If you’re engaged, or thinking about popping the question, prepare to encounter a princess. I’m not talking about blue-blooded royalty; I’m talking about your girlfriend, who will soon be revisiting a part of her childhood that’s focused on tiaras, gowns and, of course, Prince Charming.
Even perfectly normal, balanced women harbour this fantasy somewhere deep in their hearts. It’s the reason she may sometimes hold you to an impossibly high standard, and it’s the reason that Disney has a wildly successful bridal line, “Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings”.
Yes, Disney. Excuse me while I throw up a little.
To be clear, not all women want to be princesses, least of all on our wedding day. Some of us can’t stand the whole traditional chivalry thing and outdated notions of virginal purity. Not to mention a materialism that is just scary. But the reason I mention this $3 billion mega-brand – an amalgamation all of Disney’s remotely princess-y characters, from Snow White to Ariel – is because it reveals the origins of all this. The princess fantasy is developed in childhood – largely thanks to Disney – and it never really goes away.
And why not? Who doesn’t love the idea of being treated like royalty? I prefer to live in the real world, but if your woman is like many others, I’ll say this: Indulge her for a little while. Acting like Prince Charming might do you some good.
Image courtesy of Ko An.
