Spewing flames that scorch the earth!
A monster of mass destruction!
Civilization crumbles as its death rays blast a city of 6 million from the face of the earth!
It's coming this way... BRIDEZILLA!
how i imagine people think of me.
The number one thing I get asked when people find out I photograph weddings is, "What's it like dealing with all the Bridezillas?"
When I try to honestly tell them that I don't really have any horror stories, they seem so surprised. Trust me, if my clients were like those reality show bridezillas I probably would've quit this business a long time ago.
I think when someone hears "wedding" they automatically think the bride is crazy. And that's just not fair. I never thought the word "Bridezilla" would be directed at me (me? I'm so not going to flip a table over napkin colors). That is, I didn't think the word applied to me until I had that ring on my finger, and I started being accused of 'zilla-ing* just because I was saying "no" to suggestions and other people's vision that differed from what I knew I wanted.
(*Zilla-ing: A new dance move like dabbing, but with more fire and fury).
I have been in the wedding industry for several years now. I have seen just about every type of wedding with every type of bride. Do you know how many Bridezillas I have actually encountered? One. ONE.
You know what monster is way more common at weddings than a bridezilla? The mom-zilla. The sister-zilla. The random-guest-you-didn't-invite-zilla. There are even vendor-zillas out there.
There is a 'Zilla at every wedding, and most times it isn't the bride.
I have never in my life had so many people give me unsolicited advice than I have while planning my wedding, or tell me something I NEEDED to do, or questioned my thought process or choices I made.
Allow me to kindly suggest where you can stick this bouquet of flowers if you tell me one more thing I "need" to do.
Everyone is an expert at wedding planning, apparently, and I never knew it until I got engaged.
Bridezillas are created when a bride-to-be is forced to put their foot down after a sea of opinions, inane comments, and such gems as:
"My wedding was perfect, so you should do it like that, too."
"What do you mean you don't have wedding colors? What will your guests take away from the day?"
"You're not having a priest marry you? Will it even be legal?"
"Why aren't you getting a spray tan?"
"Why can't your sister wear white? Don't you want her to feel special?"
"You're having food trucks? Well, your guests are going to hate that."
Not to mention the countless brides who I know experience people (strangers, even!) who comment on their weight, diet, etc because "You have a dress to fit into!" (I mean, does being engaged come with a "Please be rude to me!" sign around our necks?)
Let's be real: planning a wedding is STRESSFUL. There are so many decisions that go into wedding planning. Most of us are doing this for the first time ever (and hopefully the last time ever!). Many brides (like me) are already doing most of the decision making and planning work alone. I know this because I'm in several wedding planning groups on Facebook and all the complaints go to the same place:
"My bridesmaids are unreliable."
"My fiancé doesn't care about anything but the food."
"My future mother in law invited 45 guests we don't know."
Now, combine that stress with everyone (and I mean everyone you interact with who knows you are getting married) with a favorite ice-breaker anyone who hasn't seen you in the past week asks, "How's the planning going?"
Ask me again how the planning is going.
How does one answer this question, exactly? What would you like to hear? I genuinely want to know. I could be honest and say, "It's stressful as hell, and everyone hates my ideas!" or I could smile and lie and say, "I love planning weddings and I wish I could do this again and again!" (God bless wedding planners).
So, next time you encounter a soon-to-be bride, please be considerate. Don't talk about her weight or her diet (a good rule of thumb is it's ALWAYS rude to ask anyone about their weight), don't try and give her your opinion unless she asks for it, and don't offer to help her and then not help when she takes you up on it.
Don't add to the stress she already is experiencing. Otherwise,
if you wake the Bridezilla, it's probably your fault.
love and kisses,
Bridezilla Brodley