What Does It Really Mean to Dream of Getting Married?
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Most people remember only a fraction of what they dream about, and the elements that we do remember are often the most significant details of a dream. If you’re getting married in real life, then a dream about getting married will simply be a reflection of what’s been on your mind. That’s completely normal, considering the big changes going on in your life.
But what if you aren’t getting married and you still dream about it? Such dreams can be perplexing and make you wonder if subconsciously you wish you were getting married.
As with most other dream interpretations, how you felt about the marriage and the details of the wedding will reveal its symbolism. Contrary to popular belief, having this kind of dream doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to get married soon, although there are some situations where it could foretell a marriage.
General Meaning of Dreams of Getting Married
Any wedding in a dream can denote new beginnings, attitudes, or changes in your life. This can relate directly to a lover, but it usually doesn’t. It more often reflects your plans for the future or your current mental wellbeing.
Dreams like this have the potential to represent your unconscious mind. It is the union of the masculine and feminine into a single unit. Therefore, the symbolism is clear – there is a marrying of opposing ends into one cohesive whole.
Who Are You Marrying?
When You’re the One Getting Married
To see yourself getting married is a subconscious message. It can indicate special talents within you, or it could suggest your personality and approach to life. Positive indicators are when you feel warmed and emboldened by the experience. But if anything seemed off or uncomfortable about getting married, these reflect a need to review your mindset.
Your Boss is Your Spouse
When your boss is standing at the altar as your spouse-to-be, a promotion may be coming your way. However, if your boss left you at the altar, it could reflect how you may feel betrayed or slighted by this person.
Marrying an Ex
To marry an ex is a positive dream as it reflects your passion for living. Marrying an ex-boyfriend can imply you’re about to have a new lease on life. It indicates that you have moved on from past experiences and are ready for the next chapter in your life. If it’s an ex-girlfriend, it suggests how things are bumpy right now, but they will soon improve.
Marrying Your Real-Life Spouse
Getting married to your real-life spouse often means that you have the perfect relationship. This dream reflects the love and devotion you feel. It can also indicate your great reserves of personal power, strengthened by your union in waking consciousness.
However, if marital bliss isn’t your experience, it could be your psyche telling you to appreciate your partner. The person you’re with is perfect for you and your subconscious is telling you this.
To see your own wedding in a dream the way it happened in actuality is a dream of the future. It has the potential to foretell an encounter requiring an important decision.
Getting Married but Never Seeing the Altar
If your dream entails waiting to marry but never seeing the altar, it may mean that you face false accusations in reality. Unfortunately, there may be repercussions to these accusations if your dream spouse sees you waiting and walks away.
It can also indicate that something you’re waiting for isn’t coming to pass, and you feel frustrated in your waking life.
You Don’t See the Person You’re Getting Married To
A marriage is a major life commitment, and if you dream about this without seeing who the person you’re marrying is, the dream is likely about a commitment in real life. According to dream analyst Lauri Loewenberg who told Bustle, “Whatever this commitment or obligation is, your subconscious is presenting it to you in the form of a marriage so you can better understand your role in it… are you prepared to be in it for the long haul?”
You Don’t Know the Spouse-to-Be
You could be seeking a nurturing relationship if you’re getting married to a stranger. This dream can also suggest that you have to protect yourself against others, especially if there’s something sinister about the person.
Are There Attendees?
If others are in attendance when getting married in a dream, this may indicate that you have to let go of emotions you’ve been harboring. When you see people attending who have died, this may signify great change.
Types of Wedding Settings
There is a myriad of settings that can come about in a dream of getting married. Cultural marriages, in particular, take on a special meaning.
- Royal Wedding: Suggests happiness and that you are in the process of embarking on a new, luxurious journey.
- Prolific Wedding: A positive sign of love and peace.
- Hindu Wedding: If you enjoyed the wedding and it was colorful, this points to emotional fulfillment. Henna applied to your hands could indicate that you have to follow certain patterns to maintain this sense of contentment.
- Chinese Wedding: Portends a message in the near future. However, the more colorful the wedding, the more success and luck you will soon achieve. To attend the tea ceremony of a Chinese wedding often means you are going to overcome past pain.
- Jewish Wedding: This is a positive omen, especially if the groom wore a kittel, a type of white robe.
- Muslim Wedding: There’s a new partnership on the horizon that will bring happiness. But this dream could also indicate a minor legal matter. Seeing a wedding in a mosque could mean good news.
- Christian Wedding: Christian weddings often symbolize the emotional baggage you carry for other people. If you’re at a church or a reception and you don’t see the bridal couple, theories suggest how you have feelings of awkwardness in social situations.
Wedding Music
Sometimes people dream of music vividly enough to hear the music playing in their dreams. The meaning of wedding music in your dream will depend on the song. If it was the Wedding March, it infers that you’re living in accordance with the wishes of your partner. It can also signify missed goals.
If there’s an organ playing, this may indicate that you feel good about the progress of a difficult situation. Alternatively, it can mean a hidden talent you have and that you lack the confidence to use it.
Colors of the Bridal Dress
As is the case with many dreams, any noticeable or memorable colors that appear will carry an element of meaning for the dream. The bridal dress color is a particular feature.
- A bride in white means you will find happiness, protection, and peace.
- A cream or ivory wedding dress signifies a desire to find or settle down with a partner. It can also relate that you are trying to evaluate your current relationship and whether you should terminate it or move onto the next level.
- Red can denote luck and protection from evil or it could represent life, blood, and freedom.
- A pink dress connotes love and passion.
- Black, dark green or bright orange can signify trouble or serve as a warning from your subconscious, especially if you believe brides should wear white. However, a black and white dress means you have to be realistic and pragmatic in your approach to life.
- A multicolored wedding dress can happen when you’re at a crossroads in life or denote a positive omen. The colors indicate the dilemma depending on the shades and their arrangement on the fabric.
Other Aspects of the Bridal Dress
If the wedding veil is a feature in the dream, it means you’re looking to build a beautiful life with someone. The veil can also symbolize how you hide your true emotions and that you’re worried about your future. If it’s white, there are new changes and challenges. But if the veil was gold, there is something regal about to take place.
If the wedding dress was too big, it could suggest there are obstacles making a real relationship impossible for you at this time and that you don’t feel stable enough to settle down. Alternatively, it could mean that your friends or relatives don’t approve of your current relationship or career.
Seeing yourself try on a wedding dress may represent your anxiousness and concern about a new phase you’re entering. Trying on a wedding dress can also denote that you are trying to evaluate the disadvantages and advantages of a situation. Your subconscious is playing with the choices in the form of trying on wedding dresses. However, this will depend on how the fitting went and any feelings that came up during the course of trying it on.
In Brief
Dreaming of getting married can have many possible interpretations. Generally, it’s either a reflection of the happiness you feel in waking life or the worry that plagues your conscious mind. Of course, what certain things mean to you will determine on the interpretation of such a dream.
