Would You Attend a Wedding on Your Birthday?
Would you attend a wedding that falls on your birthday? For some, the idea might seem intriguing, even tempting. However, there are several factors to consider before making such a decision.
Yup, this has happened to me. I've received wedding invitations for my birthday twice—one invitation I could accept, and the other due to prior commitments. The first invite came when my friend got married on my 27th birthday, and the second on my 32nd birthday. So, I would say with a qualified yes, provided it wasn’t a milestone birthday or I already had travel plans in place.
Complications with Milestone Birthdays
Take, for example, my 60th birthday in 2021. I had already made reservations for a hotel in Hawaii in January 2020. Unfortunately, the pandemic hit, and we canceled our plans in July. After several discussions, we decided on Sedona, Arizona as an alternate destination and made all our reservations non-refundable. If a wedding invitation had been sent out for the date of my birthday or even just a weekend before, we would have had to politely decline due to the non-refundable nature of our arrangements.
Wedding Invitation Etiquette
Although it is generally recommended that wedding invitations do not go out more than 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding, it's understandable that some people might book and arrange their travel far in advance. For instance, my reservations for Sedona were made nearly 5 months, or 20 weeks, before the trip.
Personal Experiences and Observations
Interestingly, I've observed that a lot of people get divorced or break up on their birthdays, or that other traumatic events happen on that day. This observation has led me to believe that my birthday isn’t the best day to celebrate a wedding. However, the stars do seem to be moving in a different direction, and my birthday might become a lucky day in the near future. In the past, I've even considered suggesting that someone who wanted to get married on my birthday should change the date, as I wouldn't want to give birth to any opportunity on that day. But now, I might not mind as much.
The Humor of Birthdays
If you truly believe the world revolves around you, then you might as well make your birthday a national holiday. You could even sign an executive order making it illegal to do any sort of ceremony, including celebrating other birthdays, on your birthday. I wouldn't advise actually doing this, but humor is a great way to lighten the mood and make your point.
Conclusion
In summary, I would attend a wedding on my birthday, provided it wasn't a milestone birthday or if I had existing commitments. If the world seems to revolve around you, why not make your birthday into a national holiday to ensure it stops for you every year?