Oh Bra-vo!

So. Everything has got to be brand new.

E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G.

Now that the sarees and salwar suits are pretty much done and over with, the next on the list is what goes underneath: The lingerie.

Now, I've never paid so much attention to my bras and panties so far in my life. When a married cousin sister came to me and asked: "When are you going to get your 'chingu-mingus'? I'll come along." HELL NO! Stay out of my underwear at least!

I decided to go lingerie shopping. For only the second time in my life, did I buy some for myself.

I did some research online even as family members were omnipresent with their advice. "Buy Lovable. They're a little costly but very comfortable. Get a few lace ones and a few bikini types as well. Not that you're gonna need them much". Errrr. OK.

I looked at the SHOPPER'S STOP website and found brands JOCKEY and LOVABLE have almost the same rates. I did wear JOCKEY previously, but only the sports bra. Now, I was supposed to buy something more feminine. Sigh.

Went to the JOCKEY store and the lady asks if I have tried JOCKEY previously. I replied in the affirmative. Then she asked me to try a few if I wanted. I was shell shocked. Who tries undergarments before buying them?

Apparently they do. Now, I've never known that. Sheesh. It'll be at the back of my mind now that the bra that I'm wearing had been tried on by someone else previously. Ewwwww.

I got two JOCKEYs for myself. And a few JOCKEY panties which are still neatly packed. I need to buy more, says the bride's mother.

One question now.

Is there a separate wedding lingerie as well?

H-E-L-P!

A pause. And we go again.

Bride-to-be was unhappy until a few days ago. There was a death in the family.

Shopping had to be put on hold for a few days until the mourning period. That is not why she was unhappy. Losing someone precious is always very hard. So it was. But then, we figure out, Life DOES move on.

There won't be much to write about today's shopping expeditions. Except for the fact that we bought 21 sarees. And spent close to 22k on then.

I never knew my folks had that kind of money. Shit.

Until the next blog people.

May the bereaved soul rest in peace.

Oh Holy Mother Virgin Mary!!!

Circa March 2010

Hostel Room, a college in Chennai

Roomie: Are you a Virgin?

Me: What do you think?

Roomie: I think you're not.

Me: Then I'm not.

Roomie: Tell Na!!! Are you?

Me: What do you think?

Roomie: You are! You are a virgin. Where could you possibly have had the time. You are.

Me: Then I am.

Puzzled roomie.

What seems to be the problem here Me-lord? Whose virginity is it anyways?

The Bride diaries continue.

Cards and Bilinguals

So the preparations are on . FULL SWING. No Kidding.

Today was the make-a-list-of-long-forgotten-relatives-with-weird-sounding-names-from-even-weirder-places-day.

I just read names such as Babua, Babban, Bachchan (Not Amitabh. Nor Abhishek. And definitely no Aishwarya) in the diary handed down by local relatives. As is the case, when there is a wedding in the family, someone definitely has the names of these super-extended family members and their addresses to boot. Today was the day I sorted that out and to ensure that no one is forgotten (even if you had conveniently ignored their existence for the last couple of years, weddings are the time you call on everyone from Pimpri to Palau. Coz we are Indians. We are like that only).

I don't get this concept at all. Why invite people you hardly know or even met? Or even heard your parents talk about? Why Why Why? It is like a feast and people want to be invited even if they won't come. Damn!

So, the cards have to be sent out sometime in the first week of May. I am just about beginning to write the matter that needs to be printed on them. The English one is done (Angrez kahin ki as mum would want to label me. Not my fault you sent me to an English Medium school where we were reprimanded for speaking in our mother tongues). I'm struggling with the Hindi one and Mum asks me to look at the old cards that we've received.

Looked at them. Sigh. I'm ashamed to say that even with a score of 90+ in Hindi during my graduation, I don't understand what the card is all about.

Something something 'Maangalik'. I freak out and ask if it means the same Maangalik, that inauspicious omen that we hear about so much in the TV serials. Mum says it means something good and all wedding cards have them. I cross check four others to find similar text. Relief. I now proceed to write the Hindi part of the text. Since my folks want a bilingual card. Sigh. If I'd have it my way, I'd just write:

Dearest All,

I'm getting hitched to my lover-boy. Please come and visit us on June 20th, 2010 to stuff your faces with good food and please don't suggest inappropriate stuff such as "Oh! You roamed around naked in my house when you were a kid". Of course you'll come, No? It's a SUNDAY.

Come watch us get hitched. And someone, please remember to feed us.

Love,

Bride-to-be.

If only it was that simple.

Ok. Back to the cards now.

P.S: Most 'Maarwadi' cards I've seen haven't mentioned names of the women of the house. Apart from the bride that is. SAD. Why is that?? Phhhhbbbbttt!!!!

Ten days to 24

Eh!

Just realized I'll be Twenty four in Ten days. So, what's the big deal? Eh?

College just got over and I've come back taking an early break: FOR SHOPPING.

I didn't really bother with placements knowing that no one would hire me if I told them I'll start working only in July: After the wedding and the Honey-sun-moon-stars are all done and over with.

Oh. Sorry. I didn't really introduce myself.

I'm a bride-to-be. That's what everyone insists on calling me these days. "Dulhan". Heh. Right.

They tend to forget that I have a name, which incidentally means 'Remembrance'. Heh. That's that. And I'm (correction: WILL BE. As on my 24th Birthday) a Post Graduate Diploma Holder in Journalism. Like I wanted to do that. Believe me. If you want to write for the love of writing, Journalism is a bad idea. As far as I see it, IT IS.

The thing is: The purpose of this blog is:

The wedding preparations are driving me crazy. It is always a lot more fun being a part of other weddings in the family. Definitely NO FUN, when it is your own and you seem to be worrying about the minutest of details.

So here world. My worries and trials and irksomeness are yours. For the next few months.

And Oh. Less than 2 months to go. For the day I marry my best friend and my love.

Here goes:

THE CONFESSIONS OF A BRIDE-T0-BE