Article by BR Kellie
‘Tis a beast that lurks in the shadows of even the kindest soul. Hiding until such a day that a ring is placed upon a certain finger. A ring that would lead to two hearts being bound together, a ring that would release the monster within’.
Perhaps I’m being dramatic, but we’ve all heard the term ‘Bridezilla’, and perhaps some of us have come into contact with one. None more so than those who work closely with the bride; the planners, the makeup artists, the hair stylists, the bridesmaids. But surely the Bridezilla isn’t all that bad? Surely stories are embellished for the sake of a good tale. Or perhaps, they’re not….
An unnamed makeup artist confided in a bride she was working on about a bride(zilla) who’d had her mother and bridal party in tears on her wedding day. Nothing was as perfect as she’d hoped for, nothing was right, and if she wasn’t going to be happy apparently neither was anyone else around her. So much for it being the happiest day of her life…
Of course then there are the brides who think makeup artists are also magicians, and that with a swipe of a blusher brush they will look exactly like Angelina/Scarlett/Giselle rather than an enhanced version of themselves. Brides who then lose the plot when they realise that because of reasons outside of their control - aka the face their parent’s genetics blessed them with - it’s never going to happen.
An anonymous wedding planner relates a story of a bride going nuclear when she had to gently explain to her that the shade of pink she wanted for her roses quite simply did not exist. Shade-stress seems to be quite a theme, with one future Mrs bursting into tears and throwing a tantrum when she couldn’t make a decision over which shade of olive table runner she wanted – when they were all virtually identical.
Just when you think it can’t get any uglier – there’s the story of the Bridezilla who insisted her attendants paid for the extraordinarily expensive dresses she insisted they were to wear on her big day. However she’s got nothing on the bride-to-be who wanted her bridesmaid to dye her blonde hair brunette so she’d match her other bridesmaids in the photos. And do we even talk about the one who demanded her best friend lose weight to fit in with the other girls?
Of course, it would be unfair of me to spill Bridezilla secrets without sharing my own. I did pride myself on being a rather mild mannered bride, however I had my moment. Like many it was on the day of my wedding. My hairdresser arrived, knowing the look I was after having practiced it on me weeks before. And yet, the beast reared its head and I turned to her and said…’I’m really sorry, but I’ve changed my mind, may I please have this hair style now?’… in my meekest most apologetic voice. She took a look at my new photo, a simple bun off to the side, with twists through my hair. She then no doubt thought back to the curled monstrosity I’d had my heart set on and said ‘yes’. I do believe we both breathed a sigh of relief that day, and I’m glad for her sake that she agreed, for the beast was ready to pounce.
So tell me, have you had Bridezilla moments that you’re brave enough to share? Do you believe in ‘Brides Day-Brides Way’? Would you even dream of behaving in such a way, or do you think their really is a beast lurking, just waiting for someone to put a ring on it so it can rear its tiaraed head?
I've been a bridesmaid 7 (yes 7 times.... Maid of honour three of those times) and an 8th on the way!! I have been super lucky with my brides no bridezilla moments (phew) but the stress changes them so I think every bride is allowed a mini melt down once right? Right?? Ok so maybe I have been witness to a few bridezilla moments ;)