4 Tips for Surviving Wedding Season When Newly Separated

When you’re newly separated or divorced, a lot of the things that used to be no big deal to you can feel insurmountable. The holidays, your children’s school events, and even visits with friends can be problematic in your new life.

One thing many newly single people forget they may need to navigate is wedding season.

What if a mutual friend who doesn’t know all the ins and outs of your life asks where your ex is? Will you be able to sit and watch someone else embark on a new marriage when yours went so wrong?

Here are 4 tips to help you survive your first wedding season after your split:

Pick & Choose Invites to Accept

Just because you receive a whole pile of invitations to weddings of family, friends, and acquaintances, you aren’t obligated to attend every single event.

If you feel that a wedding you’re invited to may cause you to feel worse than you already do, consider only accepting invitations to the weddings of your close family and friends. This allows you to “save up” your emotional capacity for the events that are more meaningful to you and the couple getting married.

Additionally, if you’re only attending weddings where you have a close connection to the couple, you’re more likely to feel more love and support for your current situation than if you’re dreading probing questions from that long-lost friend from high school.

Bring a Plus-One

Because wedding invitations can get sent out several months in advance, your relationship circumstances may change from the time you receive the invite to the day of the wedding.

Rather than worry about what happens if you show up alone, find a friend or family member who will attend with you.

This gives you someone to sit and talk with, and they also can help run interference if you start to get probing questions that make you uncomfortable.

Leave When You Want to Go

There’s no rule that you have to stay at a wedding until the couple dances, or until the open bar closes. As long as you aren’t being disruptive or obvious in your exit, you can leave a wedding whenever you want to.

If you’re feeling uncomfortable or like you can’t handle the atmosphere of being at a wedding, that’s OK. Bow out quietly and send a text to the bride and groom later to thank them for inviting you.

And if you want to dance all night long, you can do that! No one gets to decide when you leave, so stay as long as you feel like staying and feel no guilt.

Prepare Yourself

No matter how well you try to avoid it or how you try to emotionally prepare yourself, there may be someone that approaches you and asks about your ex. 

When this happens, there’s nothing that says you have to give up every detail of your life. Instead, a simple, “We’re no longer together” is just fine.

Sure, you can divulge more information if you’d like, but just remember that gossip spreads like wildfire – especially when you have a large gathering of people – so be careful with what you choose to share.

If you aren’t ready to deal with these sorts of questions, it may be best to consider skipping the wedding altogether.

Divorce Attorney in Rockville, MD

Divorce can be a complex, emotional process for many people. Our team of experienced attorneys can help guide you through, start to finish, to get the resolution you and your family deserve. Call today for a consultation!