Weddings are beautiful occasions. Seeing people you care about and love get married to their best friend and soul mate is so special. The food, the music, the wedding cake, the speeches, the dress, the confetti and the drunk dancing are all that make a wedding special. More often than not, you often see guests with their plus ones sitting together at tables during the wedding breakfast. But what about those who are at a wedding solo as a single guest?
Recently, I went to a close friend’s wedding, a friend who has been in my life for 12 years and who I adore. Beforehand, I was a little nervous about going. Not only was I going to be going as a single guest – but I only knew the bride, groom and the bride’s parents. That’s it. The other 76 guests were complete strangers to me. It’s actually more frightening than it sounds.
Like I said, prior to the wedding, I was a little anxious. Surprisingly, when I got there and after the ceremony, I felt a lot less nervous than when I arrived. I started talking to other guests, becoming acquainted with them and I instantly relaxed. I started to feel less awkward around others and just wanted to enjoy the occasion rather than fret over my self-consciousness. After all, a wedding is about the bride and groom, my best friend and her new husband, not myself.
I won’t lie, if you are ever going to attend a wedding solo, it’s a nerve-wracking experience at first. It’s anxiety-inducing, but please don’t let that stop you.
Here, I’ll share some tips I have learned from attending a wedding solo:
1) Do your research
I literally don’t mean stalk the guest list on Facebook by finding out if they’re dog lovers or how good they are at Wordle. Sometimes, you may know somebody mutually and you may be able to befriend them at the wedding. For example, I knew the names of the maid of honour and bridesmaids, so I knew them on a first-name basis prior to the big day. That was a massive help to start a conversation at the wedding breakfast.
2) Befriend the older generation
The best tip I can offer you here. I spoke and sat with my friend’s parents friend’s for most of the day and I enjoyed their company the most. As I was feeling a little unsure about myself, they made me feel at ease which helped massively. They told me the names of other guests and they were happy to chit-chat with me (I hope!).
3) Dress the part
I’m all for sustainability guys. However, I bought a new dress for the wedding as the other one I usually wear for weddings was a bit tatty and I needed something new. Sorry. But buying a new dress, and doing my hair and makeup to precision made me feel ready and raring to get to the wedding. Dressing up always makes me feel better, and it’s always vital to dress the part for a wedding! Walking into the wedding venue feeling fabulous helped me conquer my nerves and also allowed me to admire everybody else’s wedding attire.
4) Seek the bar
Always know where the bar is. There are always people at the bar. An ideal way to make conversation with someone while you’re waiting for your drinks order to be taken. Also having an alcoholic drink or two can help ease the nerves. I’m not saying get bladdered, not by any means!
5) Keep an open mind and remain positive
Try not to feel negative thoughts about attending a wedding solo. I think that experiencing positive thoughts really helped me throughout the day. It’s not easy to walk into a room full of strangers. But one thing I kept in mind is that everyone is connected to the newlyweds somehow and that’s the common ground right there. A positive thought can make the world of difference.
6) Don’t resort to scrolling on your phone
Scrolling on your phone puts other guests off from talking to you. I made sure my phone stayed in my clutch bag for the majority of the day. Phones can seem like a comfort blanket to some, but keep it hidden. The only time I had my phone in my hand was when I took photos during the day.
7) Just enjoy it
Enjoy celebrating the love of the newlyweds. It’s their day. The most special day of their lives and you’ve been given the honour of being a part of it. So feel proud of them and enjoy the occasion!
