"For me, it was just about creating what I always imagined," recalled Nissen, of Downingtown.
"I don't know if I was thinking, 'Oh, I want to be a princess.' But I think my vision of a bride is princess-like."
Whose isn't, really? Being Cinderella-for-a-day is a seductive fantasy regardless of a woman's age, background or even the number of times she's been married. When 48-year-old Judith Nathan became the third wife of presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani, she donned a sparkling tiara. Even for self-aware brides such as Nissen, who consciously resisted going full throttle, the princess mystique remains a powerful lure simply because it's so embedded in girl culture.
It's not our fault. Women are fed a steady diet of "Cinderella," "Snow White" and "Sleeping Beauty" from birth. In the fairy tales we are read and see on TV and in the movies, the princess is always beautiful - the fairest in the land, actually. She lives in a castle and wears a gorgeous gown. And she always lives happily ever after with her handsome Prince Charming by her side. This mythology is pervasive.
There's even a term for it - "princess culture." There are princess-themed birthday parties. Girls carry backpacks and lunch boxes with princesses on them. They dress up as princesses for Halloween.
Much of this is harmless fun, especially when you're talking about little girls. For many, it's just a happy make-believe phase. Indulgent mothers throw parties for them at Little Fairy Godmothers Princess Fantasy Place & Boutique, in Glenside. Partygoers get their hair styled, rub a little fairy lotion on their hands, receive a VIP princess bracelet and play games such as "The Grand Duke is Coming to Town."
