Wedding Bells

It’s unfortunate, but true, that the only time the majority of my dad’s family gets together is for a wedding. Hey, I’ll take what I can get. But you know what this means…seemingly endless questions about how things are going, etc. I have minimal complaints on this end. Yes, it can get redundant, but I realize that my family simply wants an update on my life because they’ve missed me. And so, in these trying circumstances, I’m more than happy to hold center stage.

However, it’s inevitable that the conversation turns to the next time all of us will be together: therefore, the next wedding.

So while I was attending the wedding celebration of one of my cousin’s, it came as no surprise when one of my aunts begins to address how it’s wonderful to have so many of us together and that we need to do this more often. Bottom line: someone needs to get married soon. Another cousin - who was within earshot of this conversation - and I exchange a speaking glance at the end of that remark. We both know that the follow up is going to contain the name of her ideal choice for the next wedding. However, nothing could have prepared me for my aunt’s candidate. Although, in retrospect, I should not have been as shocked as I was given that this is my family.

I digress.

So my aunt says how someone needs to get married and then she looks right at me – direct eye contact – and says that the family will all be at my wedding next.

Say what?

As mentioned in an earlier post, I typically sidestep such questions, or remarks, with humor and deftly change the topic. I went for a slightly different approach this time: blatant disbelief.

I stared blankly into her face for all of two seconds (the blatant disbelief) before I burst out laughing (the humor). I couldn’t help myself. The idea is so utterly preposterous.

Right Aunt. Let’s recap here. I’m 24. Single. Never been in a relationship. Show no signs of being in one. My history with men is foggy, because I sincerely doubt my dad could give an accurate portrayal of my life in that sphere. I have five eligible, older male cousins who are all much closer to matrimony than I am, and yet, despite all of this knowledge, you still think it’ll be me.

It’s rather flattering that she should think so, and I know she meant it in a purely complimentary way, but as I told her, the likelihood of it being my marriage everyone attends next is highly unlikely.

So no need to fret…I’ll have many more single stories coming your way.