July 13, 2005

I Object!

This is part of an article inspired by the premise of a new movie called "The Wedding Crashers".


... The movie cashes in on two common stereotypes about weddings: that women hate attending nuptials alone, and that men, realizing how vulnerable weddings make single women feel, use the occasions to their advantage.

But how are true are these generalizations?

Very, according to experts.

"Women have so much trouble admitting they are single [that] they will bring anyone to a wedding," said dating consultant David Wygant. "They hate to answer this question at a wedding: ''Why is a nice girl like you still single?'

"So to avoid the embarrassment, they end up going with a guy they do not like and hoping to hook up with the hot out-of-town friend they met at the rehearsal dinner," Wygant added.

On the flip side, men aren't likely to bring a guest to a wedding unless they are very serious about someone, both out of fear of sending the wrong message to a starry-eyed date and also to make the most of the opportunity.

"As for the guys," Wygant explained, "we know how vulnerable woman get at a wedding, and why bring food to an all-you-can-eat buffet?"

Wygant even suggests a ready-made pick-up line: '"Hey, weddings make me realize how much I miss being in a relationship.' That gets them every time."

I've never taken a date -- desperate or otherwise -- to a wedding. And I've never been hit on at a wedding either. The closest thing I can think of was a woman telling me I was "brave" for attending a Tartan Ball on my own (I even got pity dances!)

Ladies, what say you? Are you a desperate wedding dater? And gentlemen, do you routinely take advantage of us "vulnerable women" at weddings?

I think this "dating expert" is full of it. Not to mention, what the hell is a "dating expert" anyway? Is that like, a real job? Really? Nice work if you can get it, I guess. And what a prince he is with his "ready-made pick-up line"! Bet he's beating the ladies off with that one. [insert eye roll]

(of course, this could just be another one of those gender questioning moments!)

Posted by Ithildin at July 13, 2005 1:05 PM | PROCURE FINE OLD WORLD ABSINTHE

Lunacy!

I can't tell you how many weddings I have been to alone, happily. One particular wedding the bride seated all of the "single" ladies together - we had more fun than any of the other tables. (By single I mean that most of us were single in the not married sense, the others were sans husband at the event.)

Posted by: jen at July 13, 2005 2:09 PM

I've only ever been to one wedding I wasn't a participant in, and I already knew both families, so the "hitting on" opportunities were not numerous.

OTOH, I've been in a tux for a number of weddings. Sheer girl bait, I tell ya.

Posted by: Russ at July 13, 2005 2:25 PM

Jen, yeah! Russ, I can't be the only one wondering if you have photographic evidence of the alleged tux wearing?

Posted by: Ith at July 13, 2005 3:23 PM

I must have a pic somewhere... I'll see if I can dig one up. :-)

Posted by: Russ at July 13, 2005 3:40 PM

I don't know anybody getting married these days... although the boss's daughter is engaged, so I suppose I'll have to go to that one. And you can bet I won't be (a) looking for a date to go with, or (b) looking to get hit on. I am, after all, old enough to be the mother of the bride. ;)

Posted by: CrankyBeach at July 13, 2005 5:18 PM

Where do people get the gall to bring an univited "date" to a wedding? Do they think it's an open house? Do they inform the bride she has extra guests, or just crash it?

Posted by: Eclectra at July 13, 2005 7:21 PM

I've never taken advantage of the 'single women' at a marriage, but perhaps I'll have to give it a try.

:-)

Posted by: docjim505 at July 14, 2005 8:30 AM

E, all the invitations I've ever gotten were for me and a guest. Jim, see the opportunities you've been missing!

Posted by: Ith at July 14, 2005 10:21 AM

I've never taken a date to a wedding or felt the urge to. And I've never gotten hit on at one either.

Posted by: Kacie Landrum at July 14, 2005 10:26 AM

Hmmm--I can't recall ever taking a date (or boyfriend, or (in)signficant other) to a wedding, but I do remember one wedding where I was hit on by two different men (one I knew from college, the other was the grooms roommate).

Posted by: Cathy at July 14, 2005 12:55 PM