I'm gonna confess my obsession right now: I am infatuared with wedding shows. It's the little girl in me, the one who dreams about her wedding day, the one who has begun a Pinterest Board with plenty of inspiration ideas. I love watching other women, who are actually in relationships, go to Kleinfield's Bridal in NYC and "say yes to their wedding dress."
It is a ridiculous show--I watch as women trying on dresses as "cheap" as $3,000 to $50,000 dollars...and not bat an eye about it. I laugh for so many reasons. Let's just say that I will NOT be spending that much money on a dress. (I am of the philosophy that expensive doesn't always mean best.) And since some of the dresses look like garbage, well, it makes me laugh even more.
It's a show that reminds how weddings are truly being brought down to a superficial level. Not to drop names...but Kim Kardashian does come to mind when I think about a topic such as this. Brides are so focused on the cake, the dress, the DJ, they cease to focus on the vows and the importance of what this day actually entails.
But recently, I watched a version of these shows--Brides of Beverly Hills--(yeah, that says it all) where I had to stop at myself. I cannot watch a bride care about how high of a price tag the dress might have....not caring about how she looks in it.... Being on the petite side, I couldn't take a consultant tell me that I was not "well endowed" and she had me some enhancements, but a someone did just that to a bride. And sorry, I don't want to watch an adult film star shop for a dress. Yeah, it's not for me.
God revealed to me that I do have to stop with how much superficiality I allow myself to entertain. I can enjoy a "guilty pleasure" every now and then (and I totally do ;-) ) But as a girl who struggles with discontent, I need to find the areas where I can cut back. I do have those dreams of the grandious wedding and I struggle with my body image. Why would I want to watch one show that could cause me to stumble?
I guess I have a word of warning: always be on the lookout for superficiality....and do NOT let it change you. I am, with God's grace, doing my best to remain ME and not what the world says I should be. My hope and prayer is the same thing for all of you!! <3
5 comments:
I like Say Yes to the Dress too, but the costs are crazy, particularly in light of the fact that many of the brides are out of college or even close to thirty and their parents are paying for the dresses! My friends and I were disgusted watching one girl (she was early twenties if not younger)cry because her mom would not buy her a 10,000 dress (her mom said the limit-before they started shopping-was 6,000)and to try to change her mind-wow, what a brat. Even her little (as in 12 or younger) cousin or sister told her the dress was too much. Anyway, it is still fun to watch although I would not pay as much for my entire wedding as some people pay on the lesser expensive dresses in that store.
I'll tell you the same thing I tell everyone who is petite -- the less you have at the start, the less will fall later on. ;)
As you know, whenever you have "Say Yes to the Dress" on while I am in the room, I cringe. The show bugs me to no end. I wonder how many of those girls, who are so focused on the wedding, will even be in a marriage 5 years from now. It seems to me that having a big, fancy, expensive wedding is just part of the American dream, one more thing to cross off the to-do list. But, really, it isn't the wedding that is important---it's the marriage.
Love,
Mom
Hi Ella,
Your Mom is so right, and I know you know that but what you wrote here.
This is a great post, and you are so right about having to guard ourselves against superficial and material things. So easy to get caught up in that and not see the simple and wonderful blessings that God gives us every single day. You are wise beyond your years, and beautiful, and you are right not to let the world push you into it's mold. We are God's workmanship,
and He made us just the way we are, and He stepped back and said
"This is good", as he does with all his work. He enjoys and takes pleasure in it.
My daughter just had a destination wedding, and she had the wedding, and
a 10 day honeymoon and family reception for what just the wedding and reception would have cost. I think it was a very wise decision.
She was telling me about a friend at work who is paying $70,000 for her Wedding/reception, and she and her fiancee are paying for it, so they are gonna start off with a lot of debt, very very unwise.
Well, this was a very good post, from a very wise young lady.
thanks so much, and if you want to see some wedding pictures come over and see me, as I have 2 posts of my daughter and her new hubby.
The pictures were very well done.
Take care sweetie, and tell your Mom hi for me,
Blessings, Nellie
Good words, Ella! We all have to watch ourselves... discontent and focus on the superficial can creep in in so many ways. Love you, sister! Thanks for the reminder to fix our eyes on what really matters.
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