How many people does it take for a grown woman to consult before she can choose a wedding dress? I'm only asking this question because it seems that every situation on programs like "Say Yes to the Dress" (TLC on Fridays) requires an entourage. Some brides-to-be show up with a full complement of opinionated friends and family---bridesmaids, the mother, the future mother-in-law, the fiance, grandmother, neighbors, favorite bank manager. OK maybe not the latter.
My favorite quote from the Atlanta version of SYTTD is from the ever-patient (and with the people-reading skills of a trained psychologist ) fashion director Monte Durham-"Going shopping with a group of friends is like leading a pack of hounds. You're going to get them going in all different directions and it's hard to corral them back in together."
As an avowed dog lover, I think I'd rather take a pack of howling, sniffing dogs shopping with me than some of these supporters!
Rick and I married 35 years ago. As I recall, the wedding plans were fairly simple. Mom and I discussed simple decorations for the sanctuary, and even the possibility of her making my wedding dress. She decided making a wedding dress was probably more than she wanted to take on at the time, so we went to the local bridal shop where I tried on a few dresses. I made my decision and don't recall it being a major ordeal. Our shopping trip would never have made it onto a reality program.
We weren't the only couples marrying in 1975. In fact, we participated or attended several weddings that year. I can't think of a single instance where the drama would have won any of the couples a place on a reality show. But then again, none of us had a pack of hounds with us either.
I'm with you, Teri. I am amazed by the drama and the ugliness presented on these programs. My sister and I both got married that summer and the biggest drama we had was that our dog went missing the morning of my sister Anne's wedding and she announced that she would not get married until we found the dog. Luckily, someone found her within the hour and the rest of the day went on without a hitch. We both found our dresses quickly, maybe because there were only two places in town to choose from and it never occurred to us to go out of town to look. And can you imagine paying what these women pay today?! They could make a down payment on a house!!! Instead, they start their married lives together already in debt, because they had "the wedding of their dreams."
ReplyDeleteYou're so right, mdoss.I've been to some of the dream weddings and unfortunately, many of them don't last beyond the first dose of reality!
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