What Not To Wear to a Beach Wedding!

My daughter Anna decided on a "destination wedding" -- which pretty much meant it was going to be on the beach and in a different place from where we lived. Now don't get me wrong, as the mother of the bride, it was fantastic because I only had a little bit to take for the wedding and the wedding planner at the resort pretty much did EVERYTHING! And I got to have a vacation in a nice tropical location just floating on the lazy river and drinking fruity drinks for a week!

Now here comes the "however" part! I'm under 5 feet -- I won't tell my weight but I like to call me "chunky" (some people use the un-PC term fat) -- and I have short very fine hair that doesn't hold curl or shape for very long, especially in very-humid climates.

So here's my advice if you find yourself in a similar situation!

First -- buy a wig! Seriously, girls -- it's the only answer. I'm the only one in all the photos whose hair is sticking up (and not in a cool funky way) and being blown around! I live in the deep south -- I know humidity intimately! I bought the firmest hairspray and the toughest hair products to keep my hair in place. Honest, it actually looked pretty good when I started out. Then I walked outside! And the wind was blowing! And I hadn't even gotten to the beach yet! I really, really would have bought a wig for the ceremony if I had half a mind to think of it beforehand!

Second -- buy a one-piece dress that doesn't have "whispy" layers! I thought this would work for my figure and size -- a beautiful turquoise (nice beachy color) -- in a nice chiffon (would be cool and not heavy) -- and the layers would help hide some of my "jiggly parts"! I still love the dress -- and the color was perfect. But the minute I walked onto the beach, all those thin (it was lined) whispy parts started blowing over my head and all over the place! I spent the whole time trying to get the flippy part off my head! In the photos, the skirt is blowing between my legs and I look like the "flying nun"!

If I had it to do over, I would buy a one-piece sleeveless or cap-sleeve dress with some fitting through the middle in a heavier fabric like crepe. Anna the bride's dress was a crepe, and her dress just blew perfect in the breeze. However, the chiffon dried faster when I slipped and fell in the rain trying to run to the reception and was almost dry by the time I got to the hospital! (See previous blog!)

And last, but not least -- wear flip flops. Even if you're a munchkin like me and the mother of the groom is a lanky 5' 7", you'll be more comfortable and can walk much better in the sand. And they make such cute sparkly ones these days.

So take the advice from one who's been there. The wedding was beautiful and I wouldn't change a thing-- except a wig, fitted dress and flip-flops!