The Wedding Gift of a Lifetime!

As I'm going to college at the age of 44, and Jon is a mail carrier with a great income but has had to have some major surgery this year, we're trying to be careful with our wedding costs. We also value making memories and traveling, so we have a trip to Alaska planned for this summer and don't want to take away from our trip. I'm trying to do as much of our wedding on my own with the help of friends instead of hiring someone else to handle things. That does not mean that I have to do "without" or make our special day any less beautiful. In fact, because so many items are handmade or borrowed from special family or friends, everything is extra special!

I had planned to borrow a gorgeous dress from one of my closest friends. It is vintage and features heirloom lace and pearls. We weren't sure if the dress would fit (it's in Texas with Suni), and the only way to know was to go to the bridal shop and try on dresses. Of course, I didn't want to tell the saleperson that I'd not be buying a dress so I tried on many dresses that day and enjoyed learning which ones would fit my body type best. At the end of my session, I had learned the size I needed and actually loved one of the gowns. If I were going to get a gown, THIS would be the gown for me.

That afternoon, I shared my experience with my oldest son, Justin. He quickly remarked that it was my special day and that I deserved to have my own gown. I smiled, told him I could only dream of that and said I would be happy with my friend's dress because it was hers and it was gorgeous. I told him I was okay with borrowing a dress and saving the money. Little did I know I'd planted a seed.

My oldest son talked to my youngest son, Nicholas, and they formulated a plan. For Mother's Day, my two sons went together and saved the money to pay for the dress. When they told me, I cried and cried. I think everyone in the newsroom (I have just completed my year as editor-in-chief for the campus newspaper) thought something was wrong but when they learned what the boys had done, they hugged Justin as much as I did! They would have hugged Nick, but of course he was at work at PetsMart!

So I now have the dress of my dreams for my wedding, one that makes me feel like a princess again (an old one, but when I put on the dress, I feel young!). I worried that it would be "too much," and that some people would think it inappropriate at my age. My sister and future-sister-in-law said they love it and that it is perfect. The biggest nod, however, was from my son when he saw me in the dress.

I would love to post a photo but I don't want my future groom to see it until the day of the wedding, so you'll have to wait for our photos! I am the luckiest Mom in the world, and I know that wearing this dress on our special day will be even more sentimental to me because I am going to wear the dress that my sons purchased for me!