I now bring you this brief interruption from our daily inspiration to share something that’s really been bothering me. I don’t normally write controversial opinion pieces, so try to be gentle – I’m actually quite squishy on the inside.
So, here goes nothing. Lately, I’ve been receiving PR pitches about getting plastic surgery before the wedding. And I have to tell you, the implication of that message really ticks me off.
In the months before the wedding, plastic surgeons are advocating brides receive treatments including breast augmentation, liposuction, BOTOX®, nose jobs and laser resurfacing! What does this say to brides? That you won’t look beautiful at your wedding if you don’t surgically change things about yourself? That you should mold yourself to fit some generic aesthetic?
I call bull. That’s simply ridiculous. Most women have physical features they’re not particularly fond of (I, for example, don’t like my upper arms), but to suggest that a bride doesn’t have a wedding worthy look without plastic surgery is just offensive.
This is sending the wrong message to women everywhere, plain and simple. You’ll look beautiful on your wedding day no matter what. Why? Because it’s the happiest day of your life, and that happiness will make you glow with the kind of beauty that can’t be faked.
This concept is clearly nothing new: A few years ago, E! had a reality TV show in which 12 women competed to win a dream wedding and plastic surgery procedure. GMA reported last year that one bride-to-be spent as much on her plastic surgery ($20K) as she did on her entire wedding. A survey by the Daily Mail (UK) indicated that 10% of brides polled would undergo surgery or injections of BOTOX® or fillers before their weddings.
I can’t help but feel that the plastic surgery industry is selling brides a negative self-image and exploiting them at a time in their lives when they feel pressured to live up to societal standards of beauty when they walk down the aisle.
Does plastic surgery really make you more confident? Is an invasive procedure really an equal trade for a little wedding day stress about photos? Should your quest for the “perfect dress” serve as a reason to alter your body that way? Personally, I’d prefer to find a flattering dress for my existing figure and an extra glass or two of champagne to calm my nerves, but that’s just me.
Every day, we’re bombarded with images of “perfection” – TV, movies, music videos, and hell, even wedding blogs – but why should you have to be “perfect” on your wedding day? Isn’t that what marriage is all about – sharing your life with someone who loves you, proverbial warts and all?
I’m not saying you shouldn’t do what makes you happy, or try to look your best on your wedding day. Going to the gym, following a healthy routine of exercise and a nutritious diet, trying out a new hair color, getting a spray tan – they are all cosmetic choices. But they’re about feeling good about the way you look, not achieving some unattainable standard of perfection.
That said, to each her own: if you want plastic surgery, I’m not casting aspersions. There’s nothing wrong with it when it’s done for the right reasons (i.e. not to fit into one specific dress for one specific day).
My issue lies with an industry selling the idea that plastic perfection is a bridal necessity, or to imply that a bride isn’t ready to walk down the aisle without thousands of dollars worth of procedures.
I say they can take their scalpels and shove ’em.
What do you think of “bridalplasty” and the notion of bridal “perfection”? Feel free to argue with me about it – just keep it civil!
