Taking Pictures of Yourself Prior to the Big Day! (AKA: Finding out the sex of the child?)

I try to walk through the showroom on a busy Saturday afternoon and find myself dodging cameras and camera phones from every angle. Sometimes I feel like I’m playing a video game trying not to get hit. It has been a challenge for me to accept the amount of photography that takes place today compared with that of 8 (even 5) years ago. When I see someone clicking, my stomach fills with concern that the bride in the background is going to get caught in the shot and somehow be portrayed somewhere across the world wide web. It is not illogical to think in these terms. I wonder if she will mind. Most of our staff has experienced unsolicited displays somewhere online. The thinking that I needed to change is that most people are not as concerned about this as I am. I have enlisted so much apprehension over this matter but realize that I may actually be standing alone in this belief. Photo’s and information are everywhere. To help me understand the idea a little bit better, I have equated picture taking prior to the wedding with finding out the sex of the child before the birth. So many people do it. (Except for me. I did not want to know the sex of any of my four children. I loved finding out in the moment!) But if the trend has become photographing (or finding out the sex of your child, for that matter) then I respect that. And if there are still a few people out there whom want to preserve the traditions of the “dark ages” then I respect that too. So now, when the flashes are happening in our showroom, I try and compound my personal instincts and address our patrons as politely as possible. “Feel free to take as many pictures as you wish. Please try to contain these photos to the privacy of your fitting room, however, just in case the bride behind you does not wish to be in your photograph.” This way, if there is someone trying on dresses who may think like me… she is respected. As well, the 21st century bride is also respected and can satisfy whatever reasons she has for pre-wedding pix.

3rd Generation...

For the past six weeks I have been bringing Dreya to work with me. She is my teenage daughter. I had mixed emotions about this at the beginning. I like submerging myself in whatever I do and I was worried that I would not be able to separate parenting from employing. I decided to go in with an open mind. I have come to find that having three generations working together in one place is rather warm and comforting. It's a minute melting pot of it's own in a sense. First, there is the sheer wisdom and experience of my mother, mixed in with own experience and energy, sprinkled with the sponge of my daughter willing to take in any information being offered by her "employer"... not to be confused with her "mother". I like this. I am inspired by Dreya's ability to retain the information being fed to her. It's rather cool to say things one time; know that she is remembering; and will apply when necessary. It has also changed our mother/daughter time to some degree, because on the drive home we are on a different level together. I respect her as a young adult and I think she feels this. So the scale containing those mixed emotions about having 3 generations working in one place has shifted its weight. And for this, I am grateful.