Bride Reveals 'Awkward' Wedding Dress Shopping Moment When Whole Family Voted for Gown She Didn't Want (Exclusive)

When Calyssa Richie-Fuchs tried on one wedding gown, her family all held up 10s on scorecards. The problem was, everyone's favorite dress wasn't hers

• Last November, Calyssa Richie-Fuchs went to a bridal shop to try on wedding dresses for her August wedding

• To add a fun element, the bride-to-be created scorecards for her family to rate the dresses with

• What Calyssa Richie-Fuchs didn't expect was her family to give a dress she didn't like all 10s

A bride always remembers her "say yes to the dress" moment. But one woman will never forget when her family shopping entourage unanimously fell in love with a gown she knew wasn't "the one."

When Calyssa Richie-Fuchs, 24, went wedding dress shopping last November ahead of her nuptials to Josh Fuchs, 26, she experienced an "awkward moment" at Elite Bridal in Champaign, Illinois. A video posted to TikTok captures the moment Calyssa's mother, sister, grandmother, mother-in-law and two sister-in-laws all rated a wedding dress she tried on a 10. Which was nice, except she didn't feel the same.

Calyssa had already tried on around 30 gowns before putting on the family-favorite dress. She had a clear vision of what she wanted: an off-the-shoulder satin gown with buttons running down the back. This sparkly Martina Liana dress with fluttering 3D florals was not that.

"When I stepped out in that dress, the ratings soared to 10/10, and everyone was in awe," Calyssa tells PEOPLE of seeing her family's scorecards. "It was thrilling to see their reactions, but as stunning as it was, I knew it wasn’t 'the one' for me."

Although Calyssa values her family's opinions, she knew she had to stay true to her heart for her big day.

"It can feel awkward when everyone loves a dress that you don’t, but I remained unfazed because I was clear on my vision," she says. "The lace and sparkles just didn’t resonate with my style. With my wedding theme being black tie and elegant, I couldn’t vision it. I wanted something more traditional. Plus, it was a popular choice on TikTok, and I wanted something unique. I still had 10 more dresses to try on, and I was confident my family would love my final choice just as much."

Calyssa eventually had to choose between two dresses: an off-the-shoulder poofy dress with a long train or an off-the-shoulder dress that was fitted. The first choice was dramatic while the latter was more practical.

She ended up combining the flowy sleeves from the fitted dress with the poofy gown. Once her hair was styled into a bun and a veil was added, Calyssa says the entire look and feel of the dress transformed.

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"Once the veil was in place, we all knew — it was the one," she says. "Tears flowed, and everyone held up 10s on their scorecards; it was a memory I’ll cherish forever, and I’m so grateful that the women in my family were there to share it with me."

She adds, "At the end of the day, while everyone may have adored the sparkly lace dress, they recognized that the one I picked was truly me and loved it."

But Calyssa wasn't done there. Because she had creatively fused the sleeves from the fitted dress onto the poofy one, she decided to get the fitted dress as her second dress for the reception.

"While many brides opt for short second dresses, I wanted to be different and have a long," she says. "After all, how often do you get to wear a beautiful white gown? I wanted to feel like a bride all night long."

Calyssa encourages brides to do what makes them happy and not succumb to the pressure to please others.

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"It’s essential to choose the dress that makes you feel most comfortable, and that is exactly what I did," she says. "However, I have to say that my idea of the scorecards added a fun element to the day, and having my six girls there to cheer me on made it an unforgettable experience. We laughed, cried, and toasted with champagne — I can’t imagine having gone through it alone."

Calyssa and Josh wed on Aug. 3 in Springfield, Illinois. The high school sweethearts' love story began in 2015 after a science teacher rearranged the class seating plan, placing them side-by-side in the back row. But their friendship wouldn't blossom into romance until they reconnected in 2020.

Three years later, Josh proposed.

"He completely caught me off guard—I had no idea he even had a ring!" Calyssa shares. "On a summer Friday night at my parents' house, I walked into my room and was greeted by five white dresses hanging by the door, some shoes laid out, and a card on the step. In that moment, I knew something special was happening."

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She continues, "The card instructed me to pick a dress and be ready by 6 p.m. for a date. But first, we embarked on a scavenger hunt. When Josh picked me up, he handed me another card with a clue for our first stop. Each location was meaningful to our relationship: our high school where we met, the church where we spent time in youth group, the spot where we began dating, and more. At each destination, someone important to us was there to give me the next clue and a red rose. We visited a total of 11 places, each filled with memories."

"Before the final stop, Josh blindfolded me," she says. "He guided me a short distance before I took off the blindfold and saw 'Marry Me' spelled out in large letters. After the proposal, Josh took me to our family barn. When I opened the door, confetti cannons went off, and I was surprised by our friends and family, including my closest college friends. It was an incredible celebration, better than I had ever imagined."

When the couple finally said "I do," Josh was "in awe" of Calyssa's wedding dress.