Tue 13 May 2008
Size Matters
Posted by cindy under Goals , Health & Body , Wedding Memories at 10:25 pm[6] Comments
Today I picked up jujitsu buddy Josh at his house and drove to Long Beach, where we had lunch at Tokyo Wako. Josh is my wedding photographer and over lunch, we discussed wedding day scheduling and strategy. He’s such a gentleman; despite the fact that he was out there for me, he wouldn’t let me pay for my misoyaki sea bass and even paid me an immediate compliment that I seemed a lot slimmer than when he’d last seen me (which I think was at his graduation from Orange County Sheriff’s Academy last year).
After lunch we fulfilled our purpose for the meeting: he scoped out the wedding venue for the first time. We strolled around the grounds as he took a bunch of test shots, taking mental and photographic note of where he’d like to have people pose for group photos and where to set up for the best over-water bridge shots. He also took a few of me to check for lighting and positioning at the garden. I was surprised when I saw some of the photos on his digital display — I hadn’t seen my face and cheeks look that round in a loooong time. Might I be bloated from PMS? *squeezing boobs* No…I’m not sore at the key spot(s). Crap. Maybe the once-a-week gym time has caught up with me. My left wrist seems 90% recovered so I should be able to hit the weights again more regularly. The wedding isn’t for almost 4 months so that’s enough time to drop some inches.
BUT, I have an appointment to get my wedding gown alterations on Thursday. I’d thought that setting up an appointment this long before the wedding would be counterproductive, cuz who knows what size I’d actually be in 4 months. But when I picked up my dress last Thursday, that’s the day the alterations department said was appropriate. Having gone with Mr. W’s niece to her alteration in Vegas over the weekend and seen how her size changed between the time she bought the dress in January and now (a month before the wedding), I’m thinking this 4 month thing is way premature. Maybe they just want me to alter it for a second time closer to the wedding so they make money off the dress twice after its purchase. I’m going to cancel or postpone that appointment.
Out of curiosity, though, I tried the dress on for the first time tonight. It fit comfortably and almost loosely without the bustier, but the bustier somehow causes a fat roll effect above the dress. Sure the bustier enhances cleavage by lifting my chest, but it also lifts other things, like the fat on my back. Gross. And it’s uncomfortable and hot, and makes the dress fit tighter. What the heck; I thought the form-fitting restrictive undergarments are supposed to make my measurements smaller, not thicker. Is there some kind of rule that says I have to wear a bustier under my white bridal gown?
My bathroom scale’s been out of battery for months now so I don’t know what I weigh or what my body fat percentage is, but I’m afraid to find out anyway. I’m terrified that I’m gonna go thru a pudge period right when I have to be photographed for an high exposure major life event that’s gonna bring about many witnesses. My body tends to have some crazy momentum when it starts to gain weight, and is reluctant to reverse the cycle to lose weight again, so I’m gonna hit the gym on the regular starting tonight and double up on cardio. Josh reminded me today that when he first met me, I used to hit the weights at lunch, go back for cardio after work, run 6-8 miles every other evening, and go to jujitsu on the nights I wasn’t running.
I’m sure you look great in the photos! The entire time I was at your wedding location this weekend, I kept wondering where the dinning tables would be, how they would arrange the seating as I saw where the vows would take place and where the dance floor would be. It’s a beautiful venue and you will get great pictures that day!
I remember both of us were machines during those jujitsu days. We’d exercise like crazy! After that 2-3 hour class, I would head off to the gym. But life happens and things change. I’m trying to get back to being at least 1/2 a workout machine as I used to.
it’s actually not uncommon to have the first set of alterations done way in advance. alterations can be a very time consuming process as so much of the altering will be done by hand. some dresses have elaborate beading that just takes forever to alter.
it is usually customary (and you should probably plan for this to save on stress later) for a final fitting with last minute alterations closer to the wedding date. usually by the time the wedding comes, any changes that need to be done (in either direction =P) are minor enough that the seamstress will be able to make last minute modifications without too much trouble.
still, 4 months does seem like a long time.
yea i would say postpone. i did it like a few weeks before and it still ended up too tight.
I’m really thinking the number on the scale doesn’t matter at all. The work scales are different from my OB/GYN and then the home scales are off from the previous two. I get sick of chasing a number. My britches fit and that’s about all I can go by anymore. ha
It does seem early for a dress fitting unless you’re having a last minute alteration.
I think the advantage of the cleavage in the front brings a disadvantage in the back. If you pull and tug in one area, it’s bound to tug & pull in another. Will your veil hide the back though?
busykitty – the tables for the reception go all throughout the garden. Everyone will be spread out all over. If you rent an entire garden you should be able to use all of it, right? =) You’ll all get different but beautiful vantage points.
Yeah, I remember a few times we went straight from jujitsu to the gym and ran on the treadmill.
Wilco – really? So then I’d need 2 alteration/fittings. They charge for every thing you have altered, tho. It’s like $120 for the hemline, $50 for a simple 1-point bustle (good thing I don’t have a train to bustle), $50 to take in or take out each side.
anny – I postponed it, but she only wanted to push it back a week. I think they REALLY want that money. Especially when double alterations are involved.
Flat Coke – I’m with you on that scale numbers don’t matter in themselves. Nobody usually believes how much I weigh, anyway. But it’s a good measure of progress so you know whether you gained/lost relative to the last number. I think my britches still fit. When they don’t, I freak out (“OMG, I’m on a GIANT DOWNHILL SPIRAL into OBESITY!”) and then I go into immediate denial (“Oh well, I’m sure it’s just cuz they shrunk. Damn that dryer.”)
I don’t wanna have a last minute alteration. It’ll cost me. 🙁
Good point on the veil! Ooh, maybe all ISN’T lost!
I can’t wait to see how it is all put together! My family kept remarking how beautiful your wedding is going to be at that location! It’s definitely a WOW location.