Wedding Dress Virgin

K, before I write anything, I need to clear something up. I AM NOT ENGAGED RIGHT NOW, OR PLANNING MY WEDDING.

Now I can continue.

Yesterday, I had a photo shoot modeling wedding dresses for my friend Kenzie, who has started her own wedding dress business (Congrats girl). I have done some modeling in the past, but never did anything related to wedding shoots. I figured most modeling shoots are about the same... You put on what they want you to wear, make a few sexy faces, smiling faces, and pose - done right? No, wrong.

I never understood how incredible a dress can make you feel until I slipped on the first dress for the shoot and I, Haley B. Jones, lost my wedding dress virginity. You could argue that a prom dress can make a girl feel the same way, but it wasn't the case for me. As Kenzie finished squeezing me into the white gown, I got surprisingly emotional about the whole thing. I wasn't crying or anything that extreme, but it was a strange internal feeling when I looked into the mirror and saw myself as a bride for the first time. It was special.

I'll be the first to admit that I was somewhat of a "tom-boy" during parts of my childhood, and I never really put much emphysis on my wedding day or the man I'd marry. In fact, thinking back, all of my friends were brides at least once for Halloween, but not Haley... I preferred dying my hair green and being a witch or some weird Star Wars character. Maybe it was because my parents were divorced and I didn't see the point in marriage, or maybe it was just because I thought boys stunk and had cooties, either way, I never dreamed about my wedding day like most little girls do.

That being said, I guess you can understand why yesterday was somewhat of a shocker for me and a good surprise. I actually felt comfortable in a big white gown, pretending to be a glowing bride. Within the straps and stitching, I finally understood why many women claim that their wedding day was the best day of their lives. It instantly makes you feel like the most important, beautiful woman in the world for just one day. I get it now.

For me, my wedding day still isn't what I fantasize about day in and day out, but from my experience yesterday, it definitely boosted my excitement for that one special day. Now I can respect and recognize the power of a big white dress.



These are a couple of the shots from yesterday's photoshoot taken with my iPhone.