Bridal Moment

Last summer my sister banned me from watching TLC's illustrious television program Say Yes To The Dress because, simply put, it turned me into a crazy-person. I'm normally fairly level-headed but  the show amplified my impulsive streak. My thoughts ran like this: Dan is the man I want to marry, so why not just get married now? Why not just speed up the dating process and get married sooner rather than later so I can get that done and move on with life? So many girls on the show get engaged after a few months of dating, so we could too, right? Sure some of the brides who want 'butt cleavage' seem a bit shallow but I'm not like that.  If Dan isn't ready now, he will be soon enough, so I just start thinking about important things like lace or beading... ball gown or fit-and flare... number of bridesmaids... I've never seen a girl with short hear wear a veil... Maybe there are pictures on the internet...

Poor Dan. My sister was right, and I had to stop watching Say Yes. My ban was lifted at the end of January when Dan proposed. I was allowed to think about full skirts, cascading layers of tulle, and hints of blush. And today it was my time to have the 'bridal moment' Randy, from Say Yes, talks about so much.

Of course, I never imagined that buying a dress would happen exactly how it is now happening. I didn't think my story would resemble the 'brides overcoming the odds' or 'gimpy brides' themed episodes. We needed to space out our appointments because I get pretty fatigued. There's a lot of standing, stepping up and down platforms, twisting, and preening in heavy dresses. I definitely needed more help than your average bride stepping in and out of the gowns, and I needed a few rest breaks in the hour-long appointment. However, my disability didn't dampen the process at all. With each dress I transformed into a bride wearing white. No one saw my bad hip, not even me: they saw me smiling and feeling radiant in billowing fabrics. I know it sounds a little corny, but my experience is so much richer because of what I've gone through.

Dan and I have grown a lot as partners during this process. We've tackled issues that not many couples our age have to face. Our love, patience and trust have been tested and will be tested again after my surgery. I am excited for our fun wedding next year but the marriage that will follow is much more important. Yes, I'm dreaming of my dress, but I'm dreaming of the life I will share with Dan, too.

I was a little worried, a few weeks ago, that my disability would overshadow my bridal moment. I now know that was a thought conceived out of self-pity. I had a wonderful morning: I spent the day with two of the most important people in my life; I wore beautiful gowns; I felt beautiful. I have a few more bridal appointments this week and I can agonize over style, fabric, shape and detail for hours on end. No gimpy hip can hijack my bridal moment.