Sunday, June 08, 2008

"The Dress, the Beads, the Baskets," Oh My!

Take one excited bride-to-be, add one proud mama, combined with two weeks of intensive shopping to create the experience of a lifetime. I was so surprised when Jen called to say she would be coming home to look for a wedding dress. I loved that she wanted me to be the first person to see her in the gown. Even though her own special dress was not the first she tried on, I will always remember the waves of joy and pride I felt to see her prepare for one of the most important days of her life. It truly brought tears to my eyes. Of course after an extensive search, my tears of joy turned to tears of, “Are we there yet?” Honestly, it was like looking for a “Needle in a Haystack.” It didn’t help matters that we both suffer from a severe case of indecisiveness. Finally, we found the “One!” or so we thought. We weren’t absolutely sure, so we kept on searching only to find ourselves back where we started. It probably sounds biased, but she is going to be the most beautiful bride Istanbul has ever seen.
Beads, beads, beads consumed a good portion of our time. We put our creative minds together to fabricate wine charms for the wedding tables. We searched every craft and bead store within a 10 mile radius to find just the right sizes, shapes, and colors. Once again, it took longer than expected due to the many aisles filled with everything pretty. The “To Do” list didn’t seem to be getting any shorter. In fact, every time we checked off an item, one of us seemed to add on another. Flower girl baskets were especially a challenge. They needed to be rustic but romantic; a difficult combination. After canvassing the typical stores in which one might find such a commodity, Jen spied exactly what she was looking for, in of all places, the grocery store!
The hustle and bustle of those two weeks in May left me weary, worn, drained, and downright “pooped.” However, I wouldn’t change a thing; I savored every minute of the journey! Thank you Jen and Celal for the gift of a lifetime.
I couldn’t be happier for my daughter Jennifer and her future husband Celal. They have found true love with each other, and are the “cutest” couple I’ve ever seen. As an added bonus, Celal is part of a warm and loving family. I felt so incredibly welcomed during my Christmas visit. I’m looking forward to joining together as one big happy family
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