The Great Wedding Date Debate

Back in January Nicole and I drove to Albany to pick up our friend's boyfriend from the airport.  On our way down we chatted about our upcoming trips to Virginia for the bachelorette party and the wedding.  In our discussion we began talking about our ongoing debate of whether or not we would bring dates to the wedding.  She and I had been talking about it for months, and we still couldn't decide.  Laura Beth would most likely be bringing her husband, so would we want dates as well?

As we continued to talk about it, we both began leaning towards riding solo.  Our friend Allie was kind enough to offer us her house for the wedding weekend, but there was definitely not room for dates.  That would mean that our dates would be required to stay in the nearby hotel, which is not exactly nearby.  Then what about the car situation?  If we all drove down together, we would only have one car.  The men would need the car if they were staying at the hotel, but we would need the car for nail, hair, and makeup appointments and various transfers between the house, the brunch, the ceremony and the reception.  

But beyond logistics, Nicole and I both agreed that dates would just be silly.  For one, neither of us is in a relationship.  But, even more importantly, the only people we were considering inviting would know no one at the wedding.  They would have no friends or even acquaintances at the wedding.  And, there might be a chance that they wouldn't even know each other.  When we thought about all of the time they would be forced to be without us, two of the bridesmaids in the wedding, it seemed more and more ridiculous.  We would be away for all of our primping appointments and the bridal brunch.  We would be required to get ready together, stand at the altar for the ceremony, and then spend far too much time taking pictures, all without our dates.

Just as we were coming to this final decision, we arrived at the Albany airport, and Jeffrey jumped into the back seat.  We were still finishing up our conversation, so Jeffrey asked what we were talking about.  Nicole and I glanced at each other, just long enough to realize we were on the same page.  I asked the question we were both thinking.  

"Okay, Jeffrey, we have a question for you.  You just came from a wedding, right?  Well, Nicole and I are going to be bridesmaids in our college friend's wedding in April.  We were both debating bringing dates.  Our dates wouldn't know anyone at the wedding.  We obviously have to do bridesmaid "things" which would be time away from our dates.  Do we bring dates?"

Jeffrey shocked us both when he said, "of course you do!  I'll be one of your dates!  Weddings are the best.  I don't care who you know or don't know, weddings are awesome, and anyone would be crazy not to want to go.  And, there are so many people there to meet.  I didn't know anyone but the groom and one of the groomsmen at the wedding I went to last weekend, and it was great!  I talked to tons of different people.  I loved it!"

Jeffrey's enthusiastic opinion of weddings continued until about Exit 10 on the Northway.  It was almost painful to listen.  I cannot even tell you how many times he offered to be our date to Allie's wedding, because I lost count after 17.  

We dropped Jeffrey off at his house, and when he was safely inside, we both let out a sigh of relief.  He is an exceptionally nice guy, but the wedding chat was a little overwhelming.  His enthusiasm was suffocating.  We barely got a word in throughout the entire 40- minute drive.  

Nicole backed out of the driveway.  Before she put it into drive she turned to me, with both hands on the steering wheel, looked me directly in the eye and said, "he is weird.  Our dates would hate it.  We're going alone."