Every fall, social media becomes a battleground where grown adults wage war against a seemingly innocent enemy: the Saturday wedding. Scroll through any college football fan's feed, and you'll find diatribes against nuptials that dare to coincide with kickoff. These posts rack up likes and retweets, as if hating a friend's wedding is a badge of honor.
Look, I get it. A wedding on a college football Saturday can feel like a scheduling conflict from hell. There are only so many game days each year, and if your team is playing a rival while your cousin says "I do," it stings. But here's the thing: it's time to grow up.
The Phone in Your Pocket Is a Miracle
We live in an era where every game is at our fingertips. Streaming in HD on your phone means you can watch the action from the pew or the reception table. It's not like the dark ages of 20 years ago when missing a TV meant missing the game entirely. You can have your cake and watch the fourth quarter — literally.
Football Is Not Everything
College football is magnificent. It's arguably the greatest sport on Earth. But it's not the center of the universe. Missing one weekend of games won't erase your fandom. It won't make you less of a fan. It just means you're a decent human being who prioritizes people over pigskin.
I'm currently planning a wedding with my fiancée (she's doing most of the heavy lifting, bless her). We chose late May to avoid any gridiron clashes, but the process has opened my eyes to the sheer effort involved. Weddings are monumental, once-in-a-lifetime events for the couple and their families. If someone wants to tie the knot on a fall Saturday and invites you, you show up.
You can catch the game on your phone, or — gasp — you could just skip a week. The world won't end. Your team will survive. And you'll be there for someone who matters, which is more important than any touchdown.
As the movie Fever Pitch reminds us, for all our love of the game, does it ever love us back? It doesn't. But your friends and family do. So put on a suit, smile, and toast to the happy couple. The game will be waiting for you, and so will a lifetime of gratitude from the people you care about.
And if you're still sulking, maybe check out this article about cutting off friends and family for a laugh. Or, if you need a football fix, read about NBC's new announcers or the Alabama-Tennessee color clash. Just remember: weddings are forever, football is just a season.
