Wedding Moments: Do You Laugh or Cry?

If you combine a religious/legal ceremony, people dressed up to the nines, a dress with miscellaneous hooks, frill and a train, a hodgepodge of spoken and unspoken traditions, children, booze, nerves and family, you get a wedding, right?

I have another word for it: awkward.

Let’s face it – aside from the last family reunion when Aunt Mildred got wasted and sang “Pussy Control” during karaoke, your wedding has the potential to be one of the most awkward days of your life.

Your maid of honor is taking tequila shots at the bar with two groomsmen (she’s already made out with each of them separately.) And your flower girl is rolling around on the floor having a temper tantrum because her parents want to take her to bed. Aunt Mildred is doing the electric slide (but the song isn’t playing.) And suddenly you have to use the restroom, an activity you realize requires the assistance of your tequila slinging maid of honor.

With the wrong attitude, these unplanned disturbances could become wedding-ruining nightmares. But if you go into the day with a sense of humor, you’re likely to have some great stories to tell your grandchildren about how much fun (Read: funny) your wedding was.

Just in case you aren’t yet convinced that weddings are awkward.

Some other possible scenarios…

The priest/rabbi may forget your new last names and introduce you as “um… Mr and Mrs. Sara and Steve.” Or worse, as once witnessed by Princess Sari, the Catholic priest cracks a joke about your “oopsie” child – the one who is currently standing there with a basket of flowers in her hand.

Later your dad could give a toast where he tells everyone how much you used to love rocking in your rocking chair as a child and wishes for you and your husband to enjoy rocking through life together. (This actually happened to me during my first wedding.)

But don’t think the awkward moments are limited to you. This is one part of your wedding day everyone can share in.

Remember, some of your guests may still be single. This is a great opportunity for them to flirt and possibly meet new people. I mean, anyone who would be in attendance at your wedding has to be a quality dating candidate, right? (Snort. I love my single guy friends, but wouldn’t set my girlfriends up with a lot of them in a million years. But sadly, I’ll be too busy to probably police that situation…I fear the worst.)

Single Gal in the City said she was once at a wedding, trying to get her flirt on, when she accidentally singed her hair on a candle in the process. I don’t think she got a date out of that wedding.

I hope by now you are convinced that your wedding day is bound to have a few awkward moments. But those moments give your day character and make for great stories to tell at happy hour with your co-workers. Or, right here on Bridelines.

So, let’s hear your awkward wedding stories in the comments.

And if you are looking for more, be sure to stay tuned to http://www.queenofquirky.com/ or http://www.quirkywedding.wordpress.com/.

I’ll be sharing all of mine with awkward wedding pride.