Getting engaged can be one of the most exciting times in your life. But it’s also one of the most stressful.
Here’s a little truth bomb for you: Bridezillas don’t exist. Never have. Won’t ever. End of story.
Yes, like Kardashians without Instagram filters, they are, in fact, a myth. Before you regale me with tales of your psycho friend who ordered her fiancé to rework his proposal because his first attempt sucked (yes, I actually know a woman who did this), let me ask you this:
Was said friend already a little/extremely crazy PRE-wedding?
I’ll bet my fiancé that most of the time, your answer will be, yes. Why? Because PEOPLEzillas aren’t make-believe.
They’re demanding, they’re fiery, they’re irrational.
But they’re like that regardless of whether they’re about to be a bride or not.
1. When you’re engaged to be wed, you cannot please anyone everyone
Unless you’re planning on having a cookie cutter wedding; expect to piss people off with even the tiniest of decisions you make. Elaine from Seinfeld is my dance spirit animal, so you’d think I’d be met with approval when telling people I’d be ditching the “first dance” for my big day. Instead there have been tears (really) and exclamations of “YOU CANNOT DO THIS TO ME”.
… And that was just my fiancé.
2. Being a bride is HARD
Getting engaged is a delightful, wonderful thing. Then the wedding planning starts. And then come the questions from family, guests and Facebook acquaintances you thought you’d unfriended ages ago.
READ MORE: “My friends’ weddings are sending me broke.”
One bride friend was told that under no circumstances could any dishes at her wedding contain capsicum. Not because anyone had an allergy but because this particular guest wasn’t that partial to the vegetable.
Another friend has had to actively prevent herself from spontaneously combusting when her mother-in-law, who she kindly invited along dress-shopping, told her she looked “horrible” in most of her choices.
Are you starting to see why brides can get a little tense at times?
3. Weddings are bloody expensive
Have you ever made a really big purchase? Was it a) anxiety-inducing or b) causing you to eat canned tuna for dinner every night? Welcome to bridal bliss.
The average Aussie wedding costs around $36,200, according to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s latest data. And that my friends, is enough to make me cry silent (and jealous) tears of joy for people who decide to elope.
READ MORE: Bridal fashion alert: Would you ditch the dress for this trend?
Top Comments
Disagree completely. Bridezillas exist. Some of the requests/demands made of brides (and grooms) now are outrageous and, at times, just plain selfish. My husband and I have been invited to two wedding recently that were to be held interstate and overseas. The request was, that in lieu of presents, we purchased our own plane tickets!!!! Now plane tickets can get mighty expensive along with accomodation, etc.. My husband and I would also have to get time off work. Even their parents were pissed off at such indulgent behaviour, but apparently this is not abnormal anymore. We did not attend either wedding.
That's pretty standard of destination weddings, she's not being a bridezilla by not requesting a present. If you can't afford it then don't go - simple.
My point is this. Brides (and grooms) now think it is perfectly OK to plan weddings that create massive cost and disruption to other people. The cost of accomodation and airfare is NOT acceptable to most people. What about those people who can only afford $50-$100 for a gift but would like to attend the wedding? What about the elderly family members? You say that if people can't afford it then they shouldn't go. We actually can afford it, but don't attend because of the principle involved. It seems to be a theme amongst people these days that they will do exactly what they like regardless of how it affects others. This is not what weddings should be about. My oldest brother is a doctor and when he married they made sure that the bridal registry had gifts that ranged from $10 right through to the more expensive gifts.
They may well be doing it to weed out the people who don't really need to come. When you're choosing to have a destination wedding you assess whether or not the key people will be able to make it (financially and practically). If they've chosen to have an away wedding it probably means that they know their grandparents and closest friends are willing and able to join them.
If you don't care enough about the people to make it to their wedding then you don't need to be there. I'm not trying to have a go at you either, as I understand it's an effort to go to an overseas wedding. But they're definitely not being unreasonable to expect you to pay for yourself to go!!
You don't go " on principle " ? Sorry to say, but the wedding is about the bride and groom.. Not the guests!! They can have a destination wedding if they choose. Most people I know who have had desination weddings consider their elderly guests.
Ha! So true...I never thought of it that way. I was a brideszilla but I am a peoplezilla too so now it makes sense lol