My partner and I decided to elope on a random Tuesday night. No big wedding, no year-long planning, no “I need to get wedding ready.” Just us. And suddenly I needed a dress. Fast.

For the longest time, I had this idea in my head that if I ever got married, I’d lose weight first. I’d get back to my pre-pandemic size, eat super clean, work out, all of that. But when we decided to elope, I didn’t have six months to “prepare.” And honestly? I didn’t want to. I just wanted something that fit me the way I am right now. I’m 5’8”, usually wear a size 16, and after staring at the size chart way too long, I ordered the 18W because I did not want to feel squeezed into my own wedding dress.

When it arrived three days later, I was honestly nervous opening the box. I’ve ordered “budget” dresses before and been disappointed. But this one surprised me. The fabric had weight to it, not stiff or scratchy. The lace didn’t feel cheap. I actually ran my fingers over the beadwork expecting to find loose threads, but there weren’t any. The ivory color was softer than I expected too, which I appreciated because pure white usually makes me look washed out.

Trying it on was the real test. It goes over your head, which I liked because I didn’t have to fight with a zipper. The lace-up back took me a minute to figure out (I had to re-do it once), but once I tightened it properly, the fit was really flattering. It hugged my curves without feeling tight. I could breathe. That was important.

The outer skirt was flowy and dramatic in the best way. Barefoot, it was a little long and pooled around my feet. For a second I thought, oh no, is this too much? But then I imagined beach photos and realized that’s kind of the look I wanted anyway.

The only thing I didn’t love was the inner skirt. It was more fitted than I expected and a bit snug around my stomach when I sat down. It was also slightly sheer in natural light. Not see-through see-through, but enough that I didn’t feel 100% comfortable. I ended up buying a simple white slip skirt locally and wearing it underneath. That completely fixed both issues. If you’re picky about that kind of thing like I am, I’d recommend planning for that.

Funny enough, I originally saved this dress months ago thinking I might wear it as a maternity dress someday. When we decided to elope and I wasn’t pregnant, I almost skipped it because I worried it would look too “maternity.” It didn’t. But if you are planning to wear it while pregnant, you might need the inner layer adjusted to make more room.

We had to travel for our elopement, and I was stressed about packing it. I didn’t want to check it in case luggage got lost. I turned it inside out, rolled it up carefully, and packed it in the middle of my carry-on surrounded by soft clothes. When I unpacked it, there were only light creases. I hung it in the bathroom while I showered and the steam took care of the rest. I was honestly so relieved.

I also ordered a fingertip veil, a hair pin, and foldable silver shoes. Everything packed small, which was exactly what I needed. No bulky boxes, no drama.

On the day of our elopement, when I finally had everything on, I didn’t feel like some idealized version of a bride. I just felt like myself. Comfortable. Happy. The dress moved beautifully in the wind and photographed better than I expected. And knowing the entire outfit cost under $200 made it even better.

This dress wasn’t perfect in every single way, but it was perfect for us. For a last-minute decision, for a beach ceremony, for the version of me that exists right now — not six months from now after some imaginary diet. And I’m really glad I didn’t wait.