Are Weddings Really Bride-Centric?

Weddings. An enjoyable and festive time which brings together families, couples and friends. You look forward to the many nights of flowing alcohol, the best of the best in most cases, gourmet food, dancing into the wee hours of the night, and great company. A non-stop party fest, which you hope will continue as long as you can survive it!

On the outside it’s all rosy, fun and easy going. But not so much fun for single women getting onto their 30’s and more. I actually sympathize with the single and ‘close to 40’ ones. They must want to dig their grave! And not because of self added pressure. With weddings comes this huge shroud of expectations, disapproving or even sympathetic looks from older married aunties saying ‘When will her turn come?’ or ‘We must find you a boy now’ like it’s the most impossible thing in the world. Because you’re standing 30 and single at a wedding, you’ll never be married.

And so you get solace in hanging with the ‘cute and younger’ lot because it helps you live in the moment when you don’t have to think about all these decisions, and you get to avoid those pitying aunty eyes looming over you. You wish you could be 5 years younger all over again, and flirt with that young 25 year old. But seeing how alcohol and 20 year olds just don’t bode well together, you heave a sigh of relief and feel happy that you left those wild and irresponsible years behind you.

They say the moment is supposed to be about the bride, but it seems like more of an inquisition and a rapid-fire session, which I’m sure, comes from a good place. But with the fun and frolic of a wedding comes expectations and stress, not of your own making, but from external factors of ‘What is in store for me?’

Let’s not even get started on kid’s birthday parties!

"This seems to hold good for the men as well!"