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The Ride of our Lives: A Cinderella Story, part 2

(Missed part 1? Get up to speed – we’ll wait!)

It had been a year since I first tried on my dress, an ill-fitting runway sample that still made me feel like some bridal angel from heaven. I spent hours daydreaming about it over the year, sneaking peeks at the sample in Deborah‘s studio during my work-trade hours, or using it as motivation to sweat my back fat off. Putting it on was the holy grail of my pre-ceremony prep, and I was dizzily giddy with glee when the time came to step into that swathe of frothy, creamy, lacy confection.

Even though Deborah (my fairy godmother/dress designer) was there to help me change, I didn’t want my mom or maid of honor to miss out on their part in the dressing honor. So I invited them up to get me started….

My mom and MOH as Cinderella's little birdies

Make. Me. PRETTY!

I have a tendency to let adrenaline and excitement overwhelm and keep me from really being present in a moment, so as often as possible throughout the day, I’d try to quiet down and let the moments really sink in, instead of merely washing over me.

Feelin' it.

But, on the real, it was hard to keep from bursting the seams of my joy every minute.

Deb stepped in to lace me up….

My sister is looking so perplexed!

I just kept looking down at the gown, in awe of it all.

Then it was time to tie my sash…

My paparazzi moment.

Like a perfect present.

We almost forgot my garter! A few years back, Hunter caught the garter at my sister Kim’s wedding, so we thought it would be fun to use it as a “something borrowed”

Momma, your leg smells like bride!

How does it look?

Fashion tape time! Ah, how innocent I was, how badly it let me down.

Got some sassy glitter to decorate my decolletage!

My girls need some glitter!

I took a last look before running out the door…

Is my halo on straight?

Back fat check! All clear!

…..and it was time to roll! We all piled into a van and headed towards the ceremony site, feeling high on happiness and full of joyous anticipation. My vows in hand, I looked down at the words I was getting ready to utter, and remembered to switch my engagement ring over to my right hand, as something different would soon be taking its place. I was off to be married. I was on my way to the arms of my husband.