Birds chirping and flowers blooming can only mean one thing—wedding season is upon us. And let’s be honest, weddings can be super fun or they can feel like five hours of torture. So before you reply to those save the dates that are certainly sitting in your mailbox as we speak, check out this list of tips to increase your chances of having a good time.

1. Find one thing to wear that you actually like and wear it to everything

No one cares if you’re wearing the same thing you wore to the last wedding in your friend group. Everyone’s trying not to get blisters or have a wardrobe malfunction and flash somebody’s weird uncle. Just find one thing that you feel good in and wear it to everything!

2. Lock down your best friend as your plus one

It’s nobody’s business what your relationship is with the person you bring as your date. If you are granted a plus one when you’re invited to the wedding, we don’t care what Miss Manners says, you can bring your bestie!

3. Bring treats in your bag

And if that means you need to bring a bigger bag, then so be it. Everybody knows wedding food leaves something to be desired, but more than that, you might just need a lil’ treat to get you through the more awkward moments.

4. Have a prepared excuse for leaving

You have to give your fish a bath! You have your unicycle lesson early the next morning! Doesn’t matter, as long as it rolls off the tongue. Everyone will be drunk anyway.

5. Only go if you want to!

You truly, truly do not have to go to every single wedding you’re invited to. Life is too short—just go to the ones you actually want to go to! And if you don’t want to go to any of them, that’s fine too!

6. Take your meds, including your birth control!

Just like always, stay on top of your prescribed meds, including your birth control—you deserve to be taken care of! While you’re at it, don’t forget to bring condoms or internal condoms with you in that big bag too—you never know when you might end up having more fun than you expected.