I have to admit, when I got married, it was a bit ... strange. I had only known my then-husband (let’s call him X) for a few months, and we sort of moved in together to test things out, how compatible we are. We had both came out of bad relationships and did not want to fool around, and wanted someone that would stick around for life. Everything was going well, and we were in love.
Unfortunately, or fortunately, we both had traditional parents, and when they found out we were living together, it was a big no-no and outrage. The only way they would tolerate it is if we got married. Mr. X said he would not want to live apart from me at all, and said he already saw me as his future wife, so it made no difference if we got married now than later, and so it was decided. With a discussion before bedtime. No proposal, no ring, no flowers, no dinner.
I wasn’t disappointed either. See, I was a very simple girl, who could not even imagine getting married. Ever. To me, the idea of marriage involves wearing a white dress, and I don’t do white dresses, or dresses for that matter. I was a tee shirt and jeans girl who loved to read and design, and never imagined how my wedding day would be like. I’m not kidding. Never had I thought I would be one of the first of my friends to get married. Never imagined myself wearing a wedding dress ever. All I was thinking when I knew I was getting married was, “Shit, do I have to wear a white dress?!”
And so, the date was set for a year later. If there was a bridezilla, I was the opposite end of it. We had a quaint outdoor wedding on a Saturday morning, and the sun was bright. I was just relieved the sun was there to warm my skin; I was wearing this unbearable corseted tube dress with the can-can inside to make it all puffy. I could not walk properly because my heels sunk into the grass. There were about seventy people, my mom was sobbing away, It was just a blur to me, it happened so fast. All I could think of is how ridiculous I look in a white dress, and how I want to go home as soon as possible and get it off.
I was the one doing the wedding preparations myself to the night before the wedding, with the help of my friends and family of course. I had made the invitations, table placecards, it was all mostly DIY by moi. The hairdresser commented that I was the most relaxed bride she has ever seen, I seemed almost nonchalant. I was not fussed about much. I was the most un-wedding person you will ever meet.
So that was my marriage.
Life goes by pretty quickly, Mr. X got busy starting a new business, I am working in a full-time job and doing some freelance work as well as some design work for church. We are both busy busy busy, but we are having fun. We do love each other, and each day we learn more about each other.
I just saw our wedding pictures again today that inspired me to write this article. Mr. X was leading me away after the whole thing, and in that one camera shot, we were looking at each other smiling. I looked as if I was born in that dress, and the weather was beautiful, everyone looked beautiful and clapping and congratulating us.
In the end, the white dress did not matter. In almost all the pictures, he was holding my hand and smiling shyly at me. I didn’t realize it then, but I was smiling shyly back.
