Dressamania

Dressamania

So I have 6 bridesmaids for the big gay wedding--I tried to pick from the various eras of my life between college friends, Lodie s Angeles friends, creative group friends, friends from random circumstance and the unexpected people who grew into friendship. I ended up going with Edie, Kelly, Chloe, Valeska, Kirby and Ali--a pretty good mix of the various aspects of my life and thankfully they all said.

That said....

It did NOT occure to me that picking so many people would make certain elements of the wedding a bit more complicated. It means a bigger rehearsal dinner than my poor mother was expecting, the idea of the bridesmaids gifts more difficult because what is universal for all of them, but the hardest part has been the dress. The never-to-be-worn-again, could-be-ugly-and-dated-in-two-years, I-dont-wear-dresses-since-Im-a-dude dress. And with six girls with six different colorings, body types, comfortzones and tastes... I opened up a Pandora's box.

Which isnt to say they have been troopers because they have been

So we finally found a weekend when everyone could be in Los Angeles to try and make something happen; a day of shopping was planned to make the most of the situation and so we were going to be off with coffee and courage. At least for me.

And they tried on everything--I learned about ruching and sweetheart necklines, chiffon and sequins, the difference between long and short. We did the wrong colors, the wrong material, things from the 80s and the 50s, cocktail to prom. And while I wasnt able to make a decision--I'm still torn on how to describe what I will be wearing--I learned a lot about clothes but also my girls. How much they must love me to go through with whole process.

But it also gave me some amazing memories--Edie in a high ruffled collar looking like she escaped from a "Dynasty" ball, Kelly covered in a gold and white number better suited for a quinceanera, Kirby bravely shouldering on through ill fitted clevage, Ali demonstrating the various types of necklines, Chloe in the short 70s numbers and the classic moment of Valeska discovering the accidental "PANTSUIT".

So even though it is probably the hardest part of the process outside of the fundraising--it is also probably my favorite part of the wedding process so far. I'm just glad I didnt add more people to the line up--I dont think the bridal dress industry could have handled it!