a story of embarrassment, 2007

{Being home sick means that there's not much new or exciting going on around here to share. I was inspired to tell this story after sharing it with a long time friend who somehow missed out on hearing it until now...}

I'm not easy to embarrass. My parents did a good job of desensitizing me to potentially embarrassing moments as an adult, but putting me through them as a teenager. Dad + Mom, thank you?

The story I'm about to tell didn't so much embarrass me because of what happened, but more because of what others perceived to be the reason for what happened. Okay, so on with it...

Ben + I were married in July of 2007 after a short 4 month engagement. I really enjoy planning, but could not wait to be done with our wedding. There was just too much coming at me from all sides and a lot of pressure landing on one day. Looking back, there were things I enjoyed and now I fully enjoy going through the process with my friends, but being the bride was a lot of unwanted attention for me. I had so many people asking me dozens of different questions that I mostly didn't have the answer to. It stressed me out when I couldn't answer, it made me feel like I was doing something wrong.

Our wedding was smallish and not super traditional. We got married at our church, but out in a grassy area instead of under the wisteria where all the other outdoor weddings had been held. I didn't wear a vail. We high-fived after our kiss and walked out to Relient K.

I wanted something simple for my dress. I didn't think I'd find it at the only wedding dress store in town, David's Bridal, based on what I had seen online, but we went anyway. We went at night and there was practically nobody there, perfect. I tried on about 5 or so dresses and my miracle dress (as my mom calls it) was the last of a discontinued style that they took off of a mannequin.

I came back with some family for a fitting a while later. I stood on the pedestal under the hot lights wondering why they didn't do this part in the back instead of in the showroom. I really don't like to be in the spotlight, but I don't get particularly nervous or embarrassed by the attention. I was standing there for a really long time as they needed to take the dress in quite a bit and hem it up pretty far (I'm only 5 foot 2 inches tall). After a while I started to feel flushed. This really warm feeling came over me and I was a bit dizzy. I chose to ignore it, figuring the seamstress was almost done and then we could go. I mentioned feeling hot and she blamed the lighting overhead.

A few moments later I started to sway a bit and realized I really needed to sit down. I let her know and stumbled over to a bench near my family. Someone went to get me water and I said I was fine. Then, my sister gasped loudly and caught me in her arms.

I fainted.

Not like, passed out on the ground, dead to the world. I fell forward from where I was sitting and my sister eased my body to the ground, then I sat right back up. The color came back to my face, I felt cooler, and less dizzy. It was almost as if someone hit my reset button.

What came next was the embarrassing part. The shop ladies came running to where I was, fussing over me and getting me water and candies (for my blood sugar?). One lady in particular was suddenly very vocal, as if she was making an announcement to the whole place. She went on about how I must have gotten so excited thinking about my wedding day that I fainted. Later we came to find out she wasn't even an employee, but a nosy customer.

What had really happened (because I am not the giddy, faint from excitement type) was that I had locked my knees. I never really sang in choir or did anything that would have warranted someone warning me against this apparent hazard. I honestly didn't realize I was doing it, I just wanted to stand perfectly still so that the hem on my dress was pinned straight.

For the rest of that day and the month leading up to our wedding I was teased quite a bit about fainting during our ceremony. Nobody really listened to the explanation of why I actually fainted in the first place, they just found it to be great fun to pick on me. Luckily, as I mentioned before, both of my parents are "button pushers" so I didn't let it get to me too much.

Despite my little episode and the flood of embarrassment that came over me, we finished the fitting and my dress fit me perfect when I went back in. Thankfully, I knew not to lock my knees and no fainting occurred on our big day.

{Anne Nunn Photographers}

And now I can laugh about this story and easily share it with anyone. I often warn other brides-to-be when they are about to go in for a fitting.
What's one of your most embarrassing moments?