Saying,"Yes to the Dress"

Ah summer! That time of year we look forward to with such anticipation....and it simply flies past! I always have such great plans for my free time....but I'm learning that life doesn't always proceed according to one's plans. And that's OK too!

This week my mother, my daughter and I went shopping for a wedding gown.  Three generations with three differing opinions of what constitutes a beautiful wedding gown....a recipe for disaster? With the plethora of wedding and bridal shows on television...."Bridezilla" and "Say Yes to the Dress" immediately spring to mind....the idea of feuding family members and spoiled brides seems to be the expected! I was determined that was not to be the case on our quest for the perfect dress!

Like most bride's, my daughter had been perusing bridal magazines and various websites to get an idea of what was available in the way of bridal finery.  And in the course of her research had developed a definite idea of the type of gown she felt would be the 'perfect' dress for her special day. It was fun to get emails saying she'd posted a new photo on her Pinterest wedding board! I loved seeing what she'd found. Of course there were budget constraints....which quickly eliminated some of her choices.  Being ever practical, her attitude was, 'why fall in love with a dress if we can't afford it?' Smart girl my daughter!

The day of the shopping trip I fortified myself with three cups of coffee and lots of prayer! My goal was to make sure this day was all about the bride....what she wanted....not what I or her grandmother wanted.  If she felt beautiful, that was all that mattered! So I wiped any preconceived ideas from my brain and sat back prepared to be supportive of any and all choices. Armed with a list of bridal shops within a fifty mile radius, we proceeded to the first on the list.....a local shop where we actually had an 'appointment.'

I have to say, the people in the shop were amazing! We were made to feel as if they were as excited about my daughter's wedding as we were. And it was nice that the young woman who waited on us was also someone my daughter had known and like in high school. She did an outstanding job of keeping the focus on the bride's wants and was encouraging and supportive to her as well. Between the two of them, a selection of gowns was chosen and the fashion show began!

When my daughter stepped out of the dressing room, my breath caught and time stood still....in that moment, memories of my baby girl came rushing and swirling through my heart.....images of the tomboyish little girl refusing to wear the prissy bows in her hair....she and two friends grinning from ear to ear and covered in red mud from head to toe....and as she grew, headstrong and determined to maintain "her style" regardless of what the fashion of the day was.........and there she stood, tears sparkling in her eyes, literally looking like a goddess and all I could do was nod.

I will hold that moment in my heart always....the moment my little girl became the woman she was destined to be....strong, elegant, beautiful in a classic way.....and perhaps most importantly, true to herself.