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Just Said Yes December 2021

How to tell your Bridesmaid to step down

Nicole, on October 28, 2021 at 1:13 PM Posted in Family and Relationships 1 8
This will be a long post, but I have to give the full story. My bachelorette party was just this past weekend. The plan was to have a nice weekend at the beach, stay in an Airbnb, chill in the hot tub, play games, dress spooky for Halloween, and take a ton of photos. I spoke to my group about not letting the drinking get our of control. My brother, who was also there, and I grew up with an abusive, alcoholic parent, so excessive drinking is a big trigger for the both of us. Everyone was in agreement and respectful.
By the end of the last night, the entire party was ruined by my bridesmaid.
1. She got really drunk and started being mean and bossy to everyone. She told my maid of honor "SHUT UP!" when she was trying to explain a game she wanted to play.2. She touched my matron of honor inappropriately. When they got there, my MOH asked if her shirt looked ok and the bridesmaid asked if she was ok with "personal touch." My MOH thought she as going to hug her, but instead, the bridesmaid stuck her whole hand in her shirt to adjust a br**st.3. She insisted on me taking a shot when I said no, then made another one for a friend of mine and told her "If you drink this, I will make out with you right now."4. She attempted to urinate outside in the back yard when we were in the hot tub.5. She walked around topless a lot6. She wasn't very present. Constantly on the phone, complaining the whole time, taking drunk selfies7. She got upset when I got upset at her behavior and decided to go to the beach at 2 A.M. making my two MOH's go after her. They felt unsafe and extremely uncomfortable. They were approached by cars and a guy more than once. She said she went to go "relive memories of her and her bf."
I talked to her on the phone and she was not very apologetic. She deflected, used her "anxiety" as an excuse for her behavior, said she didn't ask my MOH's to go after her, said she wasn't that drunk, etc. I spoke to her again the next day to tell her how I felt and how much she affected me and everyone else there. Her response was a little better, but I think she's more bothered that I'm upset with her than remorseful over her behavior.
Needless to say, I don't think it's a good idea to have her in the party anymore. Everyone's uncomfortable around her and I don't want anyone or myself to be baby sitting her at our wedding. The issue is, we've been friends for 10+ years and I don't know how to break the news to her. She also lives in another state, so it's not like we're super close anymore. I need help on how to tell her I don't feel comfortable having her as a bridesmaid anymore.

8 Comments

Latest activity by Willow, on November 2, 2021 at 4:51 PM
  • S
    Super September 2022
    Sarah ·
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    I am so sorry one of your closest friends behaved like this at your bachelorette party! That is very disrespectful on her part and you should’ve been able to enjoy your time.
    It sounds like she may have other issues outside of what happened that weekend. I would maybe just say that after that weekend you are uncomfortable having her at the wedding and maybe say something like you think that it’s best option for both of your mental health.
    It’s such a tough situation to be in and I’m so sorry. But I think honesty is the best route to go.
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  • W
    VIP September 2020
    Willow ·
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    If she needs to be babysat while drunk and hits on your friends, sounds like she should be excluded as a guest as well.


    "I appreciate everything you've done for me and the friendship that we've had. But I'm very concerned about your excessive drinking and sexualized behavior that made a lot of people uncomfortable. I'll reimburse you for the dress, and you are no longer invited/I can't have you remain a bridesmaid."
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  • M
    VIP January 2019
    Maggie ·
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    Not wanting her to be a bridesmaid any more is understandable, but you will need to accept that kicking her out will likely hurt her a lot and affect your friendship. There are no perfect words to NOT hurt her feelings, so I would just be very clear, brief, and as kind as possible. Don't give her a long explanation (she already knows how she behaved) or try soften the blow in a way that might make your message unclear.

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  • L
    Lady ·
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    If she will still be invited to your wedding, her behavior won't be any different - it's not like she'll be drunk at the ceremony, which is the most important part of the day anyway. I agree 100% that her behavior sucked and Id be mad at her too. But I also agree with pp that you should be totally comfortable with completely ending the friendship if you kick her out and if you do you should be prepared to reimburse her for things like her dress/shoes/etc.

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  • Jacks
    Rockstar November 2054
    Jacks ·
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    There is no good way to do this without ending the friendship. Make sure that is an ok consequence for her. Also yes, you need to reimburse her for any expenses related to her attire etc for the wedding.

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  • Samantha
    Super May 2022
    Samantha ·
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    Sounds like she has some issues of her own and could really use a friend right now. I'd try to remember that your friendship with her is more than just your wedding/ bachelorette/ bridesmaid duties. If you want to cut it off with her, I'd make it more about that than your wedding. Just say you don't think your lives and values really sync anymore and its best to just move on from each other. And yes reimburse her for any expenses she's paid so far.

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  • Heather
    Super November 2021
    Heather ·
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    Try to have an open communication with her. Ask her if there is something personally she is going through. As a friend you are concerned for especially for her behavior at the bachelorette. Which I am sorry all of that happened to you!! Have a conversation with her first before you make the official decision to not make her a bridesmaid anymore. Maybe she doesn't know what is expected from you so she thinks she can just do whatever she wants? Make it clear that you have boundaries and that one crossed it. While you are glad that she let herself loose that weekend, it was too much and out of line. If she is defensive, mad, angry, and starts to yell at you and unwilling to calm down especially for the day of the wedding then.. That would have to be a decision you will have to make for your sake and especially for your wedding. Just know that by asking her to step down she may feel hurt and it could ruin your friendship.

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  • W
    VIP September 2020
    Willow ·
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    Just wanted to add that going through issues is no excuse for touching someone else's breast. Neither is being female.


    Walking around topless in front of a bunch of people you don't know well is weird. It could be interpreted as a sexual imposition or just being carefree. Offering to make out with someone can be written off as harmless drunk girl talk. Trying to pee outside- just gross. I draw the line at the breast adjustment. Never in my life would I have thought a woman would reach under my shirt to touch my breast in that situation. By "personal touch" I would have assumed she meant the bra strap.

    Her overall behavior was crass, boundary stomping, attention seeking, and harassing. She went out of her way to make everyone uncomfortable. Your poor MoH may be on edge during your wedding worried that this "friend" is going to grope her again.
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