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September 8, 2008 12:15:15 AM CDT

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Here Comes the Bride, No Matter the Cost

Posted Mar 1, 08 8:11 PM CST in Arts & Living 

(Newser) – Wedding dress? $1,500. Ceremony? $30,000. Rapid weight loss, whitened teeth, artificial tan, laser surgery and a shot of Botox? Apparently, priceless—but they may come at a health cost as brides-to-be try to look picture-perfect with "red carpet-worthy good looks" on their wedding day. Such extremes can launch a life-time of unhealthy habits, writes Sarah Elkins in Newsweek.

A recent study found 70% of future brides planned to shed more than 20 pounds, mostly through exercise. But 20% resorted to fasting, laxatives, smoking, and, in some cases, vomiting after meals. Similarly unhealthy quick-fixes abound for women seeking smoother skin, with use of a cheap Botox replacement leading to a cases of botulism. True, nobody's perfect, "but that doesn't mean I won't try!" one bride said.

Source Newsweek

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Gisse Martinez, center, shops with fiance Juan Pablo Pardo at a shop for wedding dresses Friday, Feb. 22, 2008. These days more and more brides are feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to look "perfect"...   (Associated Press)
"I've fielded a barrage of 'What are you going to do with your short hair?' 'Do you have a dress?' 'What will your makeup be like?'" said one bride-to-be of society's "aesthetic obsession."   (Shutterstock.com)
The cost of the average American wedding is now approaching $30,000, with women spending a bundle on appearance, fueled in part by reality shows like "Bridezillas," "Bouquet Brawlers" and "Platinum Weddings."   (Shutterstock.com)
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marriage  • women  • wedding  • women's health  • weight loss  • eating disorder  • dieting  • brides  • wedding dresses  • bulimia


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