Weddingbee Blog

Ms. Potato Chip wrote about a clever addition she had to wedding vocabulary: Bridol.

Bridol -noun- 1. a bride who becomes your idol or role model; 2. a previously engaged woman (or man) whose planning style and general attitude invoked feelings of respect and admiration.

My bridol isn’t real-life, although I’m sure many real-life brides have embodied the attitude which I so admire in my bridol. Whenever I fret about things not going just right at the wedding, worrying about how I will be pouring my blood, sweat and tears into an event that I can 100% guarantee will not turn out exactly as I had planned (that’s just impossible), I try to calm my mind and think of Toula.

Oh Toula, you are so wise. You are my comfort.

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It’s Toula (aka Nila Vardalos) from My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Remember this little sweetie? Remember her dress?

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Yeah. While I was embarking on a dress search to end all dress searches in order to find that perfect one, and then doubting whether I had made the right choice and calling my sister repeatedly for her affirmation, Toula practically gets a dress handed to her that makes her look like, as she says, a “snow beast.” And is she complaining? No, she laughs. I feel so small-minded next to her.

Remember her bridesmaids’ dresses?

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Granted, I’m not having bridesmaids, but I think that this dress (again, a choice in which Toula had NO SAY) would make some brides huddle on the floor and weep. But did she freak out? Worry that just because her cousins have no taste, that that would reflect poorly on her and ruin all her pictures? No, Toula just let her cousins wiggle away in those pastel purple concoctions.

But you know what? Toula got married. And she seemed to be having a ball. She was still married to Aidan (he’s Aidan to me) at the end of the day. Most of what we consider important aspects of the wedding did not turn out as she may have wanted, but she let it roll.

So brides (and grooms)—if things start to go a little askew or awry at any point during the wedding planning or the event, let us all take a deep breath and remember—Toula had it WAY worse and she didn’t throw a crazy. And she got married to a hunk.

Disclaimer: easier said than done. While I will try to remember and practice this attitude, I hereby state that I do not in any way waive my right to later complain or express any disappointment with any aspect of the wedding.

What things kept you calm during your planning and wedding day?