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What It’s Like To Be Single At A Wedding

Watch the same wedding from the point of view of several different people, and each will look like a completely different wedding! The perspective of the bride, the groom, the parents, the best friends, the photographer, and the ring bearers will all be unique.

But differing perspectives can be a result of more than just your relation to the married couple. It can be a result of general relationship status.

Weddings are completely different affairs for single people than for dating or married individuals. The romantic vibes so evident at these beautiful occasions can be handled differently if you have a significant other to cuddle up to at the end of the night. If you are romantically attached to another, give the single people attending a wedding some love! And if you are single, know that you’re not alone! Below are the stages single people everywhere must endure during wedding season.

When you get the invitation

YAY!!! Your friend is getting married! You got invited! Weddings are beautiful affairs — even singletons can recognize that. Regardless of any negative experiences in the past, there is always a thrill of excitement upon receiving a wedding invitation. Married couples may begin to plan what marital advice they can pass on or what gifts will be most useful for the betrothed couple. Meanwhile, single invitees start planning out their diet and workout routines so that they can look their best for potential suitors also attending the wedding.

When you are getting ready

Okay, so maybe you didn’t stick to your diet and workout regime as faithfully as your initially intended. Hello stylish attire, pristine hair, and flawless makeup! As single wedding guests get ready for the big day, they try to imagine how the bride and groom feel at the same moment — either with jealousy or with a shudder.

During the ceremony

The ceremony is a time of beauty, love… and single people scoping out the competition. Yes, single guests still care about the sacred union being made in front of them. They may ever shed a tear. But they work overtime to get a handle of who’s at the wedding — who’s single, who’s got a plus-one, who’s married with kids, and so on.

Between the ceremony and reception

This is the first real moment of anxiety. While attached individuals can always count on their date as company, singles have to look out for themselves. Maybe you’ll be lucky and you know a lot of the other guests. But there’s a good chance the only people you know are in the bridal party… leaving you alone… forcing you to look like a loner, make awkward conversation, or hide in the bathroom until the reception begins.

Meal time

Food is a wonderful gift from God, a source of happiness to people all over the world. After a wedding ceremony and often lengthy wait until the reception begins, the stomachs of wedding guests start to grumble. While dating or married people can stuff their faces to their hearts’  content, single people are very aware of how much they are eating. If given a served meal, you are completely conscious of how quickly you are devouring your plate. If the reception has a buffet meal, you must fight the temptation to shovel the entire pan of green beans on your plate and instead opt for acceptable serving sizes.

Dance time

The music starts to play. The bride and groom invite all their guests to the dance floor. Even if you hate dancing, anything is better than sitting alone at the reception table. Singles could very well spend the whole night on the outskirts of the various dance circles. The first note of a slow song will send singles running for the bathroom, bar, or their cars.

If you are single and headed to a wedding, enjoy! Attending a wedding as a wedding isn’t all bad. Don’t stress. Don’t be worried about what others think. You be you. (You just might catch someone’s eye!)

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