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K
Just Said Yes October 2021

Advice needed re: guest or wedding party drinking to much

Katherine, on May 21, 2021 at 10:42 AM Posted in Etiquette and Advice 1 11

Last Sat was my bridal shower which my MOH hosted. We had a mimosa bar, and one of my bridesmaids (J) drank way too much. The shower was at 11am & she didn't leave until almost 4pm because she kept drinking. Then she kept saying we should open another bottle of champagne, but my MOH would not (thank God!). J was also making jokes about how she could just sleep in their yard or on their porch swing if she drank too much. No one else there acted like this (or even close). The shower was at my MOH's house, so it was a huge imposition on her that J overstayed her welcome. I wasn't able to leave either because I didn't feel like I could just leave when a guest was still there.

Both my MOH & I are very concerned this will happen again. We have the bachelorette party coming up which will be a pool party at someone else's house. No one will be drinking so much that they need to sleep there, including me (I have epilepsy, so I am not a huge drinker.). Then there will also be an open bar at the wedding which we are only serving beer and wine. I talked to the venue owners a while ago about what if someone drinks too much; it's an all-inclusive venue. They provide the bartender. They said the bartender will cut people off if they seem like they are drinking too much (going up to the bar too often, etc), and if necessary they will call an Uber.

My MOH has said that if there is a problem at either of these events, she will say something to J. If something happens, it needs to be taken care of, and I will say something if necessary. But I obviously don't want there to be any drama or a scene. This is not the first time something like this has happened. It happened a lot in college. One time, she tried to kiss my boyfriend at the time. (We were 18-22 then. We are 43 now.) And of course she didn't take it well, and there was drama.

I'm trying not to stress over it, but I don't know what to do!

11 Comments

Latest activity by Samantha, on May 21, 2021 at 2:00 PM
  • AJ
    Super October 2022
    AJ ·
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    Sounds like she needs help for her obvious drinking problem, and something should be said - which she will deny. If she gets too drunk get her in an Uber and send her home. Her behavior is unacceptable.

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  • Christina
    Devoted July 2020
    Christina ·
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    I would say something to her because it sounds like she needs help.
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  • Grace
    Super February 2022
    Grace ·
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    I agree that your MOH should say something to her if it happens again at the bachelorette. Cut her off and do not provide any more alcohol after a certain time, like your MOH did at the shower.



    You can point J out to the bartender as one of the people you expect might try to overindulge at the reception. This could be a you or the MOH saying something to the bartender beforehand or you choosing to designate another person to do so if you don't meet the bartender until the day of the wedding (just make sure it is someone you trust to keep it confidential). You don't want to add more things for you or your bridal party to juggle on the day of the wedding and it is not fair to your MOH to have her babbysit another bridesmaid at the reception when she should be celebrating.
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  • Sarah
    Master September 2019
    Sarah ·
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    It sounds like your friend has a drinking problem. You can certainly try to talk to her about it, but if this has been going on for decades, I wouldn’t expect that conversation to go well. As for the wedding, bartenders know when to cut people off. Leave it up to the professionals to handle her on that day.
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  • Kk
    Devoted October 2021
    Kk ·
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    Does this happen alot? And I don't mean in college. I don't think it's fair to hold college days over a 43 year-old's head. I wouldn't assume that she has a drinking problem because she got drunk at your shower.
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  • Samantha
    VIP October 2022
    Samantha ·
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    Is this typical? Or was this a one off?
    Either way, talk to her. Tell her the wedding and events are not going to be focused on getting drunk. Some people DO see wedding related parties as drinking focused....and it looks like she wasn’t able to read the room at the shower to see that it wasn’t that kind of party.
    When you talk to her - in person I recommend - you should be able to go from there depending on her response. One of my closest friends made a joke about getting drunk on mimosas while getting ready and I very gently said that I was not going to get married with alcohol on my breath LOL she got the point.
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  • C
    Super July 2020
    Cool ·
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    I think you should talk to your friend directly. A 43-year-old should not be passing out at a friends house after mimosas. This sounds like she has a drinking problem. At minimum, you should tell her how her behavior the day of your shower affected you and others. Maximum, offer to help her seek help.
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  • Givemeallthepups
    Expert February 2020
    Givemeallthepups ·
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    I think this is a situation that you should approach as a friend first and a bride second. I assume the conversation would go better if approached from the standpoint of "I'm concerned about you" rather than "I'm concerned about my wedding."

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  • K
    Just Said Yes October 2021
    Katherine ·
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    Thank you all for the support and suggestions!

    A few asked if this is typical since college or just in college and this one time. (And yes Kk, I agree- college is not a good indicator of this.)

    To answer that, I would have to say both because a few years ago (like probably a couple of years before pandemic lockdown), she was doing the same thing, and I was very concerned and dreading having that conversation with her. Then right when I was about to, she said she was going to stop drinking for a period of time, like a month or so (I can't exactly remember how long) because she felt like her relationship with alcohol was getting unhealthy.

    I know the conversation will go horribly no matter when I have it, so I am praying that maybe she has this same revelation again. I know I sound like a horrible friend because you are supposed to confront a person who is your friend if you suspect a problem even if they end up hating you because it might save their life. But I dread it and wish I didn't have to just the same.

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  • Michelle
    Champion December 2022
    Michelle ·
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    She needs to get help for her drinking but she has to want help first.


    It is not maid of honor’s responsibility to keep her in line and sober. That is why venues require security and professional bartenders. The bartenders will not serve anyone they suspect to be intoxicated, but you can also alert them ahead of time to be on the lookout.
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  • Samantha
    VIP October 2022
    Samantha ·
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    You don’t need to have a big confrontation, or make it a direct talk about drinking, but you can be clear about behavior. “You acted out of line at the shower and it was really embarrassing, as well as inconsiderate to the hostess.”
    Address the behavior - she acted badly at a party.
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