All of wedding planning revolves around the pursuit of perfection. From finding the perfect dress to creating the perfectly coiffed updo to designing the ultimate tablescape, perfection is the modus operandi of wedding planning. As a lifelong perfectionist, I admit that I became somewhat “unhinged” during the two years of planning my wedding. I didn’t fall into bridezilla territory, but my underlying perfectionist tendencies most certainly were unleashed during this pivotal time.

Planning for the ceremony and reception required a million micro-decisions. Most of these decisions will have no lasting impact and will be forgotten in the long term. And yet, these micro-decisions still needed to be made. Should we have five rows of ceremony chairs or six? Should we set up wine glasses on the tables or at the bar? Should we have linen napkins folded around the dinner plates or next to them? My perfectionist brain felt like it was short-circuiting as it ping-ponged between options, trying to decide upon the most perfect one.

My pre-wedding beauty prep also had to be perfect. I booked a facial every month for a year prior, and then incorporated PRP microneedling and red light therapy as the wedding came closer. I had hair trials at the salon and then experimented with braided hairstyles myself when nothing seemed satisfactory. I invested in a giant box of Crest Whitestrips that I used religiously, and then had my teeth professionally whitened two shades lighter at the dentist’s office. I was laser-focused on perfecting every beauty detail.

My fiancé has done his fair share to be supportive, but it has been difficult for him to understand the intense pressure that brides are under. When you walk down that aisle, you are on display. Even though no one wants to admit it, every guest is judging you, from the veil on your head to the nail polish on your toes. And let’s not forget the pressure of having the most important day of your life immortalized in wedding photos. Imperfection was just not an option for me.

So you can imagine the horror on my face when I woke up one morning, only three weeks before my wedding, and looked in the mirror. A bright red rash was marching across my torso, leaving circular, itchy patches in its wake. My pre-wedding fitness routine had backfired. A giant box gym in the middle of August in South Florida was apparently the perfect breeding ground for ringworm. My super cute workout crop tops had led to direct skin contact with the gym’s sweaty weight machines and mats. It was a bride’s worst nightmare, especially for a bride like me who had a backless wedding dress! My pre-wedding beauty routine now includes twice-daily applications of Lotrimin antifungal cream. After two long weeks, the rash finally faded, thank-God.

With only five days until “I do,” I am now closer to my wedding than ever before. As I walk down that aisle, I intend to step into a new chapter of my life that doesn’t sweat the small stuff, even ringworm. As I let go of trying to be perfect, I get to marry a man who sees my authentic self and still loves me, imperfections and all. I vow to divorce perfectionism and embrace a new life together that is based on unyielding self-worth, love, and compassion. I am so excited to marry the love of my life.

love, Lexy