Rethinking wedding dress

I think part of my issue is feeling negative ties to this dress; I have bed bug bites on my arms in this photo. I had never before dealt with bed bugs. Over Thanksgiving weekend my FH and I stayed at my parents' house. I got cold during the first night and covered myself in a blanket I found in the corner of the room. Apparently my parents had bed bugs and hid it from me because "I'd overreact". But not knowing anything I chalked it up to spider bites and went with my mom to the bridal appointment. I figured it out later that day when a bed bug crawled over my lap in the bed I'd stayed in the night before. I've had issues with my parents even heavier since then. I loved this dress then, but feel gross having the memories alongside it.

Here's the back of the dress I bought.

The train

And here's the gown I want to buy now: http://www.bhldn.com/product/rosemary-gown

The Rosemary gown is definitely lovely, but so is the one you have. I would say don't buy a new dress, because it can be difficult to sell the old one. You won't be thinking about bed bugs on your wedding day, unless your wedding night is spent at a skeezy motel that charges by the hour.

Both are beautiful dresses. I'm so sorry the bed bugs and your parents' decision to hide it is causing you so much stress. I had bed bugs years ago in an old apartment and still get twitchy sometimes thinking about it. But I would also lean towards not getting a new dress. Last minute expenses can happen.

I like the dress you already have. The top is very pretty, the BHLDN gown looks a little more mature to me. The comment about last minute expenses is so true, so very true!

Your first dress is gorgeous!!

I love your dress. I think it's beautiful and classic. Don't have dress regret!

I actually like your dress more! I stay stick with it.

Is there a way you can emotionally "burn some sage"? First of all, stop looking at the pictures and wait until your dress comes in. Secondly, is there some way to get over the outrage of the bed bugs? It was definitely not okay for your parents to hide that from you, and if it were me, it would really upset me for a very long time, especially since you mentioned there were also other problems.

The first dress is much prettier, and really suits your figure, in my opinion. No way to tell if the other will look as good on you, unless you post more photos of you in it.

Given that, and that weddings aren't the only expense that comes up in our lives (and that often there will be surprise costs for the wedding as well as life in general) - don't spend the extra money on another dress you'll only wear for 10 hours. Suck it up and get over indulging in your emotional association between the bedbugs and first dress.

I love them both, stick with what you already have.

I actually like the first one more, but it's whatever you feel more comfortable with

I think you should stick to the one you have. Its beautiful! The second one is to but you know what the first one looks like.

I love the dress you already have. So pretty and elegant.

What did/do you love about the original dress? What is it that made you pick it? Do you think you could recreate new memories with the dress--try it on, put on a veil, dance around in it, have a friend ooh and ahh over it, etc? If you really want to get a different dress, I would recommend trying it on at one of the BHLDN stores if possible--even if you don't buy it from there.

I love your original dress!