Weddings are about
love.
W
PHOTOGRAPH Morgan Miller Photography
e love our partners. We love our families. We love our friends. We love champagne and many-tiered cakes. But too often, in all the excitement of love for so many wonderful people and things, we forget to love some really important people—ourselves. When people think of weddings, they think of diets and workouts to fit into the perfect dress. The wedding industry thrives on sunless tanning, teeth whitening, microdermabrasion, weight loss plans, and eyebrow waxing, all to create the “perfect” look. But “perfect” is subjective—and sometimes doesn’t reflect many of us in our beautiful diversity. If your best self isn’t represented in the wedding magazines, you might feel a bit left out or let down. Pre-wedding self-love is crucial for every person preparing to walk down the aisle. ‘It’s Still You’ Misty Arnold became engaged to her partner of four years in November 2016. The long-time volleyball and roller derby player had surgery the following month. “So I went from this strong athlete to bed-bound for a month and sick for eight months until my surgery,” Arnold says. “My engagement during the trials of being sick and not physically able to change my body makes me realize how much he must love me—not for what I look like or for what I can do but for me being simply myself.” At 42 years old, Arnold embraces her 5’9”, size-22 body. But coordinating a wedding and searching for “The Dress” are a lot to take. “Derby always gave me a sense of self-esteem no matter what size I was,” she says. “Even being bigger meant hitting harder and taking up more track. But I cringe at the idea of trying on wedding dresses. The whole idea of planning a wedding feels completely overwhelming.” Ali Fernandez married her husband in September 2017. She spent time deciding how much of her unique self and sense of style she should display on her wedding day.