June, July, and August are the most popular months to get married. The weather, beautiful scenery, and blooming flowers during these summer months seems to attract more weddings along with the desire for guests to take vacation time off for an out-of-town wedding. Now that you have been invited to a wedding this summer, you may be terrified of what lies ahead. This will be your first sober wedding and you are not sure you want to attend because of the temptations to drink the alcohol that is provided at the wedding; and because you are unsure if you are ready to be around others who are drinking or possibly getting high outside of the reception.
The good news is that staying sober at a wedding is a real possibility if you take some measures to ensure your sobriety will stay intact. Using the recovery tools that you have been learning would be excellent to implement at a wedding. By applying your recovery tools into action, you would not only stay sober, but you could enjoy the wedding – without having to worry about what happened the next day.
Saying “I do”.
Talk to your sponsor or therapist about where you are in your recovery program. Sometimes in early sobriety or during the rocky times in your sobriety, excusing yourself from an event that has alcohol being served may be the best idea. The last thing you need to do is put yourself in an uncompromising situation that could undo all the work you have done. Figure out where you are with the help of someone you trust so you can be honest about where you really are.
Acquire your own wedding party.
One of the greatest tools you can have at your fingertips is the ability to call someone when you are having a weak moment or feeling uncomfortable in your skin to tell them what you are going through. Stepping out of the reception to refocus your perspective could save your sobriety and your sanity.
Bring a plus one
If you bring someone else who is sober with you to the wedding as your plus one, you have a better chance to stay sober and have a better time. Being around someone with whom you can relate to in sobriety will make you feel more relaxed, but still, protect your sobriety at all costs.
Weddings are often the source of copious amounts of alcohol being served which can be daunting to someone who wants to stay sober. Go for the nonalcoholic beverages and enjoy your time at the bride and groom’s celebration.
Offering a full range of recovery and mental health services, Valiant Living offers “Expanded Recovery” to enrich our clients’ lives in mind, body, and spirit. Through evidence-based therapy options and the endless adventure of Colorado, Valiant fosters connection, encouraging clients to get connected to themselves, their peers, their families, and their higher power. With the power of recovery, clients are restored to full health and experience life-changing healing. Call us today for more information: 303-536-5463
