When Mom told me not to wear my dream dress at MY WEDDING because it could \u201coutshine my sister,\u201d I realized her love for me. Always second.<\/p>\n
I married my soulmate, Richard, last month. Starting this new chapter together, living in our lovely downtown apartment, and finding out who does the dishes has been great.<\/p>\n
Our closest friends and family supported us during our wonderful event.<\/p>\n
But the days before my wedding? They were nothing like my wonderful, heavenly expectations.<\/p>\n
I dreamed of my wedding since childhood. Close my eyes and imagine walking down the aisle in a stunning dress that made me feel like the most beautiful lady in the world. I wasn\u2019t vain\u2014every bride deserves it on her big day.<\/p>\n
I took my mother, Martha, and younger sister, Jane, to the bridal salon to choose my outfit. I was too excited to sleep the night before.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about this?\u201d Twirling in my third dress, I requested. It was perfect. Soft ivory, off-shoulder, with beautiful lace embellishment that sparkled when I moved. The fairytale-like train flowed behind me.<\/p>\n
Bridal consultant interlocked hands. Oh honey, that\u2019s it. You look gorgeous.\u201d<\/p>\n
I saw my reflection and cried. The end. This was my dress.<\/p>\n
Whatcha think? Looking at Jane and Mom, I inquired.<\/p>\n
Jane got up. \u201cLizzie! You look great! Richard will faint at your sight!\u201d<\/p>\n
But Mom? She sat down, arms crossed over her chest, lips thinly lined.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it too much, do you agree?\u201d She said, narrowing her eyes.<\/p>\n
My smile sank. \u201cYou mean what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe we should simplify.\u201d She pointed vaguely at the dress racks. \u201cDon\u2019t outshine your sister.\u201d<\/p>\n
Did I hear correctly?<\/p>\n
Excuse me? Outperform my sister? My own wedding?\u201d<\/p>\n
I laughed, assuming she was joking. The look on her face said otherwise.<\/p>\n
Mom, I\u2019m the bride. I\u2019m meant to be the star.\u201d<\/p>\n
She leaned in and whispered. \u201cSweetheart, your sister hasn\u2019t found anyone. If someone spots her during the wedding? She needs your help. Stop being selfish.\u201d<\/p>\n
Unable to speak. After a moment, my elation turned to ache. And Jane? She looked ashamed.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom, stop it,\u201d Jane whispered. This is Lizzie\u2019s day.<\/p>\n
Mom just sighed, like she often does when we\u2019re troublesome.<\/p>\n
Still, I bought the dress. I thought this ridiculous moment would pass. I wish my mother would realize how ridiculous she was.<\/p>\n
No, it didn\u2019t. And she didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
That was just the beginning.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
I crashed on our couch that night, suffering from the wedding store incident. Richard saw my expression and realized something was amiss.<\/p>\n
What is it, Babe? he asked, sitting alongside me and grasping my hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy mom thinks my wedding dress is too flashy. My voice caught. \u201cShe said I shouldn\u2019t outshine Jane at our wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n
At our wedding? Is she serious?<\/p>\n
\u201cDead serious,\u201d I said. Not the first time she\u2019s done this. My whole life has been \u2018make place for your sister\u2019 or \u2018let Jane have this one.\u2019 So bored of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWear the dress you love, Lizzie,\u201d he said smiling. Today is our day. Your mom will recover.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rich, you didn\u2019t see her face. She meant it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s her issue, not yours.\u201d His voice was forceful but kind. \u201cI want to marry you looking beautiful in whatever you wear.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yes, I tried to believe him. You\u2019re right. Our wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n
We had clear blue skies and a light breeze on our wedding morning. Mom entered while I was getting dressed in the wedding suite.<\/p>\n
She froze when she saw my clothing on the mirror.<\/p>\n
\u201cReally wear that?\u201d The disappointment in her words was clear.<\/p>\n
Inhaled deeply. \u201cYes, Mom. I am.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll make your sister look invisible standing next to you,\u201d she continued without lowering her voice. \u201cWhy not wear the one we saw at Macy\u2019s? That cream one?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mom, please. Not today.\u201d<\/p>\n
She pursed her lips and adjusted the flowers, saying nothing. Then she departed.<\/p>\n
I was completing my makeup an hour later when the door opened. The moment Jane entered, my heart stopped.<\/p>\n
The floor-length gown was white. Not cream or ivory, but dazzling bridal white. With fitted waist and embellished bodice. Certainly not a maid-of-honor dress.<\/p>\n
We looked in the mirror. I was speechless.<\/p>\n
Mom trailed, grinning. Doesn\u2019t she look pretty?<\/p>\n
I was stunned. It felt like the room was spinning.<\/p>\n
Best pal Tara grabbed my arm. \u201cLizzie? You okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
I wanted to yell and cry.<\/p>\n
But I didn\u2019t. Today was my wedding. I had to decide.<\/p>\n
I might lose everything or overcome it.<\/p>\n
So I chose option two and smiled. Let\u2019s do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
I decided after witnessing Richard\u2019s face light up as I approached down the aisle. I wouldn\u2019t let anything ruin this moment.<\/p>\n
Despite everything, the ceremony was amazing. Richard kept staring at me, and when he said, \u201cYou\u2019re the most beautiful bride I\u2019ve ever seen,\u201d I almost forgot about the matched white dress standing feet away in every photo.<\/p>\n
The reception followed.<\/p>\n
Beautiful ballroom. It had glittering lights, floral centerpieces, and champagne. I enjoyed it all for a time.<\/p>\n
Today was our day. Our chance.<\/p>\n
But then I saw my sister take the DJ\u2019s microphone for her maid-of-honor speech. My stomach twisted.<\/p>\n
What now? My thoughts.<\/p>\n
Nervously, Jane tapped the microphone. Her hands shook.<\/p>\n
\u201cMay I have everyone\u2019s attention?\u201d Her voice shook.<\/p>\n
Room quieted. Richard pressed my hand under the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cI need to say something before I begin,\u201d Jane replied, inhaling deeply.<\/p>\n
Tears filled her eyes as she faced me.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m sorry, Lizzie.\u201d<\/p>\n
Silence filled the room.<\/p>\n
Mom has put me in front of you our whole lives. School, birthdays, and today, of all days.\u201d Cracked voice. She urged me to wear this clothing to look better than you and get noticed. It was my chance, she said.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then I looked at my mother. Her skin paled.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it\u2019s not your job to make me feel seen,\u201d Jane said. It\u2019s your wedding. I\u2019m extremely proud of your wonderful bridehood.\u201d<\/p>\n
She wiped tears. \u201cI brought another dress. I\u2019ll return.\u201d<\/p>\n
A pin dropped as she left the room.<\/p>\n
She returned in navy-blue clothing five minutes later. Elegant. Beautifully simple.<\/p>\n
The audience applauded.<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t stop crying. I raced to her and hugged her tightly. Everyone clapped again.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so sorry,\u201d she muttered. \u201cI should have confronted her years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe both should have,\u201d I muttered.<\/p>\n
My mom was transfixed at her table, white like the tablecloths. She approached us shaken after the speeches and first dance.<\/p>\n
She muttered, \u201cI didn\u2019t realize\u2026\u201d \u201cI thought I helped.\u201d<\/p>\n
My sister and I finally agreed, \u201cYou weren\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
We left toward the garden terrace. The night was cold and starry.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll these years,\u201d Mom remarked, \u201cI thought I was doing the best. Jane always required additional assistance. Lizzie, I didn\u2019t see what it was doing to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I whispered, \u201cYou never saw me at all. Not really.\u201d<\/p>\n
She wept. We wept. First time in my life, I suppose she heard us.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d she said, clutching our hands. I\u2019ll do better. I assure you.\u201d<\/p>\n
If she meant it, time will tell. An attempt was made.<\/p>\n
While dancing our farewell dance, I glimpsed something over Richard\u2019s shoulder. David, a buddy, approached Jane at the bar.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat speech? I overheard him remark that was bold. \u201cWant a drink?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jane flushed and smiled.<\/p>\n
She may have been spotted after she ceased competing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When Mom told me not to wear my dream dress at MY WEDDING because it could \u201coutshine my sister,\u201d I realized her love for me. Always second. I married my soulmate, Richard, last month. Starting this new chapter together, living in our lovely downtown apartment, and finding out who does the dishes has been great. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28994","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28994","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28994"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28994\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28995,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28994\/revisions\/28995"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28994"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=28994"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=28994"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}