Friday, July 23, 2010

Second Chances

There are nay-sayers out there that are ready to criticize people, especially brides. And when a bride breaches a rule of etiquette, they will line up to point fingers (heck, I've been guilty of that). But on this Feel Good Friday, I'd like to tell you a quick story about a sweet bride that made me smile.

I'll call her Minnie, and she is a petite, quiet bride, whose eyes light up when she comes into the store, even if her tone of voice remains low and understated. When I first met her she was coming in to shop for her wedding gown. She was accompanied by friend, no mother. She apologized as she described the ball gown she wanted, strapless with a full pick-up skirt.

"Why are you sorry?" I asked. "You are the bride, you can have anything you want!" (I left out the obvious condition on this statement, she could have anything she could afford, but that is a different bride, a different story and a different day.)

"My Mother thinks it is inappropriate of me to want a big gown. She thinks I should have a small wedding with a simple dress. It's my second wedding, see, and she is embarrassed by the whole thing."

I take her to the dressing room and begin to show her the collection of dresses we have with full pick-up skirts that are strapless and that look good on a petite figure. As we are trying them on, I learn more. She had been married previously, but that marriage had ended when her husband was unfaithful to her. After some time, she found herself in a relationship with a friend she had known for years. They fell in love and decided to get married. It being his first marriage, his family offered to plan and pay for their wedding. The couple agreed.

Around this time in the appointment, she found the one. It was beautiful on her, it showed off her shoulders, framed and complemented her bustline, and the diamond-white taffeta and crystals looked like a natural extension of her body. But although she loved it, she suddenly found herself afraid to go against her Mother's wishes and order such a traditional wedding gown.

"What if we were to make it a little less traditional?" I suggested.

And that is how Minnie ordered and fell in love with her PINK wedding gown!

When it arrived in the store and she tried it on, it was perfection. The peachy-pink of the skirt with the diamond-white lace overlay was the perfect marriage of celebration and tradition-busting.

There will be no apologetic wedding gowns in my dressing room, no sirree!

5 comments:

Eternal Lizdom said...

I love it!! What a wonderful story- and what a wonderful guide you were for her!!

Thanks for linking up for FGF!

~Milena~ said...

I also love it! I'm so glad she found a way to get exactly what she wanted and still flout tradition. I can't help but wonder though, what her mother said about it...

Erin Janda Rawlings said...

Beautiful dress!

I think it's great how you helped to make her feel great about this wedding when her mother was making her feel bad because of her own issues.

Amy said...

I have a very non-traditional friend who also got married (before I met her) in pink. What a great compromise your bride found. Funny that I found this blog while I've got "Say Yes to the Dress" on the TV.

Madison said...

That is a great story. I do understand the mom's trepidation with a second wedding, having been invited to two of three of one person's weddings after a while it feels like a solicitation for a gift. Have the celebration but add no gifts please if weddings are becoming a habit. But that is not what is in play here. Where it was the groom's first, if nothing else HE is entitled to a large wedding if he wants and if he is marrying a second time around person then her guests sohuld certainly understand. Not to mention after what this sweet girl went through, sounds like she deserves a large celebration of love. Good for you for making it comfortable for all!