Love is in the air or is it Bridezilla?

love is in the air.....

It is the day after Valentine's.

Precious moments were savored and feelings are at a maximum high, and all in the name of LOVE. Between now and next month, there will be plans in motion.

Such as a new trip to take or discussions of creative proposal approaches will be in mind. February is the month where wedding proposals are at it's peak, social media will take precedence, and you will start seeing status changes and/or online pictures showing the size of rings on the excited brides to be.

As friends and family of a potential friend or daughter that recently got engaged....

You will ask yourself, is there a secret I should know about on how to handle my newly engaged friend or daughter?

It is that moment after the groom places the ring on her finger, "the fiancée” is struck with the worst virus that her family has ever seen.

"Fiancitis" is the term I have come to name this rare strain of virus. That even though it is not deadly, it grows and strengthens with time until the day after the wedding (literally).

It’s symptoms include; entitlement, untouchable, unbreakable, indestructible and many more. Most of you all know it as Bridezilla.

The virus grows and intensifies when planning is related, opinions and suggestions comes from the "mother;" who in this case has no clue what is happening or where her sweet daughter disappeared to.

The mother should be thrilled and excited at the prospect of the upcoming wedding and starts to concentrate on the where, how, and when. The father is dreaming of the day he will walk his daughter down the aisle and of course constantly wonder, “how much is all this going to cost?”

In the meantime, the "bride to be" walks on air, looking at her ring approximately 15 times a day. She is already walking down the aisle withought realizing the journey she is about to embark in.

Her list includes the dress, the venue, the flowers and lists and lists of things that she NEEDs to have, because it is the "most" important day of her life. She has to have it!

This is why insisting on the best of everything could be bringing out the worst in you.

As the planning starts, the virus grows. Symptoms intensify, tension, tears, fights, and always towards the mother. Every little detail can cause the fever to rise, whether the venue she loves is not available - or the dress is simply too expensive. Or what if the flowers are not in season? So, who is to blame? The mother.

The symptoms can come and go, soften a little, but they will remain until the day after. There is no cure but there are some possible vaccines to make the virus a little more bearable, especially for those close to her.

There are Fiancitis vaccines that are definitely not cheap, but should be included in the wedding budget.

• For the father who suddenly has to grow a larger wallet for all the "CAPRICHOS" that his daughter insists on having and yet he did not know these type of things event existed. He finds himself having more golf outings, fishing and a few nights out with buddies or looking at Sunday football as a way to get away from all the stress.

• For the mother, who will become a punching bag at the end of some days, will find herself adding a few extra sessions with the therapist, increasing her lunches with her special friends with kind ears and not to mention a series of spa days to relax after a hard day looking at everything that her "not spoiled "daughter has to have.

Siblings are definitely not left out. The groom is sometimes completely ignored or if the groom is involved in the last detail of the wedding? My sentiments.

As the day grows near, the fever is higher and the temperature has risen way beyond normal standards. Everyone surrounding her has to comply and be there for her. After all she IS getting married.

My tip or advise to those getting engaged to avoid the long life of the virus and it’s escalating fevers? Have a short engagement. A good wedding planner can have the wedding of your dreams in a short period of time.

I promise that the day after the wedding you will have your daughter back, the sweet daughter you raised, who looked at life with kindness and gratitude.