I was not planning to have a Beauty and the Beast Themed Wedding, until I saw these invitations. It was probably my biggest splurge aside from the food. Aren't they just beautiful?
The inside of the invitation reads : Love has the power to transform us. Boy, does it ever. Maybe not in the way the beast transformed, but I think there is a greater transformation that happens with true love: You want to be a better person. At least, I do. I feel so unworthy of the love I've been given that each day I strive better to be more deserving of the love I've already received.
In commentary of the 2nd edition of Disney Beauty and The Beast It's explained that the writers of the story struggled for a while of deciding who the story belongs to: Belle, or the The Beast? When based off the old tale, It's clear to see the hero (or heroine as it may be) is Belle. She learns the true beauty is on the inside. Only when Beast is on his death bed that she realizes it.
As the story developed for the animators and writers at Disney, they introduced new characters (such as Mrs. Potts and Cogsworth), new scenarios (such as Gaston, and Belle's love of books), and twists (such as the enchantress an the rose). With all the changes the viewer's attachment shifted from Belle to the Beast. He learns to love, firstly, but also learns how to treat others with respect (as Belle demands this), and change his behaviors. But what I'm most attached to is something some people fail to realize about Beast.
I didn't realize until a visit to Disneyland where I finally met Belle (in her yellow gown) for the first time. (You know that Disney does intense Character development in these cast members; they have extensive knowledge on who the character is, and how they will act). In our short conversation, I told the cast member that we (my husband and I) are newlyweds. She responded with "You know, Beast has not asked me to marry him yet."
I honestly didn't know what to say; so I scoffed "Oh he's probably just in a bad mood."
She responds "No, he's just really shy, he doesn't mean to seem so put off."
It really made me rethink the entire character in the movie. Suddenly it occurred to me that Beast was never mean, he just didn't know any other way of provoking loyalty other than fear. His demanding Belle to come down to dinner was not because he is bossy, but because he was afraid a request would end in rejection (which it did, but only because Belle did not understand the roots of his behavior either), so he only knew how to demand. I understand his character now, and I have an explanation for every irrational thing he does.
This is beast's story, not of his physical transformation, but his behavioral/emotional transformation.
The musical version transformed the story once again. Beast once again learns how to love, but this time, Belle goes through a transformation of her own. With her head filled with daydreams and fairytale pinning, Beast teaches her that real love takes work but its far better than any fairytale. At the end, when Beast lay dying on the floor, Belle sings "Home" reprise, expressing to him how he has changed her. Belle finally embraces reality as her dream and casts away her pinning for a fairytale.
This speaks volumes to me as I can relate it to my own life: Being the daydreamer and fairytale enthusiast, I only came down to reality when someone (i.e. m husband) showed me real love is better than a fairytale. Love can transform you. That's why this is the greatest love story ever. It feels real.
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