“Weddings are so weird. This veil costs more than my couch.” – Liz Lemon, “SeinfeldVision,” 30 Rock.
In the very first episode of TLC’s hit wedding show Say Yes to the Dress, bride-to-be Kim describes trying on the dress she chose to be her wedding dress:
“I found the dress. It’s gorgeous, I don’t know what to say, I just had a great feeling in the dress. I think I had the moment where everyone says, you’ll know, you’ll know. That definitely happened for me. I felt like myself in my dress. I felt beautiful. I love it.”
I’ve heard that before–you’ll just know when you find the perfect dress. You’ll have that feeling. Well, the other day I had that feeling when I came across this dress on my Instagram feed:
I had that feeling you get when see an article of clothing and you know you just have to have it. This is the one. I will have it, somehow, in some form.
Looking at the picture, I could already imagine how beautiful I’d feel in the dress and at the same time how natural it would look on me. As if every morning I woke up destined to be covered head-to-toe in a strapless lace gown topped with a silver belt at the natural waist line, hair swept to one side in a messy chignon.
Something told me to save this information for later, so I took a few screenshots and did a little more research. The dress, by Romona Keveza Collection from the Fall 2013 bridal collection, is listed on Kleinfeld’s website as a strapless, sheath gown, made of lace with a silver belt around the natural waistline. Of course the price was no where to be found, but I can only imagine how far out of my price range it was.
I texted the screenshots to a few friends and one of my friends, who designs clothing, even told me she could make a pattern for me. Perfect. Wedding dress, check.
Wait. WHAT?!
Picking out a wedding dress before even remotely close to planning a wedding?Taking screenshots of said wedding dress and sharing them with friends? Bookmarking the designer’s website so I’d have this information for later?
Have I secretly been a single bridezilla all this time and I just didn’t know it until now? You know, one of those single women who has everything but the groom planned for her wedding?
Looking back, maybe there were a few signs. I did watch the Royal Wedding about 20 times because I’m obsessed with Kate Middleton’s wedding dress. I guess that’s a pretty clear sign. Can you really blame me? The Chantilly lace! The dressmakers washed their hands every 30 minutes to avoid dirtying the thing! Kate Middleton brought back long sleeves with that dress!
Okay, so maybe I love a nice fancy dress, but beyond that, I’m not one of those people who’s married to the idea of planning a wedding before they even have a fiance. I don’t even like planning detailed events like weddings. I’m not really the type of person who sends out invitations that match the chair coverings and the floral arrangements. I certainly won’t be starting my own I’m-Single-But-Planning-My-Wedding Pintrest board any time soon.
Still, there was something about the wedding dress I saw online that I couldn’t let go of. What is it about wedding dresses that has me so captivated? It’s just an overpriced dress you can only get away with wearing on one day!
Or is it?!
In 30 Rock episode “SeinfeldVision,” newly-single Liz Lemon becomes enamored with a wedding dress when she accompanies her co-worker (whom she agreed to be a bridesmaid for) to the bridal store. The co-worker asks Liz to try on a dress for her as it looks too big. Liz loves the wedding dress and even gets jealous when she sees someone else trying it on a week later. The saleswoman, trying hard to make the sale, reminds Liz that “a lot of women buy their perfect dress when they see it and just trust the fact that their husband will come.”
Liz buys the wedding dress and takes it to work with her. Thinking no one will see her, she tries on the dress. Of course, everyone catches her in the dress and makes her the butt of the jokes, so Liz defends her actions by saying:
“I just bought a dress because I don’t need society’s permission to buy a white dress, I mean who says this is a wedding dress. Anyway in Korea, they wear white to funerals.”
To prove her point, she spends the rest of the work day in her wedding dress, giving a tour of the office to Jerry Seinfeld and eating greasy food.
Similarly, on Friends, in “The One With All the Wedding Dresses,” Monica, Phoebe, and Rachel find that going about your daily business in a wedding dress is much more fun than not wearing a wedding dress. After picking up her brother’s fiancee’s wedding dress from the drycleaner, Monica decides she just has to try it on. She finds she loves the feeling of being in a wedding dress and continues to do the dishes in the dress. Soon, a pregnant Phoebe comes knocking at the door also wearing a wedding dress she’d rented for the day. A gigglefest ensues between the two friends as they hang out in their wedding dresses and even partake in a bouquet toss.
Later on in the episode, a newly dumped Rachel appears feeling depressed over the end of her relationship. Phoebe and Monica look at one another and realize they know the one thing that will make Rachel feel better. Cut to the three women on the couch, all dressed in wedding dresses, sipping beer, and eating popcorn. All of Rachel’s boyfriend problems, solved!
As Liz Lemon and Monica, Phoebe, and Rachel all experienced, there is something about wearing formal wear that makes us all feel a little bit better. Wearing a beautifully designed and flattering dress gives an extra boost of confidence, even if you’re only wearing it in the comfort of your own home.
All-in-all, my love of wedding dresses does not make me a “single bridezilla.” I’m not going to end up like Miss Havisham, sitting around in the cobwebs of my home wearing a wedding dress until the end of days. It just means I truly appreciate and desire a well-constructed piece of formal wear.
Ramblings 
Getting married in your 30’s rocks because you have a huge selection of friends’ dresses to borrow!
Yes! My mom actually borrowed a dress for her wedding. Love that idea! Thanks for commenting!