Why Say Yes to the Dress is the ultimate guilty pleasure

Actually, I want you to believe that on my day off I only do culturally responsible (or extremely tidy) things. My built-in alarm clock would wake me up at eight o'clock for a run along the Vecht, at eleven o'clock I would buy a ticket at the counter of the Rijksmuseum for the latest exhibition of a famous and acclaimed artist and for lunch I slurp down a haute cuisine oyster at a responsible place. Ideally, I would also wander through some lectures... But, that's not really the case.

From Monday to Friday, I do occasionally immerse myself in some literary works or cultural highlights, but sometimes I just want to do as little as possible. What do I do then? I shop online and watch mindless TV. The advantage of these two activities is that I can do them at the same time. Old multitasker that I am, yes. When I have such a day planned for myself, I am only truly, truly, truly satisfied if there is a marathon of Say Yes to the Dress on TLC. My absolute biggest guilty pleasure. I prefer the one from Kleinfeld, but I also spin with the Canadian, British, Big Beauty, or Dutch version. Let me explain to you what is so enjoyable about it, because it is almost anthropological. Almost.

1. First of all, there is a wedding and that usually indicates love. The wedding is therefore also a mandatory happy day. Feel good TV guaranteed. Here By the way, some tips for when you are a guest yourself, because that is also a challenge.

2. You can freely express your opinion without anyone feeling offended. They can't hear it anyway. So if that Southern girl (that's really what they call it) in her cowboy boots and a little too much roll over the strapless ensemble chooses a crazy dress, you can say something about it out loud. It's allowed.

3. It requires hardly any attention, because every episode has the same principle. Bride is getting married, bride is looking for a dress, bride tells personal story, bride seems unable to find a dress, tadaaa: bride finds dress. Nothing more, nothing less. You can comment with disgust on dress 1 and 2, and with dress 3 it’s all sorted. Efficient as well.

4. While trying on dresses, you can glean the dynamics of family members and friends. They range from hostile to too intimate. You also occasionally have a stray, jealous sister who disapproves of every dress because her guy hasn't gotten down on one knee yet. And from the cool, icy mother, your toes curl up spontaneously under your fleece blanket (a requirement for this kind of marathons, even if it's above 20 degrees).

5. Sometimes you suddenly get the revelation of a bridezilla as a bonus in SYTTD. The bride who pops up like a Cruella among the tulle and cannot be hidden by any veil. Then you shift to the edge of the couch, because that is the cherry on the bridal cake. Entertainment all around and pity for the groom.