Say Yes to the Dress...

Planning something as epic as your wedding day can be just as joyous as the day you decided to say yes. Who knew that a proposal as sweet as any would essentially become the first official step along this rollercoaster ride known as wedding planning?

While most girls have had their special day figured out since the day they could walk in their mother’s heels, modern day career girls have been too busy living their lives to give a proverbial hoot about their big day. The whole concept is quite an overwhelming mindset to consider. There’s the catering and the samples, the colour schemes and bridesmaids dresses. The venue and possible accommodation options, invitations and save the dates, the wedding cake.  The vows and the Vicar, the guest list and the gifts. And yes, oh yes, the perfect dress.  With so much matrimonial mayhem to coordinate before the big event, is it any wonder why so many brides-to-be turn into vile versions of Bridezilla? What’s a bride to do? 

They say that behind every great bride there has to be a great bridesmaid, and fortunately for Brenda, she had not one; not two, but five amazing bridesmaids. Five belles of the ball at her beck and call, each one with their own strength and responsibility that would essentially guide and assist Brenda through all these tedious choices in the months to come. Brenda was a less-is-more kind of girl and if she had her way, she would have married in court yesterday but alas, even she knew that certain ceremonials had to be considered to keep everyone happy. What would become of Brenda in the next five months? Would she rise above the stresses and pressures that came with planning the perfect wedding or would she lash out at the slightest sign of imperfection? 

Fortunately for the Bridesmaids of West Coast Village, Brenda was anything but your typical Bridezilla beast. No, she was probably what you’d call the anti-Bridezilla; cool, calm and most definitely collected.  If anything, it was her honorary self-appointed head Bridesmaid with OCD that required anxiety medication to overcome the fact that Brenda had so much to do in so little time. With only 5 months away from the ceremony, Brenda’s Bridesmaids had to find inventive ways of getting her A into G, and what better way to build up the pending excitement than trying on a couple of dresses...

It was a chilly Saturday morning when the four bridesmaids of West Coast Village decided to meet up at Bridal Boutique for Brenda’s first official dress fitting. Five dresses, four bridesmaids (the fifth would tune in on skype), one Bride and one hour. What felt like mission impossible turned out to be the perfect solution for a bride that had no idea where to begin. With a little help from the shop owner and her assistant, Charlotte, Miranda, Annie and I felt like we were in our own private episode of “Say Yes to the Dress”.

The welcome bubbles helped set the tone and calmed Brenda’s nerves who had no idea what to expect.  It wasn’t long before we found ourselves immersed in a movie montage sequence of crushed lace, organza and A-line waist drops.  

Seeing herself in a wedding dress made her realise that shit just got real, and even though none of the five selections had the X-factor, it gave Brenda a wake-up call and some insight into what she could and couldn’t pull off. “We’re not 22 anymore, hey!” Miranda playfully jibed as we ruled out the possibility of the open boob tube. Dress #2 ruled out any kind of champagne sash or rosette while dress #4 opened up Brenda’s mind to the possibility of having a princess cut, a look she had never dreamed of pulling off. She loved the lace and oh boy did she look flawless in a full length veil.   

While Brenda twirled and posed for “Happy Bride” selfies, she started to appreciate the amazing support she had before her. While she may not have a clear idea as to what her perfect dress might be, she had five amazing friends that would never allow her walk down the aisle looking like an oversized cupcake. “Your time is up!” That was quick. Knowing that Brenda would need a snack on her way to the next location, I quickly shoved a handful of complimentary Lindt balls inside my purse.
 

When it comes to all the fuss and muss that goes with wedding planning, I couldn’t help but wonder, why all this stress when it comes to a dress?