When Peter and I got engaged, I hoped planning the wedding would be easy and stress-free. I just wanted a day filled with love and good memories, no drama. But I couldn’t have been more wrong.
My mom, Susan, was very excited about our engagement—maybe a little too excited. Right from the start, she wanted to be part of every detail. She had opinions on everything, from the venue to the flowers. At first, I appreciated her help, but it soon became overwhelming.
As a kid, I wasn’t like other girls who dreamed about their weddings. All I ever pictured was that someday I’d get married and have cupcakes at the reception—that was it.
When it came time to plan my wedding, I knew I’d need my mom’s help. It was also her chance to plan a wedding because my parents never got married. They were dating when my mom found out she was pregnant, but my dad left before I was born.
“That’s all in the past, Nicole,” my mom said when we went dress shopping.
“And you’re happy now with Anthony?” I asked as she looked at two dresses that were more her style than mine. My mom was happy with Anthony, but I knew she still dreamed of her own wedding.
As we planned my wedding, she got really excited and wanted to help pick out everything—the flowers, cake, and table settings. “Mom,” I said gently as she looked through my wedding notebook, “you need to give me a little space.”
She nodded and smiled, which made me feel a bit guilty. But it worked—she gave me more space and only checked in with my wedding planner, Anna, for the final details.
On my wedding day, I felt excited as I got ready in my hotel room. I arrived at the church early to finish my hair and makeup. But when I walked into the bride’s room, I was stunned.
There was my mom, wearing a white wedding dress and holding shoes. “Mom? What’s happening?”
She grinned. “Isn’t it amazing? I got a call saying you wanted me to share the wedding with you. I was so surprised!”
“Who called you?” I asked, feeling light-headed. Her smile faded. “Your wedding planner,” she replied.
“Anna?” I asked, feeling confused. I called her immediately. She denied calling my mom but said her boss had asked for my mom’s number. “Who’s your boss?” I asked.
“Miranda James,” she replied. My heart sank. Miranda was Peter’s ex-girlfriend.
I rushed to find Peter, who was getting dressed. He frowned when he saw my expression. “What happened?” he asked. I told him everything. “Let’s go talk to her,” he said. We left the wedding planning to Anna and drove to Miranda’s office.
Miranda looked smug as we walked in. “Why?” Peter asked calmly.
“I thought it’d be a fun surprise,” Miranda smirked. She and Peter argued, and I decided to record a video explaining what she’d done. I posted it online, tagging our wedding vendors.
On the way back to the church, my phone blew up with comments. People were furious with Miranda. By the time I was about to walk down the aisle, her reputation was already damaged.
“Mom,” I said, turning to her. “I’m really sorry about all this.”
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” she said, brushing my hair back. “I should have known it was just a prank. Let’s get you married.” She handed me my bouquet and proudly walked me down the aisle.
The rest of the wedding went smoothly, thanks to Anna taking care of everything. While on our honeymoon, I started getting offers from other wedding planners offering to redo our day for free.
“You did say Miranda was a disgrace to the industry,” Peter joked as we relaxed on the beach.
“I’m not putting myself through another wedding,” he yawned.
“Me neither,” I laughed. “But I want to accept one of the offers—for my mom. She deserves the wedding she’s always dreamed of. We’ll just need to tell Anthony.”
Peter chuckled but saw I was serious. So, I secretly planned the whole thing with a new wedding planner, including all the details my mom loved.
On the big day, we invited everyone, pretending it was an anniversary party for my in-laws. When my mom arrived and saw what was really happening, she burst into tears, realizing it was her special day.
“This is for you,” I said, helping her into her dress. “It’s all for you.”
My mom smiled through her tears. It was finally her moment, and it brought us even closer.