Unsure about when to use the term "The Bride"

I call myself the bride!! Technically, she isn't the bride anymore anyway. Her wedding is over. She is just a wife now.

Any vendors that I speak with ask if I am the bride.

I always got that confused with bride-to-be. I think that's what we are considered as engaged ladies.

But I also thought you were only a bride the day of.

I don't know, I don't call myself a bride, period. lol

I've never even thought of this, but for curiosity's sake I consulted a dictionary, which said a bride is "a newly married woman or a woman about to be married."

On the other hand, I had a 14 month engagement and from Day 1, family, friends, and vendors were referring to me as "the bride" or "bride-to-be."

I agree, it sounds like someone had a bug up her butt. Call yourself whatever you like!

I agree with FutureMrsWatson. She definitely isn't a bride anymore. She was the bride and now she's a married woman.

Haha, this is kind of funny. I'm on the same page as you. I had assumed we were brides until the day after the wedding. Then we are wives.

I believe there's some ancient society "rule" that you are a "bride" through the first year of marriage.

I guess it depends on the context. I wouldn't have walked up to someone and been like "Hi, I'm Stephanie, John's bride!" but in vendor meetings and such, yes, I was "the bride"

I think your friend is wayyyy overreacting.

She is a wife now. You are a bride.

From Webster's dictionary online:

bride

noun \ˈbrīd\

: a woman who has just married or is about to be married

Ya'll aren't gonna believe it it wasn't a friend it was my mother... (& he was married in 1994) Of all people.

I just wanted to be clear (If a store asks who the bride is, I say myself ya know, it makes sense) but just to save any additional drama, I think if anyone asks or I have to call myself by my title, I will stick to "Bride-To-Be" & I will gladly change it to wife April 12..

Thank you all for the input, I just didn't want to say Bride if that wasn't correct.

That girl needs to chill, she's taking this way too seriously. I am referred to as "the bride" all the time. During your engagement and you're newly married stage (honeymoon, first couple weeks, etcetera...) I thinks it's perfectly appropriate. Your friend is a wife. She doesn't seem to like that term which is odd cause I'm very excited to be called a wife.

OMG your mom needs to chill. Does she expect to be called "the bride" at your wedding too? Maybe before the ceremony? UGH.

@futuremrslav I hope not... Idk if my mom has regrets that have been lurking all this time about her own wedding, but she makes me want to leave her out of everything b/c she is being very difficult (& I don't understand, we have always been really close & gotten along very well). At this point with 40-something days to go, I'm just appeasing her so she actually shows up @ our wedding (I'm pretty sure she is going to find a way to skip out on both the showers...

Ugh, that stinks. I'm choosing to leave my mom out of everything, and she's pouting about it and trying to make everyone feel bad for her. Funny thing is, she said some really nasty things to FH and has given me article print outs about marrying the wrong person, so have a hard time believing she supports the marriage. She's just mad she doesn't get to plan a party. Sorry-- can't have it both ways!

Ok, that's weird! Your mother is no longer the bride - she WAS a bride, but now she is definitely a wife. Or the mother of the bride!

Ugh, I'm sorry your mom is being difficult. I don't know why anybody would care when a woman starts/stops calling herself the bride. In reference to your wedding, you are absolutely the bride. And sometimes even married women are referred to as their husband's bride, even after years of marriage. Whenever a woman considers herself 'the bride', it doesn't take anything away from any other woman or 'bride', so who cares. Your mom needs to chill.

I knew a sweet old couple married for over 50 years. The husband always referred to her as his bride.

Is there nothing else to think about?

Agreed, you're the bride (especially when discussing with vendors, etc), and she's a wife! And really call yourself whatever you want!! People already refer to me as "the wife", I only freaked out at people if they said it around BF (at the time) prior to him proposing. I didn't want him to feel pressured.

I didn't start calling myself "the bride" until closer to the wedding. At the rehearsal dinner I introduced myself as "the bride". It sounds weird using it after you are married. At that point yor are "the wife". "The bride" is the term used a short while before your wedding and then during your wedding.

I have never heard someone correct me on that. I am the bride, when it comes to this wedding. I'm not A BRIDE everyday. But when it comes to talking about the wedding in general yes I am. When you walk into a bridal salon they ask "And who is the bride?" they don't say "And who is the female party getting married in about a year?" So dumb.

YOU ARE THE BRIDE! and don't let this girl tell you you are not!