Wedding season is upon us yet again. It’s time for all those couples whose engagement announcement you ‘liked’ on Facebook to actually take the plunge. You have probably already given in and sent back the RSVP without checking that little ‘plus one’ box. Because let’s face it, your prospects weren’t looking too good, and it’s infinitely worse to have to call up the bride a week before the wedding and tell her you will be flying solo after all. But before you resign yourself to a depressing evening of sipping wine at your empty table while all the couples are off having a great time, try to remember why going dateless can be awesome. Need a hand? Read on.
No awkward introductions
So you scrambled to find a guy, any guy, who would be willing to give up a perfectly lovely Saturday to attend a wedding full of people he’s never met, with you. You really had to sell it (open bar! free meal!), and you finally talked some poor sucker into it. Now, especially if it is a family wedding, how are you going to explain to your Great Aunt Sue who your plus one is? “He’s just a friend” doesn’t really fly with the older generation. They are guaranteed to be picking out your future children’s names by the end of the night. Why put yourself through that at all? If you show up single, there might be the inevitable, “haven’t you found a boyfriend, yet?” questions, but at least you won’t be getting your grandmother’s hopes up for the future of her great-grandmother status.
Pictures are forever
Do you really want to be flipping through the wedding photos a couple months from now, only to be stopped dead by an awkward photo of you and your date? He’s probably on his fourth rye and ginger by now, and you are pretty much sick of his presence at this point. And you know that he’s the dude in every photo that people are pointing at and going, “who’s that guy?” Chances are you don’t even speak anymore, but now there is immortal photo evidence that you were once so desperate for a date, that you brought that guy to a family function.
You can dance to that terrible Backstreet Boys song without shame
If you don’t know your date very well, you might not be comfortable letting loose on the dance floor like you would if you were alone. Although, that is what the open bar is for. Anyway, if you can’t dance to all the nineties music your cousin insisted the DJ play, then what is the point of going to this wedding at all? How often do you get to perform your eighth grade rendition of the Backstreet Boys music video dance to “Everybody”? You don’t want to let this opportunity go to waste.
The hookup possibilities are endless
If you had a date, there would be no flirting with the cute best man. There would be no dancing with the groom’s charming childhood friend. You would have to spend all your time with your date, whether you wanted to or not. Because you can’t invite a guy to a wedding, and then ditch him. That’s just not nice. Who knows, maybe your soul mate sucked it up and went to that wedding solo, and you won’t even be able to talk to him because you are stuck with your default “need a date at the last minute” guy you don’t even really like that much. Okay, maybe that is pushing it, but you get the point.
Be the social butterfly
Weddings are full of people you haven’t seen in awhile. And people you have just met. You could make a new friend. Or reconnect with a cousin you used to be close with when you were kids. Or you could find out your aunt’s new husband has connections in your field, and would love to help you out in your job search. Instead of sitting at your table being anti-social with the date you thought you needed, why not get out there and have a good time celebrating someone else’s big day. There will be plenty of time to go on bad dates next weekend.
