Say Yes to the Dress........

I don't know if any of you have ever caught the program on cable called "Say Yes to the Dress".  It's about brides-to-be going to this high class bridal shop which I think is located in Chicago or New York (one of those big cities) to find their perfect dress. It's an exciting time for her; picking out the dress that is going to make her feel like a princess on her special day.  However, everytime I watch the show, I come away wanting to slap someone!  Not the bride of course (well, maybe sometimes) but at least a couple of the "friends", "relatives" or even "mothers" that she insists upon bringing along with her for the search of this dress. It just totally blows my mind what comes out of their mouths when the bride comes out to model a dress!  Like THEY know fashion, style and what this bride should wear on her most special day of her life.  Whose wedding is this anyway??  And, some of them don't stop at just giving opinions....before you know it, they are running around the store themselves insisting that THEY will find the perfect dress for her and of course, at the same time taking the opportunity to try on headpieces or whatnot themselves making the bridal consultant want to throttle a few people and/or throw them out of the store!  I think the ultimate was one episode this week where these "groupies" actually held up score cards (like at the Olympics) each time the bride came out with dress to model.  I have watched as brides have dissolved into tears, screamed at people and have turned into emotional wrecks because they have to listen to what comes out of the mouths of the people they have brought with them for "support". Well, we can't totally blame these fashion experts that tag along....the bride holds some of the blame.  Leave them at home!!!  Or if you have to bring someone, bring your mother or your ONE closest friend.  Case in point......

When our daughter, Becky, got married in Madison, she went out to one small bridal shop by herself.  Becky is a little buxom on the top so she knew what she wanted and how the dress had to flatter her figure.  She tried on one dress......ONE dress.....and that was it!!  But of course, she wanted my opinion. It was an exciting time for me too but from the start, I took the stance that she and Mike were in charge of this wedding and I was NOT going to be the "Mother-of-the-Bride from Hell".  I just wanted to be assigned certain tasks that they needed help with like the centerpieces and I was happy with that. Back to the dress....so off to Madison I went to visit her little bridal shop.  Becky put the dress on, walked out and I knew immediately that it was the one.  Not because of the style, color, or design but by the look on her face! You could tell immediately that she felt like a princess in the dress.  Who better knows the look on their daughter's face than a Mom. That's all I wanted; it's all I needed. Becky had her dress and she glowed.

Now, I could be wrong but isn't that what this is all suppose to be about.....the BRIDE??  It's her day. It's her choice. Give her the space she deserves and leave her alone....in fact.....everyone else stay at home!