Weddingbee Blog

After running through the rehearsal (literally, I think it took about five minutes), it was time to get dressed. I could not get into that beautiful bridal suite fast enough. What was waiting for me in there? My wedding dress, of course!

But before I slid into my gown, I helped my lovely ladies slide into their bridesmaid dresses.

Once the girls were dressed and situated, it was time to take my dress off of the hanger and put it on. I was so giddy I’m surprised I didn’t spontaneously combust from over-excitement right then and there. My sisters did a majority of the heavy lifting (well, not so heavy—the thing is all lace and tulle, after all) in getting me properly assembled.

Once the dress was on, I slid into my shoes…

…and got a work-out doing squats while my veil was properly positioned.

And with that, I was all dressed up and I definitely had someplace to go! Like most of the day, getting dressed went by in a flash and is honestly a bit of a blur. What I do remember is a giant tornado of positive emotions. I felt excited, overwhelmed (in a good way), relieved, grateful, happy and pretty. The last one may sound superficial, but I think it is significant. There are a lot of things about which I am very self-conscious (including, but not limited to, physical appearance) and self-confidence has not always been my strong point. So for me to feel beautiful inside and out, and not have a single ounce of self-deprecation clouding my emotions, was a little bit magical.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not saying “look how pretty I look” or claiming that my appearance was perfect (trust me, when we get to what my hair looked like after a night of humid weather and vigorous dancing, it will be apparent that it was not). Rather, I am saying that I gained a better understanding of the bridal madness. Maybe the reason we try on dresses until we find one that makes us cry, and flip through magazines for hours on end examining hairstyles, and take excessive advantage of the free-shipping free-return policy at Zappos.com—maybe the reason we do this is that we are reaching for this magical feeling. So that on the day that we take the most important step in life, we have a sense of peace with ourselves. So that when we vow to love our mate forever, we are moved by the gravity of that promise, and not concerned about whether or not we look fat. I sincerely hope that every bride—regardless of the label on her dress, the size she wears, the make-up on her face or the hairdo on her head—feels beautiful inside and out on her wedding day.

Did you get ready with your bridal party?

What do you think about all the bridal beauty madness?

*All photos by Lotus Blossom Photography

Girls Get Ready

Arriving at the Venue

The Dalmatians Rehearse