Going to the Chapel

The engagement of Laura and Gavin... and then some.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Luxe Tuxes

The tuxes are picked out, and the boys are turning in their measurements. This, coupled with 99% of the bridesmaids having picked up their dresses already, means we are not having a naked wedding. I believe the Catholic church forbids such celebrations anyhow, so this worked out well.

After bargain hunting and pitting a couple tux shops against each other, we went with the original tuxes we liked at After Hours. We somehow managed to get the tux we liked best AND get all the discounts we were gunning for – low price for the guys, half price for the ring bearers and Gavin and the Dads are free. Bargaining master, that Gavra.

During the process, we looked at the tux place next to House of Brides on Roosevelt – Back Tie. The stores are connected such that you can see from one into the other. While browsing the tie rack, the store of white dresses and all colors of bridesmaid attire caught my attention. The contrast was other-wordly.

The bridal shop was a frenzy of groups of women grabbing lots of lace, satin, etc off of racks, rushing them to dressing rooms, weighing in on every single thing they saw and cooing and emoting all over.

The tux shop’s four customers were looking stoicly at the few options on display, asking what their options were, color swatches please, ok let’s do this one for everybody.

What happened along the line to make bridal shops such a strange, over-the-top phenomenon, while tux shops stayed so simple? I’ve been saying all along that it would be fantastic if there were just one store with a finite number of choices on display for absolutely everything wedding related. The bride walks in and picks from each category, and poof!, wedding complete. Things would coordinate very well that way too. I’m sure couples could be creative enough to personalize a wedding in other ways… Quite the pipe dream, huh?

Decisions for this wedding have been like nothing I have ever experienced. Every decision is weighed in on by everyone who hears about it, although their opinion is usually not solicited. Even those decisions for which I knew what I wanted to do within days of us getting engaged have been questioned and dragged through the mud to the point that I’m not even sure what I had in mind originally! I was a strong decision maker before this process. Now I can’t even pick shoes without coming home and asking my Mom what she thinks, or Gavin if she's not around, or my poor Dad if all else fails as he looks at me like I've really lost it - asking him about shoes. Not normal! Perhaps I've become more democratic? Perhaps this is just a crazy process. It is what it is!



Picture: We don't know those dudes, but their tuxes are luxe.

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