Lessons You Learn Watching All Your Friends Get Married

Lessons You Learn Watching All Your Friends Get Married ©iStock/svetikd

By the time you hit your late 20s, you have so many weddings to attend that your weekend plans are booked for the next year. Yep, your friends are getting married and settling down with the loves of their lives (or at least that’s the idea). If you’re still blissfully (or perhaps miserably) single and unacquainted with the joys of walking down the aisle, there are plenty of lessons to be learned as you watch everything go down.If you’re still blissfully (or perhaps miserably) single and unacquainted with the joys of walking down the aisle, there are plenty of lessons to be learned as you watch everything go down.

  1. You finally see that true love is real. Whatever that secret ingredient that is that makes a love true, you’ve seen it, and you can tell who really has it because you’ve also seen couples that just don’t.
  2. You’re pretty great at giving moving speeches. You practically pulled out your hair writing the damn thing, but by the time it came to deliver that maid of honor speech, you totally killed it, and you feel a little proud of yourself.
  3. Things usually come together how they’re supposed to. Like relationships, but also like floral arrangements and travel plans. Things just work out (and sometimes they don’t, but life goes on anyway).
  4. Weddings are way too expensive. They’re expensive to have, and expensive to attend — sometimes so much that you’ll have to break your promise to yourself to never ask your parents for money, because you have to go, whether you can afford it or not.
  5. You realize how many amazing friends you really have. Getting everyone in one place for a friend’s wedding is really something when the people are awesome and the friendships are good.
  6. Some people disappear when they get married. You’ve heard it, but until you witness it, there’s nothing weirder than seeing the biggest party animal you know move to the suburbs and vanish the second she gets married.
  7. Some people don’t change just because they’ve exchanged vows. Then there are friends you prematurely mourn the loss of when they get engaged, but they prove you wrong and never even waver from being the same person you’ve always known and loved.
  8. Weddings are stressful. It doesn’t matter how peaceful a union is, a wedding will bring out the complicated plans and the complicated family members, guaranteed.
  9. You never get used to the questions about your own dating life. But you might figure out some good ways to get around them without too much awkwardness.
  10. People get married for all kinds of reasons. Growing up, you had one idea about what marriage was, but then you notice that some people get married simply for money, for sperm, or out of pressure.
  11. The loyal men in your life stand out. When you have plus-ones to fill, it’s pretty easy to sort through the guys who are really there for you and those who definitely aren’t.
  12. Professionals don’t always know best. Half the time you get your makeup done to be in a wedding, you’ll have to sneak away for some touch ups/wipe offs to look right before it’s go time.
  13. Marriage alone does not a happy person make. You watch your girls get married and then watch them cry a couple months later because reaching such a milestone doesn’t magically fix emotional issues that were there before.
  14. People compare weddings. You learn that wedding guests judge the most minute details about weddings, but that people are also naturally judgey and they have a great time regardless of what their first impressions are.
  15. You’re kind of a romantic. At the end of the day, seeing your friends get married makes you want to get married, even if you’re nowhere near ready now. You can tell by the happy tears and full heart.
Kate Ferguson is a Los Angeles local and freelance writer for a variety of blog and magazine genres. When she's not writing, the UC Davis graduate is focused on pursuits of the entertainment industry, spin class, and hot sauce. Look for article links, updates, (and the occasional joke) on Twitter @KateFerg or @WriterKateFerg, or check out her personal blog ThatsRandomKate.blogspot.com
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