Bringing a wedding dress sends a strong message

The first time I married, when I was 28 years old, the search for the perfect dress was overwhelming. Even though the marriage only lasted five years, the dress still hangs in an empty room nearby my mother, like a shrine to an earlier version of myself I no longer recognize. In the 15 years since my wedding day, my style has changed, and so have my values.

In planning my second wedding, which will take place next year, I’m trying to block who will you wear? the noise is coming from my friends and family. This is a natural question for a fashion editor, but one I try to answer with my convictions, rather than the insecurities that often guided my decision making in my 20s.

Will I buy new or vintage? Can I rent? Should I choose a color, so I’m more likely to wear it again? What do I want the dress to say about me, my partner, and our family? And does all that matter really matter as long as everyone is having fun?

What I realized is that there is no right or wrong answer. Even more important is the idea of ​​conscious consumption above all else. That way, the dress is just a cobblestone on the road to marriage, not an end in itself.

I wish Carrie would agree.

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