My wedding dress By Nancee Husband

My name is Ryan and I recently went shopping for a wedding dress. I write the details of this story so that I can relive the memories while I write it, and, hopefully, I can inspire more of you out there who read this account to do the same.

I went on a few night trips without my wife, and while driving, passed a store called "David's Bridal." The store was some thirty miles from my home and I vowed to myself that I would stop there on my drive back. I did.

My drive back was on a Sunday and I stopped at the store. It was a mad house! Brides-to-be everywhere. I walked through the busy aisles and looked at the thousands of dresses on the racks. The store was so busy with so many people that I must have been assumed to be a potential groom or brother of one of the brides, just wandering about. I lost my nerve to ask for a fitting and took a business card from the counter.

From the safety of my own vehicle outside, I called the store and asked about getting an appointment. The woman inside asked if the bride needed to make the appointment for today or would it be possible to make one for a day later in the week. Without as much trepidation as I would have thought I would have required, I told the lady on the phone that the appointment was for me. Then I added,

"you have fit for men before, haven't you?" I don't really know why I said that, but she said, "That's not a problem... I just think that particularly in these circumstances, a weekday appointment would be best."

We set a time for Wednesday afternoon.

I arrived ten minutes early on Wednesday and took some deep relaxing breaths in my car. I walked in and noticed the difference between mid- week and week-end - there were only a small handful of people in the store. At the counter a woman asked,

"May I help you."

"Yes," I replied, "I'm Ryan and I have an appointment."

Well, the woman then couldn't look at me while she talked and said,

"Please fill out these papers and your consultant will be right with you."

Moments later, she introduced me (still not looking at me) to Christine. Christine took me to the racks and asked me if I knew what I was looking for. I took Christine's hand and asked her if she had ever fit a man. She had once. I then told her how absolutely proud I was of myself for being in the store and going through with this. She told me not to worry, we'd be fine.

She asked me if I knew what my dress size was and if it was similar to men's sizes. I told her I wear a size 14 dress. She told me she would have put me in an 8. I thanked her for the compliment, but I was pretty sure of my size.

I told her that I wanted a dress with some sleeves (didn't want to shave my arm pits) and something simple, yet elegant. We picked out a few and went to the corner dressing room. This dressing room was away from all the others and had its own private mirror so that the bride would not have to go out to the main room. Christine handed me a full under- skirt and a bustier with padding. She told me that the way she usually works with her brides is that they put those things on and then she comes in and helps with the dress. I took off my boy-clothing and put on the undergarments. Christine entered and explained to me how one dives into the dress and then helped me with the first. I emerged on the other end and was beaming with joy. A look in the mirror was a bit disturbing, but looking down at my body and seeing the beautiful white dress made me the happiest girl I have ever been. Christine graciously took a picture of me with my camera and helped me change into the dress of my dreams. It was in horizontal stripes of cream with little shoulders that fell off of the arm. I wish I were a poet to describe the beauty and the wonderful feeling.

The only thing I wish I had done was ask for a veil, but there is always next time.

Live your dreams... that is the only way they can happen.