Getting Married? Beware Of Your Inner Voice!

We’ve all had that little voice in our heads – the one that garbles to you in the middle of the night, telling you that you aren’t tall enough, thin enough, pretty enough.
The one that compares you to your friends and work colleagues. The one that tells you that you won’t look good enough in that swimsuit, new outfit for the office, or that wedding dress.
But did you know there are over 3 billion women in the world? 3 BILLION.
With so many women in the world, we naturally come in a variety of heights, colours, shapes, and sizes.
With so many women in the world, don’t you think it’s time that we give ourselves a break?
No doubt you will spend hours with your Bridesmaids looking through bridal magazines, including our very own North-West Brides, and cooing over the stunning dresses, all the while thinking, “She is so tall/skinny/has curves/is petite… and I’m not”. The model may be all of those things, but remember, she’s also been Photoshopped.

Out of the 3 billion women in the world, none of us are the same.
We are all uniquely beautiful, and whatever it is you dislike about yourself, always remember that someone else is looking at you and envying what you’ve got.
Think you have a modest B cup? – A DD is wishing she had yours.
Think your hips are too curvy? – An athletically built woman wants those so bad.
Think your curly hair is a pain and wish it were straight? – Someone with straight hair wishes they had your volume.
Women have felt pressure to be “perfect” for a long time, but now social media apps with filters and other apps that are designed specifically for photo touch-ups mean that we are constantly feeling the pressure to “fix” our photos before we share them with anyone.
When your little voice starts telling you that you aren’t good enough remember that your gorgeous partner, the one you absolutely adore, has proposed to you and wants to marry you. Little old you!

Whatever imperfections you see in yourself, they are probably the parts of you that your partner loves most. Like the beauty spot on your cheek, or your long elegant fingers, or your extra ‘wobbly’ bits.
When you go shopping for your wedding dress, look for something that showcases your figure and your shape best, not the one that looks great on a model in a photograph. Your perfect dress will make you look and feel like a rock star. So own it, and embrace your perfect imperfections.
By Rebecca Armstrong, Excalibur Press

AUTUMN/WINTER 2017 EDITION AVAILABLE TO BUY ONLINE NOW