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Just Said Yes October 2023

Do i need to buy a present?

Amanda, on September 19, 2023 at 9:47 AM Posted in Etiquette and Advice 0 4
Back story- I used to work with another woman who was pregnant, I was training under her to take over her position once she had her baby, so she could transition into a stay at home mom. We were never that close, but I definitely tried to be friendly with her.


Once she left our job, we have hardly talked, if at all. I invited her to my wedding, because we'd talked about it while we worked together. She rsvped a no, because her baby's first birthday was 2 days before my wedding day, and she would be throwing his birthday party the same day. While she was pregnant, I got her a few gifts throughout her pregnancy (When I started training, as a congratulatory gift, when she found out she was having a boy, at her baby shower, and after the baby was born.) I know I went a little extra with it, but I can't wait to be a mom someday and I knew the little gifts would make her happy especially near the end of her pregnancy when she was uncomfortable. She returned the favor and gave me a few gifts at my bridal shower. Since we are not close at all, and I have not seen her aside from my bridal shower in well over a year and we never talk, I figured that would call us even. But she sent me a text yesterday letting me know to expect an invite to her sons first birthday in the mail in the next few days. The date of the party is the same day as my wedding day, and she included in the text "I knoe you OBVIOUSLY can't come, but I'm sending you an invite anyway." My friends are telling me it is a gift grab. Like I've said, we're not close and I've never even met her son, or seen her aside from that one time in well over a year. I hate to sound selfish and say that making sure an acquaintance gets a present for her son I've never met on my wedding day is super low on my priority list, but I'm afraid it'll come off as rude if I don't? I just don't understand why she would go out of her way to send me an invite, when she knows it's my wedding day and that we never talk or really had a friendship outside of work. What should I do?

4 Comments

Latest activity by CM, on September 19, 2023 at 12:07 PM
  • Keri
    Keri ·
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    Well.... I would not send a gift. It was not necessarily a gift grab, but if you have not seen her in a year and it's literally your wedding day, I wouldn't send a gift. I'm wondering if you will ever even see her again.
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  • C
    CM ·
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    I wouldn't have sent it in her place but an invitation isn't always a gift grab. She may want you to know you would have been included or signal that she wants to maintain the connection. I'd send back good wishes on her son's (2nd?) birthday, but no, you are not obligated to send a gift.

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  • C
    Just Said Yes April 2024
    Courtney ·
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    I wouldn’t worry about it. You don’t stay in contact, you are not friends. You are former coworkers and that’s it. You are not obligated to send a gift, and you were not obligated to invite her to your wedding. It seems like you are both just trying to be polite to the other, but in some cases it’s okay to let the relationship die. This one has run its course, there’s no need to keep up appearances. Neither of you owe each other anything.
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  • C
    CM ·
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    I think the lesson here is not to send mixed signals. As you admit, you went overboard with the baby presents and just because you talked about your wedding a year ago that did not obligate you to invite her to your bridal shower or wedding, especially when you have no real relationship anymore and arguably never really did. For all you know she thought the shower and wedding invitation were gift grabs since you haven't talked in a year and knew the wedding was the weekend of her child's bday! Or she was just reciprocating.

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