bad news, but mostly good news

Backstory:
I found the perfect dress at the store, The Perfect Dress, but it was only 45 days or something until my wedding and the warehouse couldn't ship one soon enough and the store wouldn't sell me their floor copy (weird, huh?). I was really bummed. Really, really bummed. Thank heavens for the internet where I found the exact same dress (after doing some research to find the right dress number) for $300 less than it was at the store. I ordered it for less than $300 and paid for it to be shipped in about 15 days.

Bad News: It arrived late.

Good News: this arrived today

it doesn't look like much, but it's my wedding dress!!!

When I saw the delivery guy from the shipping company at my door holding a puffy envelope, I knew what it was but I didn't believe it until I opened it and found

You just get to see the top part...
you'll have to wait three weeks to see the rest!

So exciting!!

Bad News: it wouldn't zip up. I swear I didn't gain any weight but the size I gave them did. not. fit.
ARGH!!! I cried. I changed the bra. I changed the bra again. I sucked it all in. As a last resort, I called the fiancee. He came over during his lunch break to console me and reassure me it could be fixed, somehow. I couldn't even think about how to fix this. It took them about 25 days to ship the dress (from China) and it's only 19 days until the wedding (I know, crazy soon, right?!). I couldn't order a dress from a warehouse with 45 days to go; there's no way I could get one with less than 3 weeks to go. And I don't really have time to go find one I can buy off the rack. ARGH!!

Good News: One of my dearest, long time friends (we met in kindergarten in Tucson) happens to be in town and she called me as I was being consoled (her timing is amazing) and volunteered herself and her sister-in-law to work on it. She reassured me it was probably fixable and told me to come right over!

Even Better News: They can fix it! I had to bite my tongue watching them take the sides out, but they discovered about 4 inches of perfectly ready to use fabric inside the lining of the dress, waiting to be used! Yeah! Thank you, Lorana and Wendy for saving the day and the wedding!