Many people have dreams about marriage. But what does it mean when you dream about getting married? It can have different interpretations depending on the type of dream you're having and other context clues.
When You Dream of Getting Married
Have you ever dreamed you're the bride or groom in a wedding? It's a common dream symbol, although the meaning can be literal as well. There are various ways to interpret dreams about marriage.
You're Getting Married!
Of course, the most obvious marriage dream meaning is easy to recognize. If you're engaged, in a serious relationship that's heading towards the alter, you just got married, or you're planning a wedding, then these dreams may simply be your subconscious mind processing your waking memories and experiences. If this is the case, it's likely you don't need to look any further to interpret this dream. Even if the dream is disturbing or anxiety-provoking, chances are it's simply your subconscious releasing stress related to your upcoming nuptials.
You Want to Get Married
Sigmund Freud posited that some dreams are a form of wish fulfillment in which your subconscious mind tells you what you want since your ego is unable to make you aware of it in your waking life. Therefore, in some cases, dreams about marriage are merely your sleeping brain telling your waking brain that you want to find a life partner.
You're Committed to Something
In a symbolic dream, getting married may be a dream symbol showing commitment...not necessarily to a beloved other, but to something important in your life. This can be encouragement to commit to something such as a job or project, or it could simply show how committed you are.
You Want to or Are Experiencing a New Beginning
A wedding is the beginning of a new phase in life, and when there's a marriage in a dream, it could indicate you either desire a new beginning or you're currently in the process of starting over.
You Are Experiencing a Transition
A marriage is also a time of transition when you go from me to we. So, if you are in the process of transition or heading towards one, a marriage in a dream can indicate that you are fast approaching or are already mid-stride in a significant transition.
You're Contemplating a Partnership
A wedding may also indicate a pending partnership. This may be a romantic partnership, but that's not the only interpretation. It could also be a business partnership, a new friendship, or a partnership on a project, for example.
You Need to Address a Negative Situation
If the wedding in your dream is disastrous in some way, then the dream is telling you that something to which you're committed that isn't going as planned needs to be fixed. It's showing you that you need to take care of the situation before it worsens.
It's Time for Unity
A wedding dream may also indicate that it's time to unite with someone else in some way. For example, if you dream you're marrying someone you're at odds with or dislike, then your subconscious is telling you it's time to end that division and unite.
You're Feeling Forced Into Something
If you dream it's an arranged marriage, then you're likely feeling like you're forced into something you aren't quite sure you want. How you feel about the arranged marriage in the dream can help you better understand whether you feel that forced transition is to your detriment or to your benefit.
A Potential Collaboration Is Unreliable
If you dream you're stood up at the altar, then it may indicate that a pending partnership or collaboration is with someone unreliable. This dream suggests looking deeper to see if it's really the partnership for you.
What to Notice to Determine a Marriage Dream Meaning
When sussing out the meaning of your wedding dream, pay attention to other aspects of the dream to gain more insight.
Who Are You Marrying?
This is a biggie, and perhaps the most important key to the getting married dream meaning aside from the context of a wedding itself. A few common marriage partners in dreams and their meanings include:
- If you're marrying your current spouse, this may indicate you are happy and in love, that you would marry your spouse all over again, or that in order to maintain the integrity of your current relationship, you need to re-commit to it.
- If you're marrying a co-worker or your boss, then the dream may be telling you that you need to recommit to your work in order to be successful.
- If you're marrying someone you dislike or have beef with, then the dream is telling you it's time to set aside differences and unify instead of remaining at odds.
- If you're marrying a stranger, it suggests you may need to spend some time in introspection about your feelings so you can integrate all your emotions into the whole of yourself.
- If you're marrying your ex, it suggests you've grown, changed, and learned about yourself and are moving forward as a stronger person or that it is time to resolve any issues you have with an ex-partner.
- If you're marrying a family member, it suggests you are most comfortable with those things that are familiar to you.
Where Are You Getting Married?
Location is always a huge clue in dreams, and marriage dreams are no exception. The location gives you a sense of the overall theme of the marriage dream meaning.
- Getting married in a church may mean the dream is about a spiritual union or traditional values.
- Getting married at the office suggests the dream is about your work life.
- Getting married in a doctor's office or hospital (or another health care facility) indicates the dream is about physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual health.
- Getting married outdoors suggests that you can find freedom in unity or a partnership.
- Getting married in a courthouse suggests you can find justice or balance through a partnership.
- Getting married in a store, mall, or another shopping center suggests you have or are making choices in your partnerships.
- Getting married near water indicates you need to integrate and unify your emotions.
How Do You Feel About the Marriage?
Another important factor when interpreting getting married dream meanings is how you feel in the dream about the wedding. For example, if you're feeling positive, upbeat, and excited, then chances are the unity or partnership you are considering is one that will be positive. If you're feeling angry, stressed, or some other negative feeling, then there's a good chance the overall meaning of the dream is warning you against the potential partnership or pointing out there will be obstacles to overcome.
Understanding Dreams About Marriage
Marriage dream meanings can be as simple as indicating you're actually getting married and your mind is processing your daily life, or they can be involved and complex. Before digging into the dream symbols, however, you should always first ask, what do I think this marriage dream means? Typically, if you think you intuitively understand the meaning of your marriage dream, you're probably right. However, if you need more insight, then you can look up the symbols in a dream dictionary to gain a better understanding of its meaning.
