When the RSVP for our wedding asked all women to wear white, my husband and I were floored. Wearing white to someone else’s wedding? Unheard of. A call to my fiancé, Mark, revealed his mother, Susan, planned to strut in her old wedding gown to steal my day. My response? Outsmart her with a plan that left her stunned and me shining.
Mark and I were thrilled about our wedding, but Susan’s meddling cast a shadow. She’d hinted at wearing something “special” to our vineyard ceremony in Willow Creek, and Mark confirmed her plan: her 1980s wedding dress, complete with a glittering veil, meant to upstage me. I wasn’t about to let her win.
My solution was bold—add a note to the RSVPs: “Ladies, wear white! Wedding dresses encouraged.” Word spread like wildfire. On the wedding day, the venue buzzed with women in white gowns, lace, and veils, transforming the chapel into a bridal sea. At 3:15 p.m., Susan swept in, her sequined gown shimmering, expecting all eyes on her. Her jaw dropped when she saw the crowd—dozens of women in white, blending her moment into the background.
“What is this nonsense?” Susan snapped, her voice echoing. Her husband, Tom, grinned. “You’re in white too, dear.” Her face flushed, her plan unraveling. Then the music soared, and I walked in, radiant in an emerald gown that glowed against the white backdrop. Susan sank into her seat, silent, her gown just another in the crowd.
She slipped out before the toasts, her exit unnoticed amid the laughter and clinking glasses. My best friend, Rachel, raised her glass, smirking, “To the bride—who knows how to steal the show and slay the day.” We danced into the night, celebrating not just love, but victory.