Today’s article is a guest post from my good (and somewhat snarky) friend Eleanor, who wanted me to add that she is unmarried and fine with it.
Young Brides
According to drphil.com, the average age of marriage for a woman in the U.s. in 2003 was 27. Men were 29. This age has jumped considerably over the last two decades (in 1980 the average age for women was 22, according to wisegeek.com). Yet young people are still getting married – 27 is just the average age. This got me to wondering if the wedding fashions have perhaps changed a bit to accomodate brides that are full grown women as opposed to the blushing young ladies of yesteryear…
I recently heard about a young bride who had become quite defensive about her choice – lots of people were offering kind (unsolicited) advice, and many others were openly not respecting her decision. In the “old days” women over 25 years old would also experience the same sort of wholesale counseling, invasion of privacy, and judgment (but for different reasons). I don’t think there’s a derogatory name for brides who get married in their early twenties yet (“starter bride” perhaps?) – unmarried women past a certain age used to be called “spinsters” and “old maids.”
So, in the interest of any young women out there who are madly (and level-headedly) in love – here are some ideas for your wedding. Also, if you are young at heart, many of these tips will apply to you as well!
Fresh Faced
Don’t over do the make up – you are a young bride, not one of the Real Housewives of Trashsylvania.
If You’ve Got It, Flaunt It
Slip dresses are the perfect way to show off naturally beautiful skin. You probably don’t need to worry about any armpit, neck, knee, or cleavage wrinkles – so you might as well show it off. Many of the popular dresses now cater to a womanly woman (think mermaid shapes, vintage Hollywood glamour, etc.). Stiffer materials and heavy fabric act as natural corsets to tame those lady lumps but you might not need this kind of reinforcement yet. If you do, you can still put the Spanks under wraps and wear something younger looking on the outside.
This ‘English net slip’ gown is made by Lazaro, and is available at jlmcouture.com.
I also like this one from preownedweddingdresses.com.
Bare It All
If you’re getting married in Summer, consider not wearing any nylons if you can pull it off. And, for heaven’s sake, don’t get a spray tan! Some natural, sun-kissed color will highlight your complexion or use a light dusting of bronzing powder to add a sun-inspired glow to your skin. I’ve heard good things about Benefit’s Jiffy Tan tinted moisturizer (but, honestly, test it out before the big day, and use it sparingly!).
Okay, are you sitting down? Good, because I am here to tell you that…
You are NOT Cinderella.
Or Belle, or Ariel, or Rumpelstilskin (oh wait that’s not right…) Anyways, your wedding may not be the best time to get your princess fantasies out of your system. Or maybe it is (if so, check out our articles about Fairytale Weddings). I’m just hinting that if you are very young and you want to be taken seriously, try not to look as if you are playing ‘dress up.’ This wedding is for reals.
