When it comes to love, I am hopelessly romantic. I believe that love enhances our lives in so many rich ways. To borrow from Maya Angelou, “Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.”

We are all deserving of love, no matter the age. When I turned 50, I dreamed of writing a bridal book that would inspire women marrying at midlife to be their most radiant selves on their wedding days. I noticed that instead of feeling pure joy about getting married, many brides were distracted with a number. They felt that they had to dress a certain way because of their age, but why should society dictate the way a woman dresses because she is past a certain age? That's just ageist and lacks romance! I wholeheartedly agree with bridal designer Ines Di Santo who says, “Age does not define the bride. The term 'age-appropriate' is a myth.” So, I thought, what if I asked some of the world's most famous designers to turn their attention to the over-50 bride? How could they inspire her? How could I inspire her?

In 2017, I published the first edition of Ageless Bride, the book of my dreams. In this progressive book, I asked beloved designers, including Vicky Tiel, Ines Di Santo, Isaac Mizrahi, Betsey Johnson, Zac Posen, Angel Sanchez, Ellen Christine and Guo Pei (among others) to share their fantasy looks for the over-50 bride. What astounded me is how game they all were; each was very devoted to reminding the midlife bride that she is indeed ageless in every sense of the word.

In July 2023, a 2nd edition of Ageless Bride was published including two new chapters, one of which shows 21 real life over-50 brides sharing their love stories and wedding day photos as a testimony that love is indeed ageless. The book is sold exclusively at the online store of Barnes & Noble at www.barnesandnoble.com

It's important to note that this book is not a practical guide for the ageless bride. Instead, it goes beyond the dress. I wrote Ageless Bride to be a source of inspiration and hope for the over-50 bride to find love and to rise above outdated, ageist rules. While the dress is significant, what is even more important is how she embraces the magic and romance of being a bride. She should allow herself to dream!

I envision the midlife bride as a woman who loves her age and is not limited by any rules. Let's be inspired together. Love is ageless, and so is the over-50 bride!