Remember all the times I said “ooh I wish I was going to a wedding because I like this dress”? Well now I’m not only GOING to a wedding but I’m in a wedding where the bride is wonderful enough to say “Go find a dress you like and look good in” and now I’m stumped.

I’ve been pinning quite a few contenders but today was an actual in store encounter. Here are the findings:

First and foremost: bridal store lighting is universally horrible.

Second, an Alfred Sung that I thought I’d pinned it but apparently not so just added it (the back is pinned [literally, I'm not talking pinterest, I'm talking needles] which is why it’s awkwardly gathered).

Third, another Alfred Sung from the pinterest board:

Another  Alfred Sung in an almost distractingly unflattering to my pale skin color (my husband came in while I was writing this and say he can’t look at me in this dress because it is so horrible):

And lastly, a Bill Levkoff that I can’t find online because the style number on the tag that I wrote down aren’t the same as the ones online (ANNOYING!) but it’s pretty close to this:

Okay now the most frustrating aspect. The first two dresses looked the best in the store but since they were size 12s, they looks super crappy in the photos and the one that was just okay in the store look but (I think) best in the photo since it was an 8 (yes, I just proclaimed my dress size on the internet). The blue one is a great concept but was also a 12 and not a flattering color and kind of a hot mess in both the photo and the store.

And here are some of the fabric swatches:

Now obviously this is the internet and not color accurate but we’re looking at the purples and the green. I think I like Italian Plum the best but can’t quite tell the difference between that and the Paradise. I normally would gravitate towards the green but I have a minor fear about looking like the Jolly Green Giant next to the bride. Fear not, though, Bride, I look great in both green and purple! Jewel tones and bright colors work with my albino ways.

What are your thoughts, dear internet? And if you know of other dresses I should check out let me know!