2a. How to Be Sleek and Remain Meek

Other titles we had in mind:

How to stay Modest in your Bodice
How to stay Chaste in your Taste

The idea of a perfect wedding dress has always been perpetuated in women, from the time that little girls are old enough to play to well into womanhood.

Say Yes to the Dress
I Found the Gown
Something Borrowed, Something New
My Big Fat American Wedding
Bridezillas
What Not to Wear

I've not seen them, but these TV shows air for years and years just portraying one purpose - finding the perfect wedding dress for the bride.

This belief of a "perfect wedding dress" was one that I had learnt while searching, that there was simply no such thing. This was simply a hoax to encourage women to spend to make them chase after the "moment I find THE dress".

Women like dressing up and looking good - but to what extent? All these shows teach young women is that they need to chase this idea of looking perfect for one day. They would buy one dress at an exhorbitant price that cost the same as my whole wedding!

Shaun and I set a strict budget for ourselves. We would not go above RM200 for my wedding dress. This budget was a crazy idea not just for a bride, but even for normal women who shop on a daily basis. I have friends who have everyday shirts that cost that much! Our reasoning was that - there was no point spending so much on something I would only wear one time. Shaun's tuxedo or coat could be used throughout his life (if he did not put on more weight), but I could not be wearing a wedding dress anywhere else other than my own wedding. I do not intend to be married a second time as I pray everyday for Shaun to remain both alive and faithful.

We started our search by hunting online. Where else could you get a cheap wedding dress other than China? It was a prayer point that I had especially - Lord please help me find a dress that's not just cheap, but also could help me keep to the principles I had. I like my dresses with sleeves, and below my calves.

Lo, the Lord answered in a mighty way. My family has a very close family friend who practically watched me and my siblings grow up, who used to own a bridal shop. He and his wife have been one of the biggest blessings to my family in our lives actually. Many years ago, he closed that bridal shop down to focus on his business and on his family. He did however, keep some wedding dresses!

This friend and his wife have always been most generous from as far back as I can remember, and they offered to lend me my wedding dress - absolutely free! These wedding dresses cost him thousands to purchase, and here I was, trying a whole shop of dresses at no cost whatsover - out of the kindness of a family friend.

These dresses were absolutely gorgeous. But not all of them had sleeves or covered my back fully. We toyed with the idea of buying capelets and shawls and coveralls, but in the end, we spotted that plain jane, simple white dress with sleeves. It was the only one that had sleeves, and my my, it was the only one that had never been worn by another bride before.

It was perfect, literally.

It had sleeves up to my elbows.
It was long.
It was made for a short person.
It covered up my back fully.
It was simple.
It fit me perfectly - I needed not a single alteration, not on my chest, not on my waist, not on my hips, it fit like a sock. (because the saying fit like a glove always has me wondering why my gloves don't fit me well)

It was perfect, because it was a recognized blessing that came from God through a long time family friend. It cost nothing to me (it cost a lot to my friend, I'm sure) but in my eyes, it was priceless.

It was perfect, because it allowed me to keep the promises about modesty that I made with God and my husband.

It was perfect, because it was an answer to my prayers. That's how I knew my dress was The One.