The New Indian Bride

As a child, I was always in awe of brides.  I couldn’t get enough of Reva’s white wedding gown as she married Josh on Guiding Light (over and over again).  Same goes for Bo and Hope on Days of Our Lives.  Who can forget Princess Diana’s fairy tale wedding to Prince Charles? My wedding Barbie married Ken on the giant rock in my backyard who knows how many times.  True beauty beamed through the elegant gowns, simple neck lines and ahhhh the kiss at the end of the ceremony.  Barbie and Ken loved that part!

Indian brides were equally breathtaking (just in a totally different way).  The gold jewels glistening, the glittering lenghas, the sparkling bhindis, the colorful bangles, and the demure looks on their faces.  It was simply magical to see an Indian bride arrive at her wedding. 

When it was my turn to be the bride, I quickly learned that behind the dazzling beauty of a bride, there is also a harsh reality.  One I only came to know when I got married.  Something no one talks about. 

Kids are you listening?  Here is the truth about being a bride:

Underneath all that bridal beauty are a whole lotta bruises! 

Actually, bruises might be an understatement.  I literally have gashes on my shoulders and around my waist as a result of the weight and positioning of the lengha.  As I smiled, danced and hugged all of my guests, the pins holding my outfit in position were actually digging into my skin.  With each movement the embroidery was pressing and rubbing against my body and wreaking havoc.  My gashes are severe. So much so that I am still nursing my injuries two weeks after the wedding. 

The next time you see a beautiful beaming bride and wish to be just like her some day, know that her wedding euphoria is just a precursor to the post wedding injuries she will endure for weeks to come.

An unexpected guest just arrived.  Maybe others knew she would come but I never thought she would emerge.  I thought the wedding would conclude without ever meeting her but I was wrong.

My Inner Bridezilla is here and I hate her.

According to the Internet (that trusted, truthful source) a bridezilla is a bride-to-be so focused on creating a perfect wedding that she is extremely unreasonable. Bridezillas tend to destroy everyone in their path with their demanding attitudes.

Yup.  That is me.

I cried over the seating chart. I cried when my brother joked about mixing New Kids on the Block into a Bhangra song at the sangeet.  I cried when I couldn’t find the right paper for the menu cards.  I cried when I found out that the World Cup and a Laker playoff game are on the same day as the wedding. And you read all about me crying when I could not find a wedding lengha in India. 

In my case, I am not a bridezilla because I want things to be perfect.  For me it is the emotional intensity that surrounds the wedding, the fear that people will criticize me for what I am wearing or how I look and the desire for the wedding to be executed in a well-organized and fun manner. 

I am hoping Bridezilla packs her bags and leaves before the wedding.  She needs to go away so I can get back to savoring all the memories being created each moment between now and the big day.