As a single woman nearing a milestone birthday, many of my friends didn’t understand how I ended up agreeing to model a wedding gown in a bridal expo this past April.

To be honest, I probably didn’t think it through completely. It wasn’t until I shared the news with my mother that it really hit me.

“Oh my gosh. You’ll be wearing a WEDDING GOWN? Do you think you’ll cry when you see yourself in it?” she said.

“It’s not like it’s MY wedding gown, Mom. I’m just modeling it,” I said.

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it was a big deal for me. And so did my mother, who lives in Atlanta and jumped on a deal for a cheap flight to town. And as word spread, two of my cousins and a girlfriend also made plans to attend the expo.

“I think I’m going to cry,” my Mom said. Oh geez, Mom.

Then on a Sunday morning in April, the day went along the lines of how I assume a wedding day would go.

I woke up early and met the models at the hotel to have our hair and makeup done. We put on our bridal gowns or bridesmaids dresses (we each modeled two or three dresses during the show) and laughed and joked until it was time to walk down the runway.

Never attending a bridal expo before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The hall in the BWI Four Points Sheraton was filled with all types of vendors from photographers to disc jockeys to bakeries—everything a wedding would need all in one place.

I can see the benefit of brides and grooms going to an expo like the one held at the Sheraton, and if I ever plan a wedding I would most likely try to find one to attend.

Once we were dressed and dolled up, I wandered through the vendors with my fellow models—the lovely Melanie Karner and Jessica Taylor. We sampled desserts, looked at photographs and posed for pictures taken by Ken Rochon of The Umbrella Syndicate. A glass or two of champagne also may have been consumed.

Then it was show time.

And there I was, hair and makeup impeccably done by the extremely talented Kristen Foster of Kristen Foster Hair Artistry, in a beautiful Maggie Sottero gown from Pizazz Wedding Boutique and preparing to walk the runway.

I stood in the doorway, arm-in-arm with my escort, Michael Mellor, waiting for Carol Boyer of the Northern Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce to announce us.

To be honest it was all pretty surreal.

While I’ve been in the bridal party for my share of weddings, I’ve never had the experience of walking down the aisle—or runway—in a white gown with all eyes on me.

And luckily no tears were shed—by my mother or by me.

I may not have had my big day yet, but I definitely felt like a bride for a day.