Clayton News Daily

Special Photo Dianna Lee is scheduled to wed in May. Lee visited several bridal salons before making a decision on which dress to purchase for her wedding day. Lee is pictured in an A-line “Allure” wedding gown at J. Andrews Bridal Salon in Peachtree City.

Dianna Lee has joined a long list of Henry County residents who have been thrust into the national limelight by television. She recently appeared on the TLC network show “Say Yes to the Dress.”

The show features a bride choosing her wedding gown, bridesmaids dresses, or the mother of the bride outfit.

Lee, of Hampton, is scheduled to get married on May 6, in the 177-year-old Flint Hill mansion, built in 1835, in Norcross.

Lee credits Flo Waters, a manager of Bridals by Lori, in Sandy Springs, with recommending her and her sister Dejuan Lee, for the “Say Yes to the Dress” show.

The cameras rolled as the Lee sisters tried on gown after gown, trying to find the perfect wedding dresses.

“The only thing that knew was that I wanted a big full ball gown,” said Dianna Lee. “I didn’t want it too simple, but with just a little bit of sparkle. I knew for sure I did not want a mermaid dress.”

Lee’s father, Terry, and her sister, joined her on the first visit to the bridal salon.

“I tried on eight to 10 wedding gowns before I decided on the Eve of Milady gown,” said the bride-to-be. “I fell in love with a Eve of Milady wedding gown, but I thought it was too expensive, and a bit extravagant.”

It was listed at $6,100, she said. “I didn’t want to invest that kind of money in a dress,” Dianna Lee declared. “I knew I would only wear it once,” she added.

“When I left the salon, I was really trying to figure out how I would pay for the dress. Then, I just a made a decision to go back to the bridal shop to try on more dresses.”

On her second visit, Dianna was accompanied by one of her bridesmaids, a 14-year friend, Heather Downs. They attended Jonesboro High School together.

“Heather really liked the James Clifford wedding gown, and when I said ‘Yes to the Dress,’ she started taking pictures with her camera phone,” said Dianna Lee. “She said it was really slimming and stunning on me, and she liked the detail of the dress.”

The return visit was a success.

“I tried on about six gowns, and none of them seemed to be working for me,” said Dianna Lee. “They were either just too simple, or just too much.”

The last dress Waters showed the bride-to-be was the James Clifford wedding gown. Dianna Lee selected it for her nuptials with Lance Mumpower, of Johnson City, Tenn., who now lives in Buckhead.

“I thought when I saw it on the hanger, I would have never had chosen this dress,” the bride-to-be said, laughing. “But, when I tried it on, it was a different story. I thought to myself, ‘Hmmm, I kind of like this,’ and the more I wore it, the more I fell in love with it.” She said the corset of the wedding gown had more detail than the other wedding gowns she tried on that day.

But, for good measure, Dianna Lee returned to the bridal salon a third time, to allow her sister, Dejuan Lee, to see her in the dress. She won the approval of her maid of honor.

“She liked it,” said Dianna Lee. The two of them went through other dresses for the seven bridesmaids, until they were able to say yes to those dresses.

Lance and Dianna met at a barbecue four years ago. He proposed on May 7 last year, said Dianna.

Lee’s “Say Yes to the Dress” segment aired on the TLC network show April 13.

Lee has a brother, Mike, who is a pilot for World Airways in Germany and was not available for the taping of the “Say Yes to the Dress” show. Her brother told her he did not want to see the dress until the day of the wedding.

“The only thing I was disappointed in about the taping of the show, was they showed the dress I chose prior to the wedding ceremony, which hasn’t happened yet,” said Dianna. “But overall, TLC network did a wonderful job. They were professional and very nice. I thought they edited the show really well.”