My Favorite Days – Part Two
I’m posting this week about the best days in my life. Here’s another one of those days:
My Wedding Day. November 30, 1991
(Yeah, I know. Not very original. But true.)
I was a forty-year-old bride – and pretty close to being a forty-one-year old bride at that.
I wore a traditional bridal gown. I had been worried about looking foolish wearing a wedding gown at my age. I even felt foolish at the bridal store. I only tried on two gowns (both samples on sale) and bought the one that fit me better. My mother wanted me to try on more but I refused. I said that I just loved this one and the price was great, so I didn’t want to second guess myself. But in truth, I felt silly. Like any moment someone would snicker behind my back. I only had one fitting, and the feeling persisted, and I cut the appointment short. I didn’t try on the veil until the day before the wedding.
My father walked me down the aisle of a lovely old church while a big pipe organ played some wonderful piece that I don’t even remember now. But I do remember how everyone I loved was there. Everyone I loved was smiling. My mother was beaming. (She certainly had long before given up all hope that I would ever marry. Faith restored.) My boss was there and he gave me a little wink.
All that painful self-consciousness left me at that moment. All that worry about looking foolish trying to be bride at my age. Gone.
The gown was not foolish. It was gorgeous – and for the first time I acknowledged that it was gorgeous – and so was I.
In the whole preceding forty years of my life, I had never once felt beautiful. And now I did.
And there at the altar was my very-soon-to-be husband all scrubbed and polished in a nice tuxedo. And he was smiling.
And now at those (frequent) moments when I really want to kill him, I remember that amazing, transforming walk down the aisle and I give him just one more chance.
- Posted in: Aging ♦ Beauty ♦ Humor ♦ Marriage ♦ Memories
- Tagged: feeling beautiful, middle-aged brides, wedding, wedding day, wedding gowns
notquiteold 
You l-o-o-k marvelous! Your hubby looks pretty good too. 🙂
This is a wonderful idea for posts.
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Thanks. Remember those special days keeps one going.
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Everyone should have such a treasure chest. I look forward to your next post.
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What a beautiful remembrance. And also, I think the idea of blogging about one’s wedding day is a great one. You waited for MR. RIGHT! I took a second look at your gown, and you know what? It looks just like my wedding gown – bateau neckline and long lacy sleeves!! Unbelievable. Thanks for this walk down memory lane – for us both! 🙂
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I was about 8 when my Aunt Pat got married, and it is the first wedding I remember. I thought she was amazingly gorgeous. Well, I found a photo recently of her wedding, and my gown was almost IDENTICAL to hers. I had not realized it. She must have made a permanent impression on me of what a bride should look like.
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what a beautiful bride! I am so glad you had your gorgeous gown and all the trimmings, each bride deserve that… Love this post. Thank you for sharing another one of your best days.
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Every person deserves to feel beautiful at least once in her life.
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Reblogged this on My Blog snuppy.
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This brought tears (until I got to that part about the days you want to kill him!). Such a sweet memory, and to finally embrace your own beauty. Thank you for letting us share your memory. I met my husband on Valentine’s Day many years ago, and have been preparing a draft of that memory to post this Feb 14. Sometimes it really is true love!
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I’d like to read about finding love on Valentine’s Day! Can’t wait.
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I love this. You looked radiant.
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Thank you. It was a day that brought out the best in me.
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Oh….as I began reading this post, I was SO hoping that you’d post a picture with it! You were a lovely bride, and I know you’re happy your put all those feelings of doubt aside and went with the traditional bridal gown.
(This is my second marriage, and a few days before our wedding, my soon-to-be MIL asked me if I was wearing a long dress……YES!)
I’m loving this series of your favorite days!
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Just because we were a little older doesn’t mean we didn’t want to be beautiful brides.
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Every bride should feel beautiful on their wedding day. Whether that means a gorgeous gown or a pair of shorts, it is a day when we are blessed to be surrounded by those that love us, in particularly the person standing before us. I am so glad that you embraced your inner diva for you wedding day, you looked amazing!
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Thanks. I started out embarrassed that I wanted to fulfill my little girl fantasies. But I am grateful that I did.
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I understand those feelings. I was married before so I felt a certain awkwardness about getting married again. I had rules — no showers or any such nonsense, no big deal ceremony. In the end we got married in Las Vegas and some friends insisted on attending. It was wonderful. Perhaps it’s our age group that gets us all caught up in the “shoulds.” You were a beautiful bride and the gown was the right one. I am glad you were able to shake those “unworthy” thoughts on your special day.
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I think I finally realized that if I downplayed the wedding too much, I would be making it less special than it should be.
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“transforming walk down the aisle.” beautiful! and so are you both in the photo.
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Oh, thank you!
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Wow! You were hot even back then! I only waited until I was at least thirty. Needed a bit of fun first.
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I wish I could say that I married late because I was having so much fun. In reality, it was due to shyness and fear.
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romantic
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I’m not really much of a romantic, but I was that day!
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Beautiful photo. Beautiful bride. I’m thinking you were worth the wait.
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Just found your posts. You look lovely on your wedding day. Ours (in the same year as you) was a quiet affair at the registry office, 9 of us in total, sugar puffs and rice crispies for confetti, and a pair of handcuffs in Hubby’s pocket in case I changed my mind. A fabulous Day, leading up to the best day of my life. Enjoying reading your Happy Days.
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You waited and you looked stunning. How could you even begin to think otherwise.
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