As a self proclaimed event enthusiast, I’m hard pressed to come up with anything to complain about when it comes to wedding and event planning! However, every time someone utters the phrase “shedding for the wedding” or “sweating for the wedding,” my ears bleed (not to be over-dramatic)! ;)
You’re probably thinking “what’s the big deal?” so I’ll start off with a little bit of a back story. Like many many MANY young girls, I have struggled with body image and weight from a young age. At 14 my struggle turned into an eating disorder which continued into my early 20’s. I’m still working hard to maintain my health and to give myself the love I deserve, but am in a much better place! When my now husband proposed, I was 20 years old and I was over the moon with excitement! After getting past the initial excitement, I realized I wanted to get to a place during our 2 year engagement where I could be confident on our wedding day and transition into the role of supportive and loving wife. My fiance had been supporting me from the very beginning (yes, we were high school sweethearts) and I wanted to return the favor! Although my intentions were good, I soon found myself in an eating disorder treatment facility with the wedding date closing in on me.
Before I knew it, it was 2017 and my wedding was 9 months away. I had made great strides in a few short months but was still fighting to stay off the scale. As my wedding got closer, I was exposed to more and more of these “shedding for the wedding” messages, whether it was while I was out shopping, going to dress fittings, or chatting with friends and family. The messages around weight and appearance aren’t just targeted to the bride either, my in laws and family members found themselves focusing on how they were going to look in photos, whether they had weight to lose, etc. Since I had lived much of my life obsessing over food and appearance, it was the last thing I wanted myself and my family to focus on on my wedding day.
As if those messages I had come across by accident weren’t bad enough, the messages spread online were even worse. Just hit up Google and you’ll find a million tips on losing weight quickly, as if your marital bliss is dictated by a number on the scale. Luckily I was able to keep reminding myself of the progress I had made, the person I was marrying, and the reasons for having a wedding in the first place. By the time I said “I do,” I was once again over the moon with excitement!
If YOU find yourself engaged and in a downward spiral of self criticism, please take steps to give yourself some TLC and remind yourself of why you’re getting married in the first place! Surround yourself with people who know you and know what’s best for you, be prepared for fittings and other “uncomfortable” situations, shut down the diet talk, and focus on your amazing, wonderful, incredible fiance and the marriage that is to come! In 10, 20, or even 50 years you won’t look back on your wedding day and remember whether or not you lost those last 2 pounds, you’ll remember the people you were surrounded with and the vows exchanged between you and your loved one.
Below are a few of my wedding dress shopping photos, I was SO proud and overjoyed when I found a dress I felt beautiful in! :) You’ll find yours too!
