It took all of 20 minutes to say yes to the dress

My friend just got engaged. And she’s getting married in 11 weeks. You should see the What’sApp group for the hen-  the head melting spreadsheets of who’s available when, the feverish and valiant attempts to get everyone who matters in one place at one time before then.

Apparently there really is nothing like a deadline to focus the mind.

Yesterday the two of us managed to secure an appointment to try on dresses, her first and as it would happen only foray into the realm of bridal finery- at first the proprietor seemed a bit dismissive because in fairness who rocks up on a weekday afternoon between meetings and does a three minute trawl of the rails with no chit chat whatsoever before diving into the dressing room? Three dresses in she began to thaw, and after five we were having the laughs. And done.

Because, when you you know you know. Being 40 probably helps- you now who you are and what you like, what you’ll be comfortable in and your ‘fairytale’ is tempered by practicalities. They aren’t necessarily the dominant force but they’re woven into the fabric of everything you do, not just dresses. Happily, that doesn’t preclude the presence of magic, though –  when she slipped on The One, my bride shone. She literally lit up- standing there in her black bra, Spanxless, car-applied makeup and third day blow-dry, she never looked more beautiful.

No need to try on a million more options just for the craic or to shop around for something ‘better’. No need to wallow in the process, which of course a lot of other people might revel in. That just wouldn’t be this bride’s style. Before she had her work skirt back on, she was already mentally onto the next five boxes to tick. Flowers. Invites. Menus. Shoes. Bands. Honestly, the whole shebang will be sorted by the weekend.

I’ll spend more time pinging her pictures of pretty fonts and boutonnieres than the First World’s only bride without Pinterest will on table placements but she is walking proof that no fuss doesn’t mean no fun, or worse, compromise.

Photo credit Anna Docking, Unsplash