The other day at work one of my colleagues brought his wife’s wedding dress in because he had to ship it to one of his daughters and didn’t want to leave it in the hot car. It was the second time since my wedding that I longed for a wedding dress that was mine forever. I’ll never be able to ship my dress to my daughter, and when they ask to see my wedding dress I’ll only be able to show a picture.
I know, I know, if I had purchased a dress it would hang in a closet, never to be worn again. It would collect dust and turn yellow---until my little girl asked to see her mommy’s beautiful wedding dress. And then it would sit some more until my oldest girl asked me to ship it to her so she could show it to her children and so on. There is nothing like a wedding dress to rain down the memory floods of the most important day of your life, and to connect your children and grand children to the day as well.
Some of you know about the wedding dress shop that ruined my life (okay maybe not ruined, but at a very stressful 2 weeks before the wedding, it felt ruined). For some reason their workers in China wouldn’t ship the dresses they had ordered for the last month. I went to the store and tried to find something else I liked, but they were going to have to alter it from a size 8 to my size and it was too risky so close to the wedding. So we said ‘no thanks life ruiners, we’re going somewhere else. Oh, and give us our money back.' We were one of the lucky few to actually get our money back before they started denying money back and forcing everyone to wear a size 8 that they altered.
Anyway, through the kindness of many, I was able to find a place where I could rent a dress. I went in and about 10 minutes later found one that suited me. At this point I had detached myself from all sentimental feelings I had about a wedding dress. My dress was definitely pretty, and I’m happy I found it.
In a couple days I’ll forget all about my desire to have my own wedding dress for keeps, but for today I wish I knew there was one hanging in my closet collecting dust and good memories.
Abby, I feel for you, I do. Over the years, I have had to get rid of things that I still think about. Like, my clarinet, that I played in junior high that I sold at a yard sale for 20 bones! Oh well. Life goes on, right?
ReplyDeleteP.S. I tried to sell my wedding dress at a yard sale one time. No one bought it:)
It's ok--time will fade your cares about the wedding dress. And, I think your wedding is an important day--but not the most important day of your life. You'll have even sweeter days--like when you give birth to your first baby.
ReplyDeleteHmm...that's an interesting perspective. I feel kind of perplexed about my dress. I've had to move it so many times and each time I wonder "what am I suppose to do with this?" It takes up a lot of space and it's just one of those things that stumps me. I feel like I'm obligated to keep it forever, but it's not the most convenient thing to tote around.
ReplyDeleteIf it makes you feel any better, my mom rented her dress and I never felt cheated for not being able to look at her dusty yellowed dress. In fact, I never even thought about wanting to see it. I did love looking at her sweet pictures though.
No one ever wanted to look at mine, which is yellowing in my cedar chest.
ReplyDeleteHa! "No thanks, life-ruiners."
ReplyDelete