The beautiful bride.

So I mailed a friend inviting her for my wedding last year. No she could not come but she said she had only one piece of advice. No matter what else happens, you HAVE to look absolutely gorgeous on your big day, she said!

Okay. Right. Ofcourse, I have to.

So far so good. I had chosen my lehenga with care, booked an appointment at the best saloon in the city. I was set to be the pretty bride.

Now I am okay looking. Sometimes when Sid is a little high he goes as far as to tell me that I the most gorgeously beautiful girl on the planet. Mommy says I have the loveliest eyes on the planet. Okay I can ignore Mommy. All mums think their child is good looking. I should also ignore Sid because he says such things only when he is happy high. Okay. Not good. See, I know I am decent looking, never mind if i dont get the compliments.

So that point clarified, let me move forward with my story.

On wedding day, when I was all done at the salon, and the salon ladies had gushed how absolutely gorgeous I was looking and the cleaning lady there said that i was the prettiest bride ever (and asked for a bakshish in the same breath) I was happy and content. Then came mommy. And she stared at me. And stared.

Then she cleared her throat delicately.

'Cant we loosen her hair a little bit?', she asked the parlour lady a tad bit too politely.

'No Aunty, the whole duppata is in the right place because of the hairstyle only!'

'Hmmmm...can we change the color of the lipstick',asked Mum looking at me.

'No Aunty, it matches the lehenga'

'Okay, can we wash her face?'

'Mom!' I said.

Dad called at that very moment.

'Ohh, have they left?' Mom said into the phone.

'The barat will be there in 20 minutes?' she said again after a minute's pause.

'Okay....I have to welcome them, i know'

'Yes I am around an hour from the venue...will come in in a bit'

'Oh ok, dont distrub me I will be there' said Mom, she shut her phone with a bang and barged out to welcome the barat that was 20 minutes away from the venue that itself was an hour drive away.

So there I was standing in my bridal lehenga, dressed in all the finery but not really sure of Mom's reaction.

Was I the beautiful bride?
It was one of the few things that both the sides of the family unanimously agreed. They agreed that I was NOT the beautiful bride.

Some people even told me to go and get back my money from the beauty parlor. And then things started snow balling. Those who probably thought that I was looking good, decided to go with the mass opinion and declared that they would not send their own daughters to the salon where I had gone.
And so on and so forth.

I therefore did not look forward to the wedding video, cringed when it came and hid behind the door when the rest of the family watched it.

I also did not do one more thing.

I never really saw the wedding pictures.

Untill a few days back. Bt when I did do you know what struck me the most? Okay I certainly did not look as great (if i might be aloowed to use that phrase) as i normally do, but you know what? I looked absolutely, blissfully happy :)