Normal People Don’t Get Drunk at Their Own Wedding

How to avoid an embarrassing moment on your special day

“Great love affairs start with champagne…” — Honoré de Balzac

Getting married should be the happiest time of anyone’s life. It’s also a stressful time in your life. After months and months of planning the big day is finally here.

It was a beautiful, sunny day in June. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and I felt amazing.

I had been watching what I ate for months because a trainer called me “skinny fat” and I really took that to heart. I was 5’4” and 120 pounds, hardly anything that should even have the word “fat” in it.

I thought of that word A LOT and ate the bare minimum a few months before the big day. So, I was pretty thin, probably 112–115 pounds that day.

My dress was a beautiful, organza strapless A-line that fit like a glove until the day of my wedding. The result of my dieting was pulling up my dress constantly so I wouldn’t be exposed!

We arrived at the venue around 11 am to get hair and makeup done with extra time so we didn’t have to rush.

We also cracked open the first bottle of champagne, at 11 am. The wedding wasn’t until 4.

My bridesmaids and I loved to party. We were a wild group when we got together, so obviously we were having the time of our lives getting ready.

I can’t remember eating lunch. I don’t think I ate at all because the time just started flying by and then it was time for pictures.

We wanted to get the bulk of photos done before the wedding, so we could enjoy ourselves after.

A gazillion pictures later, we were putting the final touches on our makeup because 4 pm was nearing. I applied my cherry lipstick and was ready to marry the man of my dreams.

On our way upstairs, I pulled up my dress, and this time, I pulled so hard that my dress flew up into my cherry lipstick, getting it all over the top of my strapless gown.

All I thought was, don’t cry!

One of my bridesmaids raced back downstairs to grab her white nail polish, the only quick fix we could think of.

It was too late to take the dress off and try to wash the lipstick out. Plus, I doubt it would have made a difference because… RED lipstick!

The white nail polish muted the red lipstick, but just give me another quick glass of champagne and I’ll get over it. Usually, I get so nervous being the center of attention but the champagne was working its wonders.

The ceremony was beautiful, the venue was absolutely magical, and somehow I wasn’t very tipsy yet, so everything was perfect.

We said, “I do” and set off to the open bar.

My parents didn’t know what they were in for when I convinced them to allow an open bar at the wedding. I don’t think they realized who our friends were.

Everyone kept bringing me drinks…wine and hard liquor. I don’t recall eating any appetizers. I was giddy, laughing, and thinking… this is the best party I’ve ever been to!

The reception was wild, as well, but a fun type of wild. After the dinner, which I had a whole two bites of, everyone raged on the dance floor. I took trips to the bar with different friends, everyone wanting shots or more wine.

Maybe it was because I was 25, or maybe it was just luck, but I remember almost the entire evening. Although, I was loud and obnoxious and not the classy bride that I envisioned myself as.

I’d read and watched wedding advice for months and each bride would say that they didn’t have time to drink at their own wedding, and I would laugh.

I knew that wouldn’t be the case for me and I woke up with a splitting headache the next day to prove it. I was so hungover and felt horrible the first day of being a Mrs.

Being that all of our friends loved to party just like we did, my parents were livid when they received their 5 thousand dollar bar tab.

If I could have a wedding re-do, I wouldn’t start drinking at 11 am, making my day fuzzy and not able to feel every emotion of love that one should feel getting married.

If you are reading this and happen to be a bride-to-be, don’t set out to get drunk on one of the biggest days of your life! There are simple, little details you can follow so you don’t get drunk at your wedding.

First, you need to EAT! That was my first fail. Even up until the day of, I wasn’t eating enough, hence my dress that kept falling down. Eat before the wedding in case you get too busy during the wedding. Have bridesmaids or groomsmen force-feed you. They are there to support you, right?

Drink some water in between shots. Seems like a no-brainer. Maybe you should be hydrated on your big day, you don’t want to look like shit!

Last piece of advice and what I would do if I got married again today:

DON’T DRINK! It’s not worth it. Enjoy and feel your special day. Alcohol just sucks the life out of you anyway, you aren’t being your authentic self, and isn’t that how you want to marry someone, as your authentic self?

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Thanks for reading!

Much love, Michele