A wedding dress can represent so many different things to different women. To one woman, the dress can be sentimental. She is going to walk down the aisle in the very same dress that her mother wed her father so many years ago. Another woman may see it as a status symbol. She will spend her wedding budget on a majestic gown that shouts " look at me and all that I have accomplished." Yet another woman may see her gown as her one chance to be the princess that she always dreamed of being since she was a little girl playing dress up in her Cinderella play clothes.
The feelings about my dress have been steered up by the recent engagement of my sister. I pulled my wedding dress out of the closet today. Yes, it is a dress but it also represents the union that I share with Tim. Smiles cross my face just to look at it.
This wedding dress that I am looking at as I type this blog represents a union pure of love, innocent and true love. It is simple, yet elegant. Understated yet eye catching. The ivory gown is decorated with elegant embroidery and dainty crystals that scream my name. The borders of the dress are champagne in color; just enough contrast to add a little edge to it. The veil was lace with a vintage feel.
I did not expect to have to have another wedding gown in my lifetime. However we don't always get what we expect. Falling in love was not something that I thought would happen to me again. I surely didn't expect to find such a peaceful love.
It is true, the moment I tried on my dress, tears came. The dress was a perfect fit for me just as Tim is perfect for me. He grounds me. He lifts me up. He loves Alexander and Grace. His family welcomed us with open arms. The dress was just a sign that it was real and I was able to love again. Did I deserve this?
On the day of my wedding, I kept the tears held back. For those that know me, know that is a difficult task. Not a tear was shed until I was walking down the aisle. Tim was standing at the end smiling. My father was holding me tight. Everyone that was dear to me was in this church. I look to my left and there stood my father-in-law. No this was not Tim's dad but my late husband's dad Henry. His face had tears streaming. Not a little tear, not watery eyes but tears streaming down his face in a full on downpour. Yes, I could no longer hold my tears back any longer... I knew this was where I needed to be. I knew that it would all be OK. Henry was my stamp of approval.
So, in a way I had that sentimental (Henry's tears), "look at me now and all that I have accomplished" (I survived the death of my children's father and found love again) and finally a Cinderella princess (though I had never believed in happily ever after it was finally something I could believe in). From the family that I had to the friends that held me up and to the new family I was receiving, my dreams came true.
Sentimental Cinderella made it with the help of God. He believed in me even when I didn't.
I love my wedding dress for all that it represents. I love the feelings that I get just thinking about that magical day that I wed Tim and the fact that Alexander, Grace, Tim and I became a family.
