A Single's Guide to Wedding Season

The buds on the trees are emerging, and the temperature daily is beginning to rise, and we all know what that means; allergies and weddings are two constants sure to come every year. As we move ever so swiftly into that season, it can feel daunting for a single person. Be prepared ahead of time so you can make the best of it, and you might just end up having a good time along the way.

Don’t Overthink It

When you are in a season of singleness, it is easy to overthink and allow anxiety to take hold, especially when attending a celebration entirely centered around marriage. It is important to remember you’re not the only one, and it’s okay to be single. We often find ourselves hyper-focused or overthinking something about ourselves or our lives that we wish was different, but most of the time, it is not something everyone else considers when they think of you. You are more than your relationship status, and the right people recognize that. They see you for your strengths, accomplishments, and all you have overcome in your life. A ring on your finger does not define your worth or value, so don’t be led astray into overthinking it.

You Are Right Where You Ought to Be

You are exactly where you need to be on your own timeline. Consider how when popcorn is made, all the kernels begin heating at the same place simultaneously, and the heat is added at the exact same time, but they pop at different times, not all at once. In the same way, we are each on our own journey and path, and milestones like marriage do not always occur at the same time. Just because your time has not come yet does not mean it is not coming. Perhaps this season is one where your career is the focus, or maybe God is cultivating something in you right now that you’ll be thankful for later on. You are right where you need to be, and when the time is correct, the Lord will open the door to relationship and marriage in His timing. Trust the timing of the Lord and the timing of your own life.

Don’t Feel Pressured

Weddings, unfortunately, can make us feel the heat that we need to settle and take what is easily obtained, but there is no need to make a lasting choice for a momentary pressure. You will never regret waiting for what you know in your heart to be the very best God had to offer, but you will regret pulling the rip-chord too soon and making a rash decision to settle. For some of us, weddings can help us realize that we are ready for marriage and the plunge of commitment, but that is far different than settling; it is realization. What is imperative to recognize is that even though everyone around is getting married and starting families, you want to marry the right person at the right time, not the easiest yes in the quickest amount of time. Don’t feel the pressure to settle but keep in beat with what God has for you in the rhythm of your own life’s song.

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Squad Up

Another solid tried and true tactic for surviving wedding season is ensuring you have a good crew to go along with. If you have a plus one, inviting someone you know will make the day better can be helpful, or planning ahead of time with invited friends that you will stick together can make the day a better experience. There is an excitement of getting all dolled up and seeing people you have experienced so much life with and cultivating yet another new memory with them. See this as an opportunity to appreciate life being lived, for it is a day in which God is blessing the union of two souls. It is also a day that is truly for living and living abundantly. After enduring years of plague, we finally see life being lived again and the joy that comes from that. So, make a plan with your friends that you will make it a day spent together and enjoyed. Even make plans to get ready together or grab a coffee morning of; there is so much that can be gleaned from the day if you make a choice to.

Remember Today Is About Your Friends

It is important to keep in mind that it is really their day. Whether you are at a wedding for a friend or family member, the day isn’t about you. It is fine and understandable to have your feelings about your own life, but at the end of the day, the wedding is about the bride and groom and their commitment and vow to God and each other. It is a gift and honor that you get to participate in and witness such an event. So perhaps take the nod of instead of worrying about your own life, you ask yourself how you can make that day all that it can be in your own power and ability to glorify God and celebrate the couple getting married. They have been in your shoes before of waiting in the audience, so celebrate that their “someday” has, at last, become “today.” They might return the favor one day by celebrating your special day.

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Have Fun and Try for The Bouquet

Also, remember that you are completely allowed to have fun and enjoy the day. Focus on reconnecting with old friends and family members, especially after not seeing many people due to COVID. If you feel the courage to do so, introduce yourself to new faces. You never know who you might just meet. Lastly, try for that bouquet toss. My mother and father met at my uncle’s wedding, and I am a firm believer in the blessed bouquet toss. Without even trying, my mom caught my aunt’s bouquet and, that very day, met my father at the reception. She wondered to herself why her brother had not introduced her to his friend, Glen, but was thankful that a wedding could be the venue to connect them both. I am here today because two people decided to attend a wedding and introduce themselves to a good-looking stranger. The bouquet is just some icing on the cake of a sweet story. So, enjoy yourself and try to have a good attitude. You never know what God might have in store.

Wedding season can be filled with such a mix of emotions. For singles, it has the threat of being a reminder of loneliness and longing for their time to come, but it is also an opportunity to have a positive attitude toward what is now and what can be in the future. Be open to the possibilities of all the good that can come and take on the heart of asking God to bless your future spouse and all that will lead up to your own very special day.