http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2008/07/24/botox_bride/print.html
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Catherine Price
Jul. 24, 2008 | The New York Times reports that instead of just getting the girls together for some prenuptial mani-pedi action, some brides are dictating more than the color of their bridesmaids' dresses. One woman reported on by the Times asked her bridesmaids -- not to mention her own mother and, yes, mother-in-law -- to join her at the aesthetician's for a beauty assessment and treatment plan, including chemical peels, wrinkle-filler injections and a multi-month series of Fraxel laser treatments to remove age spots. (The women also had mimosas and cupcakes, of course.) To quote the Times:
"For Ms. Knauer ... cosmetic interventions for herself and her entourage are as vital as the centerpieces or food. 'If I were 25 or 26 and getting married, a bracelet, necklace or matching earrings would be fine,' said Knauer, who is 35. But 'giving them something for themselves -- as opposed to something that they'll never wear again -- is more meaningful.'"
I personally don't think I'd want to prepare for a friend's marriage by having my beauty flaws pointed out to me by a trained professional -- but if the bridesmaids are excited about spending an evening sipping mimosas as Botox is injected into their foreheads, I guess that's their call. The really crazy stuff starts happening when a bride suggests that bridesmaids go under the knife. As the Times reports:
"Becky Lee ... declined when a friend asked her -- and five other attendants -- to have their breasts enhanced. 'We're all Asian and didn't have a whole lot of cleavage, and she found a doctor in L.A. who was willing to do four for the price of two,' said Ms. Lee, who wore a push-up bra instead."
-- Catherine Price