partiallysunny - there were a lot of tears. I also threw the dress on the ground and stomped out of the room and made more coffee. It was pretty much a giant temper tantrum on the scale of a tired toddler.
This is not making me feel more confident...
As for pressing, I got in the habit of pressing everything multiple times when I was quilting, so my ironing board is now a permanent fixture in the dining room until this project is completed. I may or may not have shot daggers out of my eyes when H insisted that I put the iron away because he doesn't like to leave it out.
And another random fact, after my fabric was pre washed, I found it oddly theraputic to iron all the wrinkles out of it... It took forever, (because I bought an extra yard or so), but it was kind of soothing.
I think I just got a shitty zipper. Putting the zipper in is no big deal. It broke after I put it in. You'll have no big issues.