Everyone looks forward to a wedding, right? Well, maybe not so much the men, but women do. We love to be part of a celebration that brings two people together in the eyes of God. We come alongside them to support the decision that they have made to become one in the Sacrament of Marriage. We also get to dress up.

I decided to shop for a dress early so that I would not be pressured into not knowing what to wear. I do not own a lot of dresses, and the dressier clothes that I have are more for winter. I tried ordering clothes online, but it never really works in my favor. One dress that I ordered online looked more like a Dutch costume; the only thing missing were the wooden shoes.

Next I went to a high-end store and tried on a whole slew of dresses. I had a specific idea of the dress I wanted to wear, a midi dress with three-quarter length sleeves.

I forgot about the 10 pounds that I had intended to lose before for event, but that is usually the case. The days come so fast lately that I honestly put off the dieting, and now, three days before the wedding; my weight remains the same. The great news is that no added weight gain means that my clothes still fit.

I went shopping by myself, and that can be dangerous, because you are your only honest critic. The salesladies want to make a commission and are afraid to operate in truth. Nowadays, the word “opinion” has spilled into the sales floors because, God forbid, we may get insulted and write a bad review on Yelp.

Most of the dresses that I tried on were just okay; as nothing really shouted out, “This is the one!” I did love one dress, but I could not get the darn side zipper to close all the way, I needed an extra large. Side zippers, and invisible zippers are the worst. If Mike is not home, I cannot wear anything with a side zipper because he has to zip it up for me. Invisible zippers, always get caught up in the material; then you’re stuck trying to solve a problem only women go through.

I decided to purchase a dress with a large floral prints. I came home and tried the dress on with spanx’s (a woman’s best kept secret) and modeled it for Mike. “I guess it’s okay, but did you know that your bra is hanging out?” he said. “Yes, I know, I guess I’ll have to take it back to get it altered,” I answered. When your husband tells you that your dress is “just okay” you need to get another dress.

We had to take a short trip to Las Vegas for Mike’s business. While Mike tended to his work obligations, I went shopping. I walked into the same high-end store, and saw the dress that I loved. Again, but no extra large. I also saw the dress that I purchased and started to hate it. All of a sudden the flowers on the dress seemed much bigger, and I felt like the dress was more for a luau. Now I was on a mission to find the right dress.

Mike and I had a quick breakfast in Vegas, and as he was leaving, I remembered the saleslady telling me that there was one extra large dress (my favorite) somewhere in the Midwest. I did not pray about this at all, but felt a rush of adrenaline as I pressed the button on my phone and ordered the dress.

I tried the beautiful dress on, but something went wrong: the stubborn zipper would not budge, and it was way too long. So now I had two stupid dresses for the wedding.

Before I retuned the dresses to the store, I went to a discount department store. There I found the perfect dress for so much less money, but it was sleeveless; so now the mission was to find the right shrug. The good Lord was on my side, and I found the perfect shrug. I made the purchase and was pleased with all the money I saved.

I returned the two dresses, and prayed that sales person would not ask why I was returning them, because I have a habit of being brutally honest, even in these trivial matters. I did not want to say that both of dresses were stupid.

I shared my story with my daughter Sonja, and told her that I had returned the two dresses. “So what are you going to wear?” she asked. I told her about my great find, and then she asked, “What color is it?” “Ecru,” I answered. “You can’t wear that color, it’s too close to white. Only the bride can wear white!” Sonja was animated in her response, but I explained that I had a colorful shrug to cover most of the back of the dress.

I’m going to wear the ecru colored-dress, but I needed to try it on for Mike. I found the shrug on the markdown rack, and it may be a bathing suit coverup, but at this point I didn’t really care.

I did try on the dress for Mike, and this is what he kiddingly said, “Did your mother make that dress?” So I just may wear something old.

The moral of the story is: Do not spend so much time worrying what you are going to wear. It’s not your day; it belongs to the bride.

Matthew 6:28-34 New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁸ “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; ²⁹ and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

³¹ “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

My Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray for Michael and Trisha, that You would always be the center of their lives, that their love be inflamed by Your Holy Spirit, and that they recognize Your holy presence in their marriage.

Lord, forgive me for all the wasted time looking for the right dress, and for getting caught up in the things of the world. AMEN