With my bridal shower just around the corner (Which, for the record, I am really nervous about attending! So many relatives that I haven’t seen in years…), I’ve been thinking about my wedding. I eloped at the end of January, the intention and date kept a secret from everyone except my husband and best friend, and although there was no formal ceremony, I wore lolita fashion. Wearing lolita to my wedding was very important to me. The fashion has played a significant role in my life–most importantly, it has had a very positive effect on my well-being. When I’m in my lolita finery, I feel very happy to be myself–that was the mindset I wanted for a day as significant as my wedding day.

I am not really of the opinion that a wedding day is the “happiest” day of a girl’s life. I’d like to think that every tomorrow has the potential to be a “happiest” day–I aspire to live with increasing values on the happiness meter! However, marriage is a very meaningful step in one’s life. I am thankful every day for the man I can now call my husband, who loves and supports me in any situation. He has never opposed my hobbies or said hurtful things about my interests. With such a wonderful person by my side, I know that every day has unlimited potential!

If I had had a formal wedding, with guests and a schedule, wearing lolita fashion would not have been an option. My family would have protested every step of the way, regardless of who should be making the choice. Additionally, there was no way I could afford even a small wedding. Instead, we opted to secretly elope. Our families were horrified to hear that my husband wore jeans and a Slayer t-shirt–but that is exactly who he is, and if I can pick my frilly attire he should have equally free choice.

Wearing lolita fashion to one’s wedding is a personal choice that rests heavily on how much you identify with the fashion. Some girls are madly in love with the style, only to move on in a few years to something else. In a case like that, one might not want to look back on wedding photos in your frilly finest–a traditional wedding dress that is suited to your tastes might be a better choice. I knew I wouldn’t have any formal photographs and my interest in lolita fashion is very stable, so I wanted to wear something I would enjoy immensely.

When my family saw some of the snapshots that were taken during our ceremony, even those who wished very much that I had a “real” wedding and worn a “real” dress sighed and said, “You know… it really looks like you. It’s absolutely you.” And that, of course, was the point! I didn’t want something poised and formal–I wanted us to be us, comfortable about being ourselves.

Although lolita dresses usually look very formal and frilly regardless of the season, once in a while a dress is released that has an even more elaborate design. These dresses are rarely printed, and usually involve lots of lace. When I made up my mind about what I intended to wear, I kept a close eye on the blogs, waiting for the next wave of wedding-esque dresses to be released. Angelic Pretty was the company to step up. BABY the Stars Shine Bright and Metamorphose had not-too-distantly released dresses they actually intended as wedding dresses, neither of which suited my fancy and both of which were very much out of my price range. When I saw the series my dress was a part of, I knew it was perfect for me!

I still hope that someday I’ll have the opportunity to take more formal pictures of the two of us in the outfits we wore on our wedding day. It was very, very cold that day (being at the end of January in such a windy and snowy city) so we weren’t brave enough to try and get any pictures out of the courthouse. The mere thought of taking off my coat was unthinkable, especially in something without sleeves! Now that the weather is nicer and everything is starting to bloom, I dream of getting some nice pictures of us together in our wedding finery. ♥

Does anyone else plan to wear lolita fashion on their wedding day, or have you done it already? Or are you dreaming of a traditional dress–or something completely non-traditional but entirely perfect for you? I’d love to see an entire lolita-themed formal wedding, especially if it was tasteful and elegant, but that’s a dream faaaar too rich for my pocketbook, so I didn’t do more than briefly entertain the thought.