I was a weekend drinker as well. (Well, I would drink to excess any time I picked up the first drink - and that tended to be Fri, Sat and Sun). Any other time I popped out for couple tended to end in the same chaos though.
I was lucky (or perhaps unlucky) in that I didn't get massive hangovers. Not physical ones anyway. Often I'd be the gym doing a Body Combat class or similar the next morning - which gave my AV a fantastic argument to continue drinking. The emotional hang overs were the worst for me. Anxiety and confusion as I tried to make sense of what I'd said or done, and why I behaved that way.
I think we all go through that stage of feeling it's unfair, and wishing that we could just drink 'normally'. I tried drinking different types of drinks; drinking in different places; drinking at different times; only taking set amount of cash with me. None of it worked. The only thing that has worked for me is staying away from the stuff. Completely.
Over time I have learnt to approach my alcoholism with an attitude of acceptance. No, I can't drink like some other people. But you know what - there's worse things I could find wrong with me. Self-pity really doesn't help me, as it amplifies my alcoholic voice. 'Poor me' can all too easily turn into 'Poor me - I deserve a drink. Everyone else is having one!' and lead to actually having one.
Nowadays, when I go along to the pub with my partner, I make sure that it's at the START of his session. I know that I will be okay chatting to him for an hour or so, and then he will be on a different wavelength to me, so then I go home. I don't feel sad about going home. I see it as me walking to the beat of my own drum, being independent and that I am getting both a Saturday night in, AND a Saturday night out. BUT, I didn't just wake up one day and think that. I worked hard to get to that level of acceptance. That's what my recovery is about. Acceptance, and adjusting my perspective to live a happy and fulfilled sober life.
Early on in my sobriety I found that having an escape strategy was key to my enjoyment of any night out. I also found it handy to take breaks as drunk people are very wearing on any sober person, but especially an alcoholic. I might 'pop to the shop', or go in the garden or for a walk to 'make a call'. I soon realised, no-one actually notices when I disappear for a bit, so I could always go have a coffee and read somewhere for an extended break if I wanted. If there is live music and some dancing going on, then it invariably makes for a better night and 'breaks' aren't needed so much.
Good luck. One good thing about being a binge drinker is that tapering isn't necessary - I don't really understand what that one night a month actually does apart from make it harder for you, but then again, it's also none of my business.