The Bridesmaid Dress Story

So as I mentioned, I started gaining wait pretty much as soon as I moved to Vancouver. One month and 6 days after I moved here, however, my best friend was getting married. I was flying back for the wedding, and it was going to be great fun. It was the weekend after I started school, though, so I could only make it home late Thursday night (1am) until Sunday morning (8:30am). I was fitted for my dress in May and my mom was going to pick it up before I got home. We had made an appointment for a relative who is a seamstress to come by first thing Friday morning in case I needed any alterations.

Well I got home, went to bed, and the next morning got up what felt like dreadfully early (3 hour time difference, don't forget) and put on the dress. It took both my mom and Colleen (the seamstress) to zip it up, but it got zipped and it was fine. Then I went out for lunch with my mom and mother in law, had some wine and french fries and some other carborific food. Then had pizza for dinner with more wine. Then went out with a girlfriend for a night of delicious beer consumption. It was a super fun day.

The next morning I got up even earlier than the day before and headed to my friend's house to get ready. I got my hair done, my make-up, it was a super fun pampering session. Then came time to put our dresses on. I had mused with a couple of my friend's that I'd need help doing mine up. One of my other friends said she was in the same boat. The dress had this satin strip around the midsection that had no give to it, so it was really hard to get it past that point. I zipped hers up first, easy peasy. Then she went to zip mine up....oh....that's a little tough. We called in another bridesmaid to help...yeah, still no luck. So I suggested that I lay down. We went into the living room and I laid on the floor. Now there were 3 bridesmaids trying to zip me up. One holding in my belly, one pulling the dress together, and the other one trying to get the thing to zip. The bride is standing behind me laughing her butt off (as all good best friends should) and her mom is above me telling me to go run around outside. This went on for what felt like forever, but was definitely at least 10 minutes (after I laid down). All the while the photographer is snapping shots. Finally, as we were about to get out the butter...

 

SUCCESS!! (BTW, John Lyons is an exceptional photographer in Windsor. If you're getting married in southwestern Ontario check him out).

Unless you've risked not being able to wear a bridesmaid dress to your best friend's wedding, you have no idea the relief I felt on this day. It was incredible. Still not incredible enough to stop me from gaining another 46 pounds afterward, but definitely something I'll never forget. 

The wedding was amazing, and partway through the night the bride's mom came up to me and asked if I was okay. I said I was, and asked why. She said she told her sister about the dress situation and her sister was sure I couldn't breathe. Luckily I could. Sitting down was a little tough, but I just danced all night and even went to the after party in the dress. So word to the wise - order a size up if you doubt your ability to maintain. It saves a lot of headaches. But you might miss out on a great story.