No Guest Needed

This year my wedding season started early, with two weddings in the first quarter. I attended both of these weddings alone as I had no regular interest to drag along. Call me crazy, but I think I’m getting better at attending them solo. In fact, I think I’ve even hit upon some perks of being a single lady at a wedding.

Take the dancing. As a single I don’t have to cajole my date into slow dancing with me. I can count on one hand the number of married friends I have whose husbands willingly dance with them at any type of event, including weddings, and yet I do not have one single girlfriend who does not want her husband to dance with her. At every event. With no date I simply sidestep this time honored tradition.

I get to dance, though, because as a single I’m a prime target for men, young and old, who want to show off their moves. Yes, I had a very awkward time teaching the very drunk co-worker of the groom how to polka, but I also found out that with just a smidgen of encouragement the bride’s step dad was a wonderful dancer.

Who you’re sitting with can be a toss up whether you’re with guest or not so that’s sort of a wash, but in general as a single I can socialize at my own pace. Most weddings I attend are for friends I’ve known for years. I know folks from both the bride and groom’s sides, and I often know family. Not having to ensure my date is involved in engaging conversation means I can engage myself however and with whomever I please.

And then there's the financial aspect... a wedding is an expensive date! As a single my wedding gift represents me, instead of myself and my plus one. It’s cheaper, yes, but it always feels a little odd to give more at a wedding when I've brought a guest (who isn't - and shouldn't be - contributing financially).

Yep, there’s a lot of great reasons to attend a wedding solo, whether you have a steady boyfriend or not. I can still eat two pieces of cake, though, right?