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Tilar Fifield
Devoted August 2019

Bridesmaid frustrations

Tilar Fifield, on February 11, 2019 at 11:01 PM Posted in Etiquette and Advice 0 32
Hello fellow brides, I’m taking a leap of faith here and I hope someone can offer me some good advice! I’ll try to keep this as short as I can.
Okay so basically I am having some really strong frustrations with one of my bridesmaids about ordering her dress. Back in December 2018 I picked a dress off Amazon that we hoped would work out (it did NOT). Fast forward to January 2019, I decided on a dress frim David’s Bridal. So, there has been a lot of dress talk for the past 2 months. I have a special group chat on the Group Me app for my girls, if someone doesn’t respond I always reach out to them personally to make sure they saw it. I’m on top of the communication here! I gave my girls the deadline of the 1st week in February to order. All but 1 of my 6 BM have either ordered or made arrangements with me to order their dress by then. My one BM is really starting to frustrate me because I can’t seem to get any info from her on when she is able to order. I have asked her SEVERAL times on what her timeline/game plan was... she is very vague with answers (if she even answers me at all). My most recent attempt was Friday afternoon, I sent her a simple text just asking when she planned on ordering, she never responded but she was posting on her socials throughout the day. So last night I texted her basically saying “hey I know you’re busy and I know money is tight but I really need to know when you plan on ordering because we need to make sure it comes in time”. Nothing. So, I texted her this morning basically saying the same thing but more on the fact that she is starting to really hurt my feelings because I feel like she is ignoring me and doesn’t care about being in my wedding anymore. And that if she cannot financially commit that I need to know so I can find another BM in time. She wants to be in the wedding but “literally has no money”. And where I am getting extremely frustrated is that I see her on her socials constantly going out to bars, getting her nails done, buying this and that, getting her eyelashes done. Just two weeks ago she spent $100 on her hair, she literally bragged about it “only” being $100 (the dress is $95 I may add). I know it is absolutely none of my business what she choose to spend her money on, but I don’t think it’s valid to use the excuse of not being able to pay for it when I literally see her blowing her money all over the place. AND the fact that she’s known about this since December. I don’t know what to do, I’m trying to be understanding and not bring up her spending habits. At what point do I draw the line? Am I crazy? How do I get it across to her that if she does not order that she will not be in the wedding?SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME.

32 Comments

Latest activity by Jennifer, on February 25, 2019 at 7:31 PM
  • Kelly
    Champion October 2018
    Kelly ·
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    If the date in your profile is correct then there is plenty of time to order it. David’s Bridal dresses don’t take that long to come in. I wouldn’t give her an arbitrary deadline but let her know if she doesn’t have it by the day of the wedding she will be a guest and leave it at that.
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  • Tilar Fifield
    Devoted August 2019
    Tilar Fifield ·
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    Yes, it is correct! And I’ve know this girl for a very long time, if I don’t give her a deadline it will not happen. I cannot wait until the day of my wedding to find out she has not ordered a dress, I just can’t! I like what you’re saying about either you have a dress or you’re a guest, but if she’s going to be a guest I need to know sooner rather than later so I can find a replacement and so we can get the correct dress ordered for her. Which, I said that to her this morning and still, nothing.
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  • Kelly
    Champion October 2018
    Kelly ·
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    I wouldn’t get a replacement bridesmaid. Just leave it up to her to be an adult and if she doesn’t get the dress then she’ll be a guest and you’ll have uneven sides. I would be upset if someone told me I had to order the dress six months before or I’d be replaced. I’m saying this as someone who has been a bridesmaid 14 times and had 10 bridesmaids in my own wedding.
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  • Dedicated May 0021
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    I ordered a dress from David’s Bridal last year for a wedding I had in August. My dress took 2 weeks..but of course it is advisable to plan for 4 months. I understand your frustration, I would be too. Its immature and annoying that she’s ignoring you, but don’t give her an ultimatum or continue to text her. Give her time maybe until the end of the month. Its not easy for some people to spend money on a BM dress they would never wear again.
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  • Caytlyn
    Legend November 2019
    Caytlyn ·
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    This. Everything that Kelly has said is completely accurate. Don’t give your friends an unnecessary deadline SIX MONTHS before your wedding and don’t replace them because they have struggles. Your bridesmaids should be your nearest and dearest, they shouldn’t be replaceable.
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  • A
    Expert August 2019
    Ami ·
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    Gonna throw a curve ball for those saying David’s bridal dresses come in quick...we’re using them for bridesmaid dresses and this particular dress has a 16 week lead time. So in that case they really do need to order 5-6 months ahead of time in order to have time for alterations. My wedding is in August and all but 1 bridesmaid has ordered their dress, the remaining dress will be ordered this month (she just had a baby).
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  • Kelly
    Champion October 2018
    Kelly ·
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    I’ve ordered quite a few dresses from there that say it’s a 12-16 week timeframe but they’ve always come a lot sooner! May not be the case for you but just my personal experience.
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  • Kareta
    Dedicated September 2019
    Kareta ·
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    I had one like that so I replaced her I hope she can make it and I do understand everyone can’t do it hard times come other responsibilities but if she can’t do it and tells me late then I’m rushing or upset. I just want less stress as possible we set deadlines for a reason.
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  • A
    Expert August 2019
    Ami ·
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    Good to know!
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  • Officiallymrs
    Super May 2010
    Officiallymrs ·
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    David’s bridal dresses come in super quick ... they will tell you it will take up to 5 months probably but t will likely be a month or less .. and your right you don’t have any say what she spends her money on unfortunately .. if you want her to be in the wedding buy her dress and let her pay you back
    but if nothing else don’t “ find a replacement” for her, that’s offensive
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  • Tilar Fifield
    Devoted August 2019
    Tilar Fifield ·
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    Thank you Ami, that makes me feel better knowing you’ve been told the same thing! I am honestly shocked with how many people allow such a smaller time frame for ordering. With all the research I’ve done and all the blogs and advice I’ve looked into, the timeframe I’m seeing is 7-8 months before the event. So, yeah I think 6 months is pretty reasonable!
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  • Jennifer
    VIP October 2021
    Jennifer ·
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    For those saying the dresses come in
    quick, NOT always. My FSD was to be in her older brothers wedding this past October( he called it off and moved home to daddy and I, oh yea!) they ordered the drsss and thought that 3mo out was ok, well nope, it came in- ironically- AFTER he'd called off the wedding- 5 Months it took!!!
    It's better to get them, and then and then have the alterations done a couple months before. Better to have them than not!

    I am looking to replace my MOH/BFF, so I feel ya.
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  • J
    Master 0000
    Judith ·
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    With an August wedding date there is no need to order any bm m dress before mid April. Most bm dresses come in, in 2-8 weeks, plus a couple for hemming or minor alterations. The closer the fitting and purchase to the actual wedding day, the fewer alterations needed for size change. My recent BM dresses, past couple of years, all members of Bp dresses were in 2-4 weeks after order, 4 that did Davids. The Davids dresses you want could be ordered up to May one. When you push your bridesmaids to buy things months and months before actually needed, bride usually sets herself up for trouble. If the bridesmaid planned to budget for the spending in late April or beginning of May, you should treat her like an adult who has taken responsibility for getting dressed for years, and does not need bride looking over her shoulder or pushing deadlines at totally unnecessary, arbitrary deadline that makes bride happy, but is unrelated to when a gown from Davids actually needs to be purchased. Don't nag. That just makes you frustrated and her angry, for no reason except you won't treat her like an adult. Let it go. If she orders too late, she would not get the dress, and would be out. But if she does order it June 1, gets it in 3 +weeks before the wedding, 2 days hemming, you will look like a complete fool for having relentlessly pushed for months too early. I have been in over 60 weddings age 14-37, never once not had every item in had ready to go at least 3 weeks before the event. But every 6-10 times, there is a bride who makes a total pain of herself from 7-10 months out, very often by wedding time creating enough anger so 1 or more BM quit, or do the wedding then break off the friendship. These are your adult friends. This one will do it when she has money in the budget, or she won't. But your pushing will only make things worse. Why do it?
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  • V
    Super April 2019
    Valerie ·
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    I do think it is early to be making an ultimatum about dresses. My wedding is well before yours and my girls ordered their dresses two weeks ago. 2 of the 3 already have their dresses. Also, if you are going to dismiss your bridesmaid and just replace her, was she ever actually your friend or just a prop for your wedding photos?

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  • Rayna
    Devoted July 2019
    Rayna ·
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    Would you want to be someone’s replacement bridesmaid? You don’t need time to replace her. Replacing her is rude. Either she gets the dress or she’s a guest it’s not worth stressing about. It sucks when friends are unreliable but sometimes you have to move on. It’ll be her loss.
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  • Annie
    VIP October 2018
    Annie ·
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    I think 6 months is plenty of time to get a dress from David's Bridal. I've had most dresses come back within a month, but for a wedding I was in they lost one of the bridesmaid's dresses and she literally didn't get the dress from David's Bridal until 1 week before the wedding. I would rather have the dress sit in my closet than worry that it's going to not arrive in time. I wouldn't replace the bridesmaid if she doesn't get the dress. Just have one less bridesmaid.

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  • Bocachica
    Beginner August 2019
    Bocachica ·
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    Hi! Just wanted to let you know that I ordered a David’s Bridal BM dress in late March last year and it didn’t come in until mid July. It wasn’t fancy, and it wasn’t special sizing. I’m sorry you’re going through this, and I agree with Rae above regarding a “replacement” - have who you want and don’t feel pressured to fill a quotient. I find it frustrating because you’d think that by saying “yes” to be a BM, they’re committing to the rest of the responsibility that comes with the duty, within reason. Best of luck!
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  • Kodi
    Super April 2019
    Kodi ·
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    Yeah when I went to look, the dress I wanted had a 6-7 month lead time..

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  • Tilar Fifield
    Devoted August 2019
    Tilar Fifield ·
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    Omg thank you Kareta! I totally agree. I don’t think I would be as upset if she would just tell me what she is thinking. I know it’s not exactly fun to talk about but I have planning to do. I don’t WANT to “replace” her, I asked her to be in my wedding for a reason. But my sides need to be even and everyone needs to wear the same dress. Plain and simple. I think if she really cared about being a part of my day that she would make sure she was at least give me the time of day to answer my texts. And I think if I’m at this point and I’m considering “replacing” her then I guess our friendship is soon to be over anyway.
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  • Tilar Fifield
    Devoted August 2019
    Tilar Fifield ·
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    Thank you for the advice Bocachica! Yes, you would think that saying yes would mean they would follow through! I don’t believe I am asking for much at all, we’ve been having dress discussion since December so this isn’t new to anyone. I’m asking for the dresses to be ordered in the timeframe I set, to get some shoes eventually and to show up on time. I don’t think that is asking for much compared to other brides!
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