. The bouquet needs to be tied together up the stems with a sheer, burgundy ribbon. Did you get all that"
He nodded and repeated back to her what she said. "So, who are you marrying...Alice, was it?" Alice lifted an elegant brow and replied, "Me? I'm not marrying anyone. She, on the other hand, is marrying my brother in three days. So could you please hurry on that order? It's highly important that they be ready." Alice gave the man a perfect, flashy smile showing her white teeth before turning to me. "Well, we're done here. Shall we move on to get your dress"
I gave one glance at the man who's name tag I now noticed said "Chris" and smiled at Alice. "Yes, let's be on our way. I'm excited to see what it looks like! But if you picked it out, I'm positive it'll look amazing." I took her hand as she led me out of the florist shop. "Thank you, Alice. That guy was giving me the creeps. Did you see the way he was looking at me? I felt like a piece of meat hanging in the window in front of a starving dog." I shuddered as I pictured him thinking about putting his hands on me. I mean, yea, he was cute and all but I have Edward and I love him. He's more perfect than I could have ever pictured anyone. Simply amazing.
"No problem," was all Alice said as she smiled and slid into the car and started it while I buckled my seatbelt. Before I knew it, we were headed for Silks and Velvets. I didn't really know much about the store but I knew it sold wedding dresses. I knew my wedding dress was labeled as "Romantic", also. Alice had only told me that, so that was all I knew. We arrived and parked close to the entrance before getting out and going in.
When we walked in, the lady at the counter greeted us warmly. I smiled at her and read her name tag. "And hello to you, Lisa. Um, we're here for my fitting? I'm Bella Swan? Alice here said she called you"
"Ah, yes. Bella, right this way." She led Alice and me towards the back were, hanging on a sewing dummy, was the most beautiful dress I had ever seen. It was white, of course, and the sleeves were drapped, white chiffon with a white strap attached to the bodice to hold the sleeves to the arms. The bodice itself was a silky material that came to a soft point in the middle at the bottom. The back of it laced together with white satin ribbons, the bodice was doubled lined and boned for smooth shaping and seperated from the skirt for slimming. The skirt had an attached sheer overlay over white chiffon, adding a chapel length train to the dress.
It was absolutely beautiful. I raised my hand and gently pressed my fingertips to my lips for a brief moment before embracing Alice. "Oh Alice! It's gorgeous! I absolutely love it. Honestly, it couldn't be more perfect"
Alice smiled as she returned my hug. "Bella, try it on. We need to make sure it fits right. She removed the dress from the dummy and handed it to me before she pointed me to the dressing room. Never once had I been excited about trying on something while shopping with Alice.
I slid into the dress easily, guessing Alice had already given them my measurements and had used that excuse as a ploy to get me here without a fight. I smiled as I stared at myself in wonder in front of the full-length mirror. " Oh wow..." Was all I could say. The way the bodice hugged my small frame was perfect, it gave me just the perfect amount of cleavage to show I had breasts but still retaining modesty. I was...gorgeous! There was no other way to describe it.
I walked out of the dressing room and blushed. Alice and Lisa smiled with approval, making me smile, as I did a model twirl to give a full view. They clapped and I blushed even more. Never had someone applauded me before for looking pretty, or for anything for that matter. "Beautiful! Edward will love it Bella, I promise you. After the reception he won't be able to keep his hands off of you." Alice grinned at me.
Alice's comment made me blush, not only from embarrassment but from joy. If Edward was happy, that was all that mattered. I smiled brightly just thinking of my only true love and gave a very uncharacteristic giggle. Alice snickered at my reaction before making a comment about the time and stating that we needed to get the bridesmaid dresses and the Mother-of-the-Bride and Groom dress as well. I sighed and went back to change into my original clothing and came back with the dress draped gently on my arm.
"Please have it delivered to my house tomorrow, we really must be going now," Alice explained to Lisa. The woman smiled and nodded her head in agreement as we made our way to the counter.
"Would you like it wrapped in a gift box"
"If it's not too much trouble. I'll make sure my brother doesn't get ahold of it either way. He's the groom, by the way, and I'm supersticious. Explains a lot, doesn't it?" It was amazing how easily Alice joked with Lisa. They finished up their conversation and Alice pulled me out the door, to the car.
We took off in the direction of a place called Eden Bridals, where we would be ordering the bridesmaid dresses and maid-of-honor dress delivered to the house. When we got there, I looked at the dresses for the bridesmaids. They were beautiful! The dresses were strapless, apple red, and had a white scarf-like thing that tied around the waist, just above the hips. The maid-of-honor dress was the same style but the dress was white and the tie was red. I loved them, who knew apple was a good color?
We got the dresses ordered then headed to a place known as The Bridal Shop, where we got the Mother-of-the-Bride and Groom dresses. Renee and Esme would be wearing the same design of dress. They were apple red also, one side a slightly steep V-half and the other joining as a more subtle V-half. The part over the bust was in stripes of slightly sifferent colors of red, the stripes defined by small diamonds. The dresses were to be slightly form-fitting with room for a little flow. The style was called LaBelle.
Once we finished there we headed to yet another bridal shop for the veil. The kind we bought was white, of course, and attached to a little headband with teeth to hook in my hair when I wore it. It came with a small white tiara made of small silk flowers. The veil itself was sheer with a white design elegantly embroidered into it with silk. It was long, wearing it as it should be worn it would trail softly on the floor behind me. It was beautiful, to say the least.
Hours later we had everything done. The dresses and veil were ordered to be delivered to the house, we'd bought all the shoes needed. The bridesmaids would be wearing white heels withs straps while the maid-of-honor would be wearing the same style only her shoes would be red. Renee and Esme would be wearing just regular red heels with a satin outer-covering on them. I would be wearing white heels with a single silk ribbon tieing around my ankle. Each of the bridesmaids, the maid-of-honor, and the Mother-of-the-Bride and Groom would all be wearing a simple white gold bracelet and matching necklace with a small heart pendent on them.
I sighed, glad that the shopping nightmare had come to an end as I fell back on Edward's couch in his room and listened to my lulluby playing softly from his stereo on the opposite wall. I felt my eyes start to close as sleep tried to take over just before I felt Edward's cool lips at the hollow of my throat. "How was your day, my dear"
I looked up at him as he moved me into his lap and smiled. "It wasn't that bad. We got everything easily and the dress is absolutely amazing. I can't wait until you can see it." I smiled again and rested my head on his shoulder, signing in contentment as I once again started to drift to sleep. This was what I wanted. To be by him for the rest of eternity, and in three days time, that wish will come true.
As soon as I can figure out how to make it work I'm going to have the sites posted on my profile showing what the dresses and flower arrangements look like. I don't think I have one for the bouquet because it wouldn't work but hopefully you have the idea. - Review review review!!! Oh, and I DO happen to own Lisa and Chris ) yay me!