Pregnant Pause: Knocked-Up Brides Are In, Declares Reporter

It’s not exactly surprising that most people now accept a pregnant bride, and are willing to celebrate her big day, even with a baby bump. But is this a “trend”? And was it started by… J. Lo?

The New York Post somewhat strangely argues that pregnant brides are not only acceptable, but almost preferable. “I can’t remember the last time I went to a wedding with a bride who wasn’t preggo,” said a woman who has been to “dozens of weddings.” “My sister, my cousin, my friend. I’m actually jealous.” It’s not clear whether she is jealous of the bride for getting married, or for getting knocked up, but whatever, this is totally a thing:

Madsen is typical of a new breed of bride – older, educated, set in her career and family-ready . . . really ready. She’s part of a surge in weddings where the bride-to-be has a bun in the oven.

And how did this surge get started? Probably through all the ladies who saw Jennifer Lopez happily married with a kid on the way and thought I want that:

That’s the idea behind The Back-Up Plan, a new movie with the tag line “Fall in love. Get married. Have a baby. Not necessarily in that order.”

In the film, Jennifer Lopez plays Zoe, a New York professional who conceives twins through artificial insemination – and then meets Mr. Right the next day. Instead of bolting when he learns of her pregnancy, her new man announces he’s in it for the long haul.

While the shotgun-wedding trend has certainly been popular in Hollywood for the past few years – Jessica Alba, Amanda Peet, Julianna Margulies and Jennifer Garner all carried a baby bump down the aisle – this once-scandalous “situation” has become a trend that’s been, ahem, gestating in New York and nationally.

Donning white while walking around with the most visible sign one has “lost it” may be a new trend, but, as the Post helpfully reminds us, many moms aren’t married. The joyous inanity of this piece ends with some statistics that we can only assume were meant to be sobering. Births to unmarried women are up 27% since 2002. We’re not clear on whether brides with actual children are in, but maybe their moment will come next. Unwed mothers, get thee to a nunnery! Or at least, City Hall.