Article Consulting by: Julia Cash, LAMFT

If you’re entering wedding season single, receiving an RSVP card that only has room for one name can bring up complicated feelings, including loneliness and simply feeling singled out. While some guests will show up to the ceremony with a partner on their arm, the idea of walking into a massive celebration solo, especially if you don’t know many people attending, can send someone into a spiral of social anxiety. Who else is going that you know and could potentially sit next to at the ceremony? Will the couple put you at the designated singles table or next to your friends? Does the couple have any hot single friends you could potentially hook up with, or is everyone already married?

According to therapists, these feelings and fears are valid, but hitting wedding season on your own doesn’t have to be something you simply endure. It’s possible to actually enjoy it.

Here’s how to have a good time this upcoming wedding season as a single person.

It’s Okay to Feel Two Feelings at Once

First, you have to let yourself off the hook for having complicated feelings about going to a wedding and watching two people publicly and passionately declare their love while you are in a very different place in your own life. You can feel happy that your friends found each other and unclear about how you personally feel about marriage in general, potential partnership, and your personal dating status.

“It's a hard experience,” says Julia Cash, a licensed marriage and family therapist. "Normalize that and allow yourself to feel both ends of it.”

You might feel a range of emotions in the lead up to the celebration. It’s not crazy to admit, even to yourself, that you may not be not looking forward to it, but you are excited to see old friends and wear that new dress you bought for the occasion. Both things can be true. Cash recommends actively naming what you're looking forward to, because it’s certainly there, too, if you can move through whatever your initial feelings may be…

To read more click here…

By Julia Cash, LAMFT

Julia Cash, LAMFT is a therapist in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. Julia offers services in person at our Ardmore location and online through our HIPAA compliant platform. She supports couples, families, adult individuals, as they navigate relationship issues, sexual trauma, anxiety, attachment wounds, and grief/loss. To schedule an appointment click here.

ABOUT A BETTER LIFE THERAPY:

A Better Life Therapy was founded in 2013 with a passion for providing warm, compassionate services to individuals and families in Pennsylvania. Our team specializes in relationship health as well as individual mental health. Our team has expertise in areas like anxiety, grief, depression, pregnancy related issues, sexual issues, substance use and trauma.

We currently have in person offices in:

Bucks County, Pennsylvania

New Hope

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Main Line, Pennsylvania

Ardmore

The Jersey Shore

Galloway

The Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania

Easton

Virtual Locations

If you prefer to do therapy from the comfort of your home, workplace, or while out in a park,check out our virtual locations. Right now we are able to offer virtual therapy for people residing in: