The wedding gown is the height of meaningful symbolism in marriages. Brides-to-be come to bridal gown shops full of hope. Their chosen gown is seen as an opportunity for happiness – a symbolism of the transition from single life into a married happily ever after. As Sheryl Paul wrote in The Conscious Bride: “The wedding dress symbolizes both the untouchable purity of a princess and the regal perfection of a queen.” It is understood that on a woman’s wedding day, she wants to feel like a princess. A woman sees her special day as a time when she can be transformed and “elevated to a spiritual state.” At this point, “the wedding dress ceases to be merely an object that will help make her ‘look perfect’ but rather can be utilized as an amulet to assist her during her rite of passage.”