I’ve officially entered the season of weddings and babies. Not my own of course, but everyone around me. It’s subtle the way it sneaks up on you; First you get the training wheels off your bike, then you graduate high school and next thing you know there’s a stork and wedding bells all in one week.
I’m hoping to stave off the wheels of domestic change for another few years, but my friends and sisters have decided this is the year for them. Thursday, I was dubbed Aunt Kristen by one of my closest friends and Sunday I was pronounced Bridesmaid Kristen for my year-older sister. Not to mention, I checked Facebook to discover a handful of high school friends that are also tying the knot whose receptions I’ll grace.
While I understand mid-20s is a reasonable age to do these things, it’s a blatant reminder that the best and worst of adulthood is still to come. It’s not necessarily that I have Peter Pan Syndrome, but I do like the idea of sleeping straight through the night and no joint-bank accounts. That’ll change... So I’ve been told.
Speaking of bank accounts, I’m already preparing myself for the financial impacts of having friends and family that choose to get married and have children. Weddings are expensive. Babies are expensive. This is no secret. But just how expensive is it for the people around the couple? There’s engagement dinners, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, wedding gifts, bridesmaid dresses ... and I’m just listing the most obvious.
A few years ago, I was the maid of honour for a friend in North Carolina. Not only did I drop $1,000 on flights, travel expenses and gifts, but also invested $250 into a turquoise, satin bridesmaid dress that is so unappealing, not even a Thrift Store would accept it now. I’d still commit all over again though.
Au contraire, one of my friends back home in Ontario eloped last summer. I’m happy for her that the wedding was as simple and stress-free as she wanted it to be, but admittedly, I felt a little short-changed. No new dress? A gift in the mail? There really is no middle ground.
I know you can’t put a price tag on love and happiness, but stores seem to prove otherwise. Secretly, one can hope that it’s not a Kim Kardashian marriage. In my sister’s case, I know that it won’t be. She’s been ready for a till-death-do-us-part marriage since the day she created a Pinterest account. I’m kidding. She’s the definition of compromise, commitment and forgiveness. Plus, she makes homemade scones for breakfast.
While I still have some time before aunt duties really start to kick in, wedding assistance starts now. I’m preparing myself for the bridezilla to come out of an otherwise sweet and mild-tempered girl. Most importantly, I have to decide which embarrassing story to tell in my speech. I’ve also suggested an ugly dress-themed bachelorette party ... yes, so I can get a few more hours out of that $250 dress.
As you can imagine, I’ll probably be the bridesmaid in many more weddings to come.
