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Just Said Yes April 2024

Help! Bridal party drama

Lyn, on July 18, 2023 at 4:40 PM Posted in Family and Relationships 2 7
Hi all,


So I’m hoping people here can give me some advice. I recently got engaged to the most loving partner, we’ve both always known that we wanted an intimate wedding with our nearest and dearest and are currently planning for 2024. I have one sister and 2 brothers, my brothers are both married with kids and my sister is older than me and single, still living with our parents. My sister and I have always been close, until recently that is. When I got engaged she was the only person I thought of being my MOH, I have lots of friends and some I am very close to, they’re like sisters to me. Anyway I asked my sister to be my MOH and she accepted, I also mentioned that we would prob have some of my friends as bridesmaids but she blew off the idea saying she would be fine on her own. I explained that my fiancée is having 4/5 groomsmen and we’d discuss it closer to the time as we hadn’t made any decisions yet. Then things turned….
Since that conversation, which wasn’t fraught or tense she has basically stopped engaging with me about anything wedding related and even on the daily sisterly stuff. She recently visited with other family members and left our home without even saying goodbye, while here she treated people appallingly.
I have mentioned to a couple of my closest friends about being bridesmaids and they’re over the moon with excitement and ideas, but, I havent told my sister. I know that when I do there will be drama and she will make it all about her. When she was here I tried talking to her about wedding plans and the bridal party but she cut off the conversation and didn’t engage at all.
I just don’t know what to do anymore, I feel like she doesn’t want to be a part of the wedding but doesn’t want to be the person to pull out and I know if I ask her the question she will accuse me of not wanting her, which isn’t the case at all.
I’m now 9 months to my wedding, no bridal outings, no exciting build up, no dress shopping done (I dread asking her to come as I know she’ll spoil it or won’t turn up) and am utterly exhausted thinking about how to navigate this without causing drama in the family or damaging a relationship. Am I being unreasonable by wanting more than one bridesmaid? Has anyone else experienced this?

7 Comments

Latest activity by Rachel, on August 9, 2023 at 1:39 PM
  • D
    Dedicated May 2024
    Dani ·
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    No, you're not unreasonable for wanting more than one bridesmaid! It's especially strange that your sister was so against the idea of you having more than one bridesmaid from the very start.

    Among my two sisters' weddings and all my cousins' and friends' weddings, I've never heard of a sister/MOH (or anyone) say that she should be the only one. I've heard of a bride choosing to just have one bridesmaid/MOH, but she made that decision, not anyone else.

    Your friends are important to you, and having them as bridesmaids on your wedding day is an extremely meaningful way of showing that they're important to you. It can also be good to have that circle of support on your wedding day since there can be a lot of stress and logistics.

    I think your sister is unreasonable... can anyone else in the family tell her that it's your wedding, not hers, and you can choose however many bridesmaids you want to have? Do you know if she's always had the assumption that she would be your only bridesmaid, and why she's so insistent that you shouldn't have any bridesmaids besides just her?

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  • C
    CM ·
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    I would just ask her if there’s sonething bothering her. If she repeats the nonsense about you not “needing” anyone else, I’d tell her you’re confused and that it’s to honor friendships, it isn’t a job, a competition or an obligation.
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  • C
    CM ·
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    I responded to the other thread but again, I wouldn’t ask if she still wants to be in the wedding. I would however ask if there’s something that’s bothering her. It’s unreasonable for her to demand to be the only attendant. I’d explain that it’s not a contest or a job, and that honoring other relationships takes nothing away from her.
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  • D
    Dedicated May 2024
    Dani ·
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    Agreed... it seems as if she sees the bride's friends or other possible bridesmaids as competition and I'm curious as to why.

    I genuinely wonder what the sister thinks about other weddings' bridal parties... should all brides just have one MOH and no other bridesmaids? If not, why should this bride/her sister have to?

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  • Jacks
    Rockstar November 2054
    Jacks ·
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    This for sure.

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  • K
    Super September 2023
    Kimberly ·
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    I would definitely have a conversation with your sister about what’s bothering her and where the source of her feelings are coming from. Even if she makes unreasonable accusations, then you’ll know that she’s not really approaching this from a supportive place. I would definitely find out if she plans to carry her poor attitude into your wedding day. While these positions are an honor and shouldn’t come with a laundry list of obligation, it should go to someone who, you know, actually supports the wedding! Invite your other friends to be bridesmaids, as this is your decision and not your sister’s, and she is just going to have to accept that. If she doesn’t want to, then she can step down if that will make her feel better.
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  • R
    Beginner September 2024
    Rachel ·
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    I would sit down with her to ask her about this coldness. If you are also both close to your parents I would discuss this with them as they may know where this hostility is coming from. It’s not ok for her to act like this as she should be happy and supportive. You are not asking for anything crazy, to me who you ask to be a bridesmaid is showing each of your friends how much you love them— not to help you plan and “take care” of things. Maybe you just need to remind her of that and that you think she is more than capeable as your MOH but that you dearly love this friends and what them standing with you too. If she isn’t ok with this then it’s a toxic relationship.
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