Just realized my 'fine' face at my sister's wedding last weekend hid how gutted I was that my own engagement fell apart 6 months ago.

I smiled through the whole ceremony in Charleston while counting every detail I'd planned for mine that'll never happen, so has anyone else had to fake joy at a family event that just highlighted your own pain?

4 comments

4 Comments

angela_harris1mo ago

3 years ago my cousin got married at this vineyard in Sonoma and I spent the whole reception doing the math on how much her dress cost vs what I had saved for mine. She twirled in lace that looked almost exactly like my pinterest board and I just stood there nodding while my aunt asked when I'd be "next" with a smile that hurt my jaw by the end of the night. The worst part was catching my reflection in the wine glass and seeing this weird frozen grin that didn't match how tight my chest felt. It's like you're ghosting your own life while toasting someone else's big moment.

the_wendy2mo agoMost Upvoted

Wait, you did all that in Charleston? I went to a wedding there once and the humidity alone would have broken my fake smile.

angela_knight32mo ago

Charleston in the summer is its own special test, @the_wendy. I had to redo my makeup twice before the toasts just from the heat. Faking a smile for photos while mentally comparing their flower arch to the one I had pinned felt like a weird, sad game.

jades462mo ago

Oh wow, Charleston in the summer?! That's the real kicker here. I'm with @the_wendy, the humidity there is no joke and would absolutely melt any fake smile right off your face. Doing all that while holding in that much sadness sounds honestly brutal. You must have been running on pure willpower by the end of the night.