Bridezillas – an exaggeration or reality?

by Tina at Paper Lily

If you have ever watched an episode of Bridezillas on Foxtel, you will probably be flinching as you read this. For those of you who haven’t, allow me to shed some light on this show. It follows brides in the lead up to their big day and on the day itself. Harmless right? Wrong. These women are fruit loops. We watch them scream and yell abuse at everyone, become violent, throw tantrums and basically turn into someone scarier than Freddie Kruger.

Here are some examples of what I have seen these women do. You tell me if this  behaviour is normal. The bride who expected everyone to refer to her as ‘the most beautiful bride in the world’ in the 5 days leading up to the wedding. She would ignore anyone who did not start their sentences in this way. Or the bride who had her bridesmaids humiliate themselves with a weekly weigh in. Mind you, she herself had obviously not seen a mirror in a while. These women use their bridesmaids as slaves, treat their mothers as personal assistants and their grooms as punching bags. I am convinced that the only reason they turn up at the altar is out of a fear for their lives.

The term ‘bridezilla’ has become synonymous with wedding planning. People assume that all brides will turn into crazed women at the sight of a wedding magazine. Not so. In fact, most brides that are labelled as bridezillas really don’t deserve this title at all. At Paper Lily, we have never come across a bride who would warrant being called a bridezilla. Brides are certainly very particular about what they want and will tell you if they want something changed. They have every right to be this way. They are paying for a service and should receive what they requested. They way in which they speak to you is what will determine if they are a bridezilla or not. Giving me a call to say ‘Hey, Tina, love the colour of the ribbon but do you think we can try a thinner ribbon instead?’ is normal. Leaving an abusive voice mail or sending a text filled with expletives is clearly not.

All brides deserve to have the wedding day of their dreams. Stress is to be expected and a lot of patience and understanding is needed during the planning process. Labelling the  bride-to be as a bridezilla will do nothing to help the situation. So, unless you are asked to join a boot camp, dye your hair or get Botox for their big day, chances are they are not true bridezillas.