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Christina
Just Said Yes June 2023

[Advice needed] Awkward bridesmaids conversation for my not-so destination, destination wedding.

Christina, on December 18, 2022 at 6:25 PM Posted in Family and Relationships 0 6
Background context

I moved to California four years ago from North Carolina. My FH and I met and still live in California. We made the choice to have our wedding here instead of traveling back to North Carolina.

We are inviting just under 100 people and ~40 of them are invited from North Carolina (this includes my family, sorority sisters and childhood friends, and my parents friends).
My dilemma
One of my bridesmaids who is traveling from NC and I had a weird conversation and I’m trying to decide next steps:
- she said to me that her mother asked why we didn’t have our wedding in NC since we have so many people traveling. (The answer: because my life is now in California and it’s what what my fiancé and I wanted)
- she shared that she really ran into some financial issues and can’t afford to go to the bachelorette party & wedding so she’ll only be able to join for the wedding (completely understand)
- she shared that went we first became friends (the year after college) she was just a “yes person” who just agreed to do whatever anyone would ask her. She went on to say that it was my fault that we would party on the weekends and that she isn’t like that anyone (yay for her, but seriously…neither am I so…ok?)
Things I’m thinking for next steps:

Obviously wedding planning is stressful so having this type of conversation with a bridesmaid was uncomfortable. The wedding is still 7 months away, she hasn’t booked her flight or hotel and she also hasn’t purchased her dress. Essentially she hasn’t spent any money yet.

- send her a message sharing that I’ve been thinking about our conversation and share that one of our groomsmen also had to decline the trip so if for any reason she would prefer to not make the trip and/or be a bridesmaid I would completely understand.
- say nothing and let her make the right choice for her.
- tell her that I’d prefer if she be a guest vs a bridesmaid and that a lot of the things she said made me uncomfortable (I recognize this option would probably end the friendship).
Just wondering what this community thinks… am I overreacting?

6 Comments

Latest activity by Beautyfly, on December 22, 2022 at 2:45 AM
  • Alyssa
    Super October 2023
    Alyssa ·
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    Are you and this friend still close? Her saying she was always a "yes person" makes me think that maybe she sees you two as not that close of friends.

    Has everyone else booked and paid for everything? 7 months seems like plenty of time, and maybe she's waiting until after the holidays to purchase flights and hotel. It's also possible that she can't purchase everything but really still wants to come. Is it possible for you to help pay for part of her fare?As you even said demoting her to guest could be a friendship ending move.


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  • Christina
    Just Said Yes June 2023
    Christina ·
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    We’ve known each other for 10 years now and we’ve definitely grown apart over this time. I’ve already done a few things like offer to find someone to split a hotel room with her, and brainstorm ways for her to get to the airport/which airports would be cheapest options. I’m not comfortable offering to pay for her to come since we are doing a lot of things like setting up a shuttle and paying for a welcome event to offset the costs for out of town guests.


    Hearing her perspective of our friendship was jarring and I can spend time processing her perspective personally. I feel naive at how close we actually are/were.
    I just want her to have a good time and not feel like I’m being judged or over indexing to make sure she’s comfortable.
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  • Jacks
    Rockstar November 2054
    Jacks ·
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    Maybe take the wedding out of it for a second and think of it as a "friend" problem. Would you speak to her about her comment or just leave it? If you want to address it, you could do it from a point of curiosity, like, "I'm curious, what did you mean by "x", have you had some big transitions in your life? Sounds like we need to catch up!"--or something like that.

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  • Alyssa
    Super October 2023
    Alyssa ·
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    You may find some responses on here that you as the bride/groom are supposed to pay for wedding party travels since it is a destination wedding.

    From an outside perspective this looks more like a 1 way friendship. I agree with jacks that you just need to have a friend, not bridesmaid, conversation. See if you two still align at all or if the friendship is dead


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  • W
    VIP September 2020
    Willow ·
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    Give her the option to step down as a bridesmaid. She hasn't actually done anything to justify getting kicked out. Make this a phone call, not a text
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  • Christina
    Just Said Yes June 2023
    Christina ·
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    This has been so helpful to think through and process. I’m going to check in with her as a friend first. I’ve also chatted with my mom about hosting something in NC like a post-event celebration for those who can’t make the trip for whatever reason.


    While I’d love for all my friends and family to be at the wedding, I can understand and respect that taking on a large expense for a wedding can be difficult.
    Grateful to this community!
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