Weddings

I remember when I used to dream of a big church wedding. A plethora of flowers and lights would surround me. It would be the most perfect day of my life. My true love would promise to cherish me forever and we would ride off into the sunset in a horse drawn carriage. Okay, I was like 13, and at the time it seemed very possible. It's amazing how things change. Now, I guess when and IF the right guy ever comes along, I think I'd like to elope. Seriously. My friends don't believe me, but after watching my brother plan his wedding, the fairytale wedding has lost it's luster.

Being single,weddings in general are no longer made of dreams, but of nightmares. It starts when you're asked to participate in the wedding. If you're close enough to the bride or groom you're asked to fork over a lot of cash that you probably don't have, to purchase something YOU WOULD NEVER WEAR IN PUBLIC. You get to be in charge of planning and or hosting things like Bachlor/Bachlorette parties, and wedding showers. More time and money. Then after the wedding, you're usually the ones stuck cleaning up the sticky cake and punch off the tables, getting the gifts to the happy couples new place and staying til the last wierd relative leaves the premises. Of course all of this is done in your snazzy new outfit that you have just worn for the first and LAST time.

If you're NOT close to the couple, you get stuck doing something like serving cake or punch or my personal favorite, guest book duty. What is that about anyway? I mean..I think it's pretty self explanatory. So that lucky person ends up standing there doing nothing and feeling very awkward as a sea of people that they don't know pass by and stare. Then comes the reception. That's a whole new nightmare as you know. Aunt's who keep trying to set you up with random people in the room that look even more desperate than you are. Grandma's who want to know when YOU'RE getting married. Cousins who help to push you out into the middle of the room against your will, when it comes time for the dreaded toss of the bouquet. There really is not much to look forward to, unless there's some good food or something. That is of course if you even get to eat between explanations of why you're not married, engaged or dating. All this has left a rather nasty taste in my mouth about anything to do with the "W" word. Now, I can hear my friends all saying something like.."You'll change your mind when you're on the other side of it." Although I think it's highly unlikely, I refuse to say never for fear of yet again being wrong about something in my life. However, I will guarantee you that there will NOT be a horse drawn carriage.