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You rub your eyes and try to refocus on the episode of Chef’s Table that you’re hoping will be the key to surviving both the hangover and this Southwest flight. Both a crying baby, as well as a wedding weekend well-spent, are now behind you.
The suit, the drinks, most of the travel, the meals, the spilling your drink on your girlfriend’s dress during “Shout”; all done. The weekend was expensive both financially and physically. While you haven’t checked your credit card balance yet to assess the damage, it’s obvious that this weekend wrecked your body like twenty carries against the 2014 Seahawks.
But what might sting more than the massive headache or that “How the fuck did I spend $65 at a fucking gas station” is that emotional weight that hits you as the stewardess hands you coffee and a bag with four peanuts. That’s one more friend’s wedding down. One less reunion, one fewer chance to tell stories and reminisce, and one chance to simply hug your best friends and tell them how much you love them checked off the list. It left the same time as the bartenders and photographer.
There’s only so many of these you and your squad get; it’s not quite the same when you’re attending Bob’s fourth wedding to his secretary when y’all are in your 50s. As much as you complain about weddings using all your PTO and constantly utter the phrase “wedding season is killing my bank account,” you know they’re really among the highlights of your year, and for good reason.
Not many other events can draw you and your friends together with nothing but joy and celebration on the mind. Weddings are what every Friday/Saturday was ten years ago, but on steroids.
I’m not selfish enough to ride with the assumption that weddings are all about you and the squad (Saying a lot, because I’m very selfish). No, one of your friends is making the ultimate commitment, and you’re there to celebrate that first and foremost. Give the bride her due as the queen of the night and the groom his handshake.
They’re also great for taking your spouse or whoever you’re dating. It’s hard to find a date night as fun as a wedding weekend, and it’s great for the guys to remind their significant others that they can wear something other than sweatpants once in awhile.
When push comes to shove, however, you’re still geared up as hell for the weekend because it’s that rare chance to get the gang back together. Between cross country moves and families being started, chances like these are falling by the wayside. The celebration, combined with being surrounded by the people you hold near and dear, throw you into euphoric feelings that culminate in Saturday night’s reception.
You enjoy the night falling as the scenic lighting falls more and more into place. You keep throwing back the signature cocktail, making small talk and simply reinvigorating yourselves with how good it feels to be in each other’s company again.
None of you are as young as you once were, but that age hasn’t deteriorated your ability to have a damn good time together. The tales of past exploits ring louder with each recalling; the drinks seem to go down smoother than when you ordered them with your fake IDs together years earlier. The only thing giving you any hint at all that you’re not smack in the middle of “the good old days” is that you potentially tore your hammy when the DJ put on Migos.
As the night winds down, whether that be downtown, at the hotel bar, or just at the reception itself, you start to feel that hangover creep in early. Not the physical booze wreckage which will hit you like a hurricane in roughly twelve hours. No, it’s the goodbyes that you know are coming.
It could hit you the second one of your old roommates taps you on the shoulder with “Hey man I’m Ubering out of here, I’m seeing triple.” Once one domino falls, you know the rest are soon to follow. That wave of sadness can hit even the best of us; no human is immune from the unpleasantness of bidding adios:
i cried last night when i left the squad there are pics
— will defries (@WilldeFries) April 8, 2018
You’re dapping up and hugging the people you’ve been with through the highest of highs and lowest of lows. “We did the damn thing again” you’ll say, bittersweet with the thrill of the night coupled with the letdown of a “Hope we can do it again soon.”
Sometimes you don’t realize it until you’ve let the hotel door shut behind you or until you’ve passed through security. No matter what, it’ll hit, and it’ll hit harder than anything physically or financially (unless you really fucked up). It’s never easy heading back to work on Monday, but it’s even harder when just thirty-six hours earlier the band was back together.
Appreciate every chance you have to reunite the squad, especially to celebrate a friend’s wedding. The come down will never be easy, but it’s damn worth it. .
Image via Unsplash
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Kyle Bandujo
The artist formerly known as Crash Davis. My kid doesn't think I'm funny.
@kylebandujo
@bandujokyle
kyle.bandit
Might have teared up. It’s fine, everything’s fine.
Let me know if you need a shoulder to cry on
Whoa. Feelin the feels on a Wednesday. Few things feel as good as the hug when seeing a friend after a long while and few things hurt as bad as saying goodbye. One time a friend drunkly stood in the bed of my truck screaming “I don’t want this weekend to be over” until a neighbor came out and told him to shut up. That’s true friendship y’all.
Being with my girls is the shit. But it’s even better living vicariously through my fiance when he reunites with his college boys at an out of town wedding. Makes my heart grow three sizes when he’s got his whole crew back in one spot and he’s grinning from ear to ear (pre hangover). And now I’m crying at my desk.
That first big hug when you’re reunited with your old friends is one of the best things in the world.
Man, this hit close to home.
I go from reading Duda’s poop article to this… what an emotional whirlwind of a Wednesday
Think about it though, we did it right. Went from being ridiculously uncomfortable to overcome with a wave of nostalgia. Both articles were solid (that’s a poop reference)
Well done, Kyle. Went to the first post-college wedding in January and was surprised to find the hugs goodbye lasted a bit longer than normal.
I’m not crying, you… okay yes I am
I got a wedding to attend in July in which several of my closest friends are coming from all over the country to celebrate. It’ll be the first time we have all been together in 2 years. We are all trying our damnedest to extend that 3 day weekend any way we can.
As much as it hurts to say goodbye I typically have a wave of happiness wash over me just after everyone goes their separate ways. I thank god I have a few people from that stage in my life that I love so dearly. Tough to ask for much more… besides a time machine.