Ahh weddings…who doesn’t love them? You see old friends, you eat great food (hopefully), and you get to dance and be merry! I look forward to weddings so much…especially since my husband and I have so many mutual friends from growing up in the same hometown. Any time we get to celebrate something as special as a wedding with lifelong friends it is a treat. However, at 6 months pregnant I found myself in a very different place preparing for this wedding. No longer can I casually browse for the most fun and flirty summer dress—finding something that’s appropriate, still makes me feel good, and is comfortable are the top priorities for clothing now. I usually love getting dressed up but, as proud as I am of my bump, I felt nervous, anxious, and texting girlfriends an hour up until the wedding asking for approval. As my belly has grown—as excited as I am—I have seen a piece of myself become “shelved” for 9 months. I love fashion and trends and felt frumpy in everything I put on.
In addition I found myself wondering what was appropriate behavior for a pregnant person to engage in at a wedding. I am usually the first one to step on the dance floor and the last one to leave—would I be expected to sit all night and observe from a far? Would my friends want to hang out with me as much without engaging in cocktails and crazy dancing? If I did get up to dance would people think it was weird? I couldn’t believe how much anxiety I had about what being preggo at a wedding would be like!
The truth of the matter was that as soon as I got to the wedding, all my BFFs were amazing. Even the guys asked to touch my belly and told me how excited they were that I was pregnant with another member of our crew. I was told that I picked a great preggo dress, let myself be dragged into the photo booth and dance floor, and was made very much a part of the celebrations. Even without my favorite wedding beverage—white wine—I had a blast and saw that in every phase of life the people that matter the most accept you and encourage where you are on this crazy journey. I think baby had a great time too as when I did dance I felt baby Peers kicking along with the music. I also learned that we can’t help the feelings we have during pregnancy and even though I felt silly and vain for carrying so much about the way I looked or acted—pregnancy is something new and the feelings and changes we go through are real and valid. I will cheers to that with my non-alcoholic mock-tail!
Lindsey Peers is the owner of the Craft Studio — she recently welcomed her first child.
