Every time I shop at J. Crew, an angel loses a commission.

LAURIE: We're leaving for a five-day vacation in Costa Rica. I have a fantasy that I'll find the perfect hippie wedding dress there, for, like, twenty-five cents.
Something like this.

I have 18 months, so it's far from a panic situation, but I have yet to look in a single bridal shop. It seems pointless, as I want to spend no more than $500 on a dress, I don't want a floor-length deal, and I want to be measured and judged by as few persons as possible. I'm going to get up the nerve to visit some actual stores one of these days, but in the back of my mind, all signs point to J. Crew's new bridal collection. I expect a lot of eye rolling from the inner sanctum, but I'd rather have good Champagne (or, um, Cava) than an expensive dress. And a J. Crew wedding dress will still be fancier and prettier than any dress I've ever bought myself.