You're My Everything: Dressing with My Best Friend

Because everyone was finishing up their own wedding day looks in my bathroom, I scooted over to my parents' room to use their bathroom.  When I was done, I opened the door, expecting to head back to my own room and kill some time before slipping into my gown.  That plan went out the window when I opened the bathroom door and saw my mom, my photographer, and my gown all waiting for me.  I had my hair and make-up done, so pretty much the only task left in the getting-ready process was stepping into my bridal gown.  My mom asked me if I wanted to start getting dressed, and although I was caught off-guard by how fast I went from bumming around to becoming a bride, I was totally ready for this.

I decided the best course of action would be to rip my tank top off... right over my head... over my perfectly coiffed updo.  Previously in the day, I had been repeatedly reminded by my mom and hair-dresser to step out of the tank top as opposed to pulling it over my head.  I responded to all of these warnings with an eye roll and a reminder that this wasn't my first updo, duh.  Turns out they were right, and I had a severe bout of bridal brain and messed up part of my hair.  Fortunately, my mom quelled my panic and assured me that the hairdresser, who is a dear family friend, was on her way over already, so she could patch it up.

After that little snafu, I collected myself and started getting dressed.  I had previously envisioned myself getting dressed surrounded by my mom and bridesmaids, but the way it turned out, my mom was the only one around.  And it was perfect.  It was totally calm and stress-free.  I had the woman whose opinion I trusted most helping me, step by step, get into the most important and noteworthy outfit of my life.  Those few minutes of getting ready, just the two of us, are some of my most treasured of the entire day.  I will be eternally grateful that I chose to use my parents' bathroom that morning, getting ambushed with a one-on-one dressing appointment with my mom.

We slipped me into the dress.  My veins felt like they had electricity coursing through them.  I had tried on my dress at my various fittings over the past two weeks, but the sensations from seeing myself in the dress during those instances paled in comparison to what I felt that morning.  For the very first time, I felt like a true bride.  Not a young woman who would be a bride on some day in the future.  I was a bride right then and there.  It's a sensation hard to describe.

First, my mom zipped me into the gown.

My mom then dutifully started buttoning that long row of buttons on the back of my dress.

After I was securely in my dress, I started to put on my jewelry, with a little assistance.

 

Once I was all decked out, I got to share a special, quiet moment with my mom, letting the day really sink in.

 I realized I didn't have my garter on, but, of course, my mom helped me with that last apparel detail.

Finally, I looked in the mirror and took it all in, realizing never again would I be relatively alone on my wedding day.  I could feel nothing but sheer anticipation.  I took a deep breath...

 ... let myself relax...

...and prepared for the fun to begin!

All photos by the amazing Christina Garber

• We spent a low-key night with some of my friends and family.
• We ran some errands and received some one-of-a-kind brewskies.
• I had a moderate-sized freak-out at the rehearsal.
• I went toe-to-toe with the priest over a few significant details.
• We expressed our gratitude to our bridal party, without any tears (almost)!
• We dined and drank our way through our rehearsal dinner.
• We threw an after party with a birthday twist.
• We spent the morning getting beautified and relaxing.
• A peek into the details of my wedding day look.