I got lost on the way to the reception

I'm getting caught up on all the dreams I had during my computer down time. This one I had one night when it seemed I had a dream marathon.

My now former boss was getting married to her current husband. It was like a renewal ceremony. A bunch of us at work were worried we wouldn't be able to attend because it was at 3pm on a weekday. We were all assured that we would be able to go because it was going to be at work.

Well, it was in the middle of the forest and we were all able to go. Don't know why or how that had to do with the office. Anyway, she was dressed in a full length fancy wedding gown and veil. It was very pretty.

After the wedding, I was in my car trying to find where the reception was being held. I ended up on this long windy road that looked like the road heading to the coast. I live in Oregon and the road to the beach is along a windy road overlooking the ocean. That's very much like the road in the dream.

At one point, I pulled into some kind of rest stop. I realized I didn't know where I was and I needed to turn around, so I did. Then further down the road, I pulled over to look at the directions again.

When I looked up again, I saw a cop car behind me. But it wasn't exactly a cop, but Judge Judy who had pulled me over. That was the end.

She's going to the chapel

What is it with me and wedding dreams?

You guessed it. I had another one. At least it was further apart this time and not to someone I didn't love.

This dream draws out, so pardon the length.

In the dream, I was going on vacation somewhere (don't know where) for an undetermined amount of time. Not sure about my personal situation. Like where I lived or where I worked. If it was my real life or a fictional/dream/made-up one. The only thing I knew was that I was going on a trip to visit my aunt's relatives.

First weird thing: my aunt and I don't have much of a relationship at all. She's just Aunt Peg, wife of my uncle. That's pretty much it. And her family isn't that interesting. So why I was going to see them is a mystery and very odd.

Anyway, one of the first things I remember is sitting with her in a dining room and her talking about going on this trip. Don't know if she was going or if it was just me. And she was trying to set me up with one of her relatives. Whether it was a distant cousin or nephew, I don't know.

So, I go to where ever it is I was going. As I recall, it was a nice place and the people were nice enough. Never did see my except maybe once on the whole trip.

Soon enough I meet this guy. He is really nice and we get along well. He's pretty much everything I'd want in a guy. He has a boy next door quality. We spend a lot of time together for the first week. Then, out of the blue one day, he asks me if I'll marry him. Strangely enough, I don't act surprised or even think about it long. I say yes. He gives me a ring (like he'd been planning this) and things start rolling toward a wedding.

How long I was on this trip comes into question because before I know it, we are having a wedding. Things get jumbled and muddled. My aunt shows up and we are talking again except this time it's about the wedding.

I believe a wedding happens and it's lovely. Then there is talk among his relatives about more weddings. Like we would have to have a ceremony for the benefit of those who couldn't come. So one in 2 other states. I am getting overwhelmed as this was not what I'd planned for. I was happy with something small, but now it was becoming more than I wanted.

Well, never saw the end of that one because my dream shifted. Now I was back home and not yet married. Just engaged. Where the dream picked up was that I was shopping at Safeway. I was in the check out line where my real life caught up with me. My friend Wendy was there and I was really happy to see her.

See, this past weekend we were supposed to go thrift store shopping together. She said she'd call me and she never did, so I just went on with my normal weekend errands. She had her grandson's birthday party, so I figured things got crazy. In the dream, she had a bag from a local thrift store with her and she suddenly looked embarrassed. Like she thought I'd think she just went without me. I wasn't mad. I figured she was out running errands and had a quick second to do a little shopping. No big deal. I told her so.

Then I told her I had some news and showed her my ring. "You're engaged?!" It was a shocked reply, but not totally "what the hell" as I would expect in real life. I mean I'm not dating anyone and suddenly I'm getting married.

There was also someone else I knew in line, but I can't remember who. Then it got weird with buying groceries and bagging things, etc.

I think that was where it ended.

But in the middle of all this, me and my new guy had a chance to have a serious talk. We didn't know each other that well, so I told him some things no one else knows. Things I wanted him to know before we got married. And he was so sweet about everything.

Where the hell is this guy?!

Dreaming about Weddings Again

No story to share this time, but I'm considering turning one of these dreams into a short story.

Both of these happened on the same night strangely enough. And neither seemed to have anything to do with each other. The first I had during the night and revolved around my wedding to an unknown man. I saw him at one point, but it was like he didn't have a face or he was in shadow. All of these things kept happening on the day of my wedding to somehow throw a wrench in the whole works. I kept having to fix something that seemed to go wrong. Don't remember anything of significance except I think it was raining which threw everything off. I never did get to the alter nor did I ever get anything figured out.

So, we go from very vague dream to rather vivid one. In this dream I actually did get married. And to someone I know or rather knew. About a year ago, I went on a date with this guy who is the grandson of one of my grandmother's friends. He was a nice enough guy and all, but I really didn't feel a connection with him. I could see him as a friend, but he was much younger than me both physically and mentally. I didn't feel like we had anything in common and I really wasn't attracted to him. He wanted to further things much faster than I did, so I ended things.

In this dream, I married him. At least it was him in name, but it didn't look like him. All the way even going up to the 'I Do's' I felt the marriage was wrong. We were being pushed into it by family and I really didn't love him. I knew all this and kept telling myself I should back out, but didn't. I ended up going through with the wedding. From the little I could remember, it was a very nice wedding, but even as I said 'I Do,' I knew this guy didn't love me. And that I didn't love him.

Things only got worse. I thought things would get better once we moved in together and started acting like a real married couple. Well, it only worsened. I remember one part particularly well which was my wedding night. I was lying in bed waiting for him. He got into bed, turned off the light, rolled over and went to sleep. I laid there wanting to cry thinking it was my wedding night and my own husband didn't want to touch me.

By the second day I was convinced this whole thing was a really, monumentally bad idea. I talked to my grandmother and told her I thought we should get our marriage annulled. Our second day together hadn't been any better. He ignored me mostly. I never saw him. We slept in the same bed, but he never seemed the slightest bit interested in anything but sleeping. I knew if we hadn't consummated our marriage, then an annulment wouldn't be difficult. At least, that was what I told myself in the dream. My grandmother was much harder on my than I had thought she would be. She told me I needed to stick it out and that I couldn't afford an annulment which would be 200,000 dollars! Where that figure came from I have no idea! I knew I couldn't afford all the lawyer fees for a divorce, so I knew I had to take care of this on my own. My family would not be supportive.

I then went to him when he got home from work. I told him I thought it would be best if we ended the marriage. He acted shocked and asked me why I thought that. Now I was in shock. Had he not been there?! I told him as much and said I thought it would be best if we got an annulment, but was told how expensive it was and that we couldn't afford it. I said maybe we should go through with the divorce.

I never did get an answer from him. I think that was when I woke up from my nap. And what a way to wake up!

This one I've already gotten an idea for a story. I couldn't sleep last night, so I rolled it around in my head until the story gelled. Now, gotta write it down.

Wedding Dream turned Story

Over the weekend I had the most vivid bizarre dream. I dreamed I was getting married and that I had no idea who I was marrying. When I woke up, I had to think whether it had actually happened or not. I suppose the absence of a guy would have clued me in, but still I had to think. It intrigued me so much, I decided to turn it into a story. Not sure what to do with this yet, but here is what I came up with. I suppose it could be the first chapter of a novel. ---names, places and circumstances have been changed to protect the innocent...or to just make it more interesting :)

People gradually entered the large room and took their seats. She was sitting in the back row watching her friends and family meander in. A few saw her and greeted her warmly.

She wasn’t all that sure how or why she was there, but she knew it was important. Her nerves were also on edge, so this had to be something really big.

Just as she was about to go and ask around about why everyone was there, one of her closest friends walked by.

“Dana?”

She stopped before walking out the door and said, “Sam, it’s almost time.”

“Time?”

“Yeah, are you ready?”

“Ready for what? Why is everyone here?”

“It’s your big day, Silly.”

“My big day,” she said as more of a statement. She searched her brain for any memory of why she was there. Then she took notice of the dress Dana was wearing. It was royal blue with short sleeves and a long skirt. Very much the kind of dress she had always imagined she’d want her bridesmaids to wear one day. “It’s my wedding day, isn’t it.”

“See,” she said happily, “you remember. You’re just nervous.”

And suddenly she was very nervous. A million thoughts bombarded her at once. It was her wedding day. Who was the guy? Where were they going to live. And what would happen later that evening…on her wedding night?

Before she could ask Dana any questions, she said, “If you’re ready we’ll be starting in another couple of minutes.” Then she disappeared.

She was getting married. And she didn’t know who her groom was! Suddenly butterflies were not only fluttering in her stomach, but it felt like a whole fleet was in there. Her palms began to sweat. Her heart was pounding. Shouldn’t she at least see her groom before the “I Do’s?”

Dana came back into the room and said, “We’re ready.”

“Dana, I don’t know…”

“Everything’s fine, Honey. It’s just nerves. He’s nervous too. But don’t tell him I told you that,” and she winked.

“Who is he,” she blurted.

“You’re so funny, Sami,” she laughed. “He’s such a great guy. You’re so lucky.”

Okay, I was lucky and I don’t even know it?

“We’re ready to start. Come on. They’re about to start the music.”

That’s when she looked down at herself and saw she was wearing a long trench coat. She had no idea why she would wear such a thing. She didn’t even own one. Untying the belt, she forced the garment off her shoulders. Underneath, she wore a sleeveless, ivory dress. It hung down past her calves and was rather comfortable.

“Ready,” Dana asked again.

“I suppose. What about my flowers?”

“Oh, hold on.” As if out of no where, Dana produced a bouquet of white roses and handed them to her. She looked the flowers over and realized how lacking they were. She’d always imagined red roses as her wedding bouquet. “Okay, that’s our que.”

Sam looked up at her friend who also carried a similar bouquet. That’s when she realized the wedding march was playing. She took a breath and started to walk down the aisle that now seemed impossibly long. When she got to the end, would she remember anything?

The further she walked, it seemed, the louder the music became. And the more confused she was.

When she reached the end of the aisle, she looked over and remembered. Maybe not exactly remembered, but didn’t really care that she couldn’t remember. There stood a man in a tux that fit him like it was made for him. He was handsome and smiling at her. Who cared that she had no idea who he was. He was waiting for her.

She walked over to him and wrapped an arm around his. He took her hand in his and laced their fingers together. At the loving gesture, her heart did somersaults and she smiled. She brought her other hand which was still holding the bouquet toward his arm as if she couldn’t get close enough to him. Little separated them as the minister went on to start the ceremony.

Not really hearing the words spoken, she found herself consumed with her thoughts. She couldn’t get over how wonderful his hand felt in hers. This felt great. So what if she didn’t know who this guy was.

But suddenly, she had a bigger issue to deal with. This was not how she had wanted her wedding. First, the dress was something she swore her mother had worn in the mid 80s. She hadn’t wanted a big, fancy dress, but something from this decade would have been ideal. And the bouquet was a little too simple and last minute for her taste. She had also wanted as little fuss as possible. A church wedding hadn’t been in her ideal wedding plans. Maybe something outside with just a few people. Not everyone she’d ever met. Or, maybe, just elope.

Why had she gone this way? Why was she marrying some guy she didn’t recognize?

Suddenly, she opened her eyes and found herself in her own bed. Staring at the ceiling, she took a deep breath. Dream. Just a dream.

Well, that’s good, she thought. That was just a little too weird.

All that seemed true until she felt a pang of remorse in her chest. She could feel the guy’s hand in hers. It felt so sweet and loving that she wished it actually had happened. Even if the rest of it wasn’t how she’d pictured her wedding day.

She was about to pull back the covers when she realized the position of her hands. One hand lay clutched at her side while the other lay across her stomach also clutched…as if holding a bouquet. She flexed her fingers of the hand that lay by her side…the one that had held his hand in the dream.
"I need a man," she said out loud.

Sadly, she hadn’t dated much in the last year or so. In fact, she was feeling pretty lonely. It was no surprise to her that she had had such a dream. Her only surprise was that she hadn’t had more of them.

Looking at the clock, she realized she’d be late to coffee. Boy, would Dana flip over that dream.