Running of the Brides--after the sprint!

Oh my goodness!

I cannot believe it has been THAT long since I posted!

So let me get right down to it.

Running of the Brides was soooooo much fun! Not so much fun that I would EVER do it again. But it was just one of those experiences that I can mark it as complete and move on with my life!

We got into Atlanta around 10pm and we quickly realized how little sleep we would get and we wanted to be part of the group that got to grab dresses off the rack if we were going to wait in a really long line. So we headed to Filene's at midnight! And camped out.

The first person got in line sometime that morning but I can't remember the time. 9ish, 10ish, 11ish...a bit early-ish. But they were first.

Folks had tents set up. They had their coolers, their DVD players. I had my Confessions of a Shop-a-holic book and nothing more. Luckily I had lamplight and a blanket! Sleeping would be attempted but not successful.

Part of our team included an infant--don't worry, we kept her safe. She's my niece and she was snuggly in her daddy's truck with her mom and grandma in the parking lot.

The night wore on--and so did the need...to use facilities. So we tag teamed and I went and found a 24 hour grocery store. I was able to take care of business, get my breakfast (don't recall what I bought!), and got my diet coke for caffeine. I am so not a coffee person.

That was about 5 in the morning!

When the sky started to get lighter shades of black into blue, folks started breaking down their campsites.

The girls ahead of us--clearly partied a little too much into the night and we kindly woke them up. They looked as confused as ever at being awakened from their slumber and we attempted to explain that security was compressing the line.

The line was compressed and like any Reality TV show worth its weight in excitement--we began making alliances with 2 other brides and their team. More eyes looking and grabbing and makes for easier trading. We exchanged sizes and styles.

Then it was near 8 o'clock. The excitement was buidling and then 10, 9, 8....one...and nothing!

If you've ever been in a pack of people waiting to "run" anything--nothing happens at one when you are behind hundreds of people. It's the funniest thing. You wait and you wait--then movement happens, cheering happens--folks are ready to run and then it stops. And you here a big "Awwwwwww". Then lather, rinse, repeat. Haha!

When the running began--we dispersed into our respective aisles and I *politely* began grabbing dresses. I turned around and didn't count on that when the dresses were all off the rack and we were ready to go try them on our brides--there's still hundreds of people flooding into the store. I got pinned, cinched--I think this is what those mosh pits must be like, though I am not sure.

Then it got crazy. All sense of sanity left. It was like people were in bread lines or something.

It was downright RIDICULOUS!

What is interesting--as the store informed us, after several hours, things do eventually return to "normal".

We took care of the dresses as best we could. I am sad to say that some folks treated these gowns like trash. Throwing them haphazardly--stepping on them. Insane!

We kept our piles as neat as possible. It wasn't always easy to return a dress to a disappearing hanger, but we did our best and utilized clothing racks to drape the gowns on.

We traded, we searched, it was EXHAUSTING!

The humor was the lack of civility in some people. There were folks GUARDING bridal gown piles.

The trading was fun for the first 45 minutes, but then it was just downright obnoxious.

One of our alliance brides was overwhelmed by all of this. She ended up leaving because nothing compared to a gown she had found at another store. Many brides gave up.

In the end, our bride found her gown and it is stunning! Very princess like, yet so simple. And as it turned out, it was the least expensive price point for a dress that was valued at over $1000. Over 75% off! Awesome!

There was one bride in the store who was crying in the gown she found--it was so elegant and fabulous and gorgeous.

It was so exciting when brides found the perfect dress.

It was less exciting at the barbarian behavior that some teams exhibited. But their team shirt served as warning that they were going to do what they had to do to get what they were there to get.

It was fun, but it was likely my last run...with brides anyway!

I had since heard that Filene's (generally speaking) is seeing an affect from the economy. We may have been part of history, who knows!