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Kaylee
Dedicated August 2020

Bridesmaid trouble

Kaylee, on September 24, 2019 at 10:09 PM Posted in Family and Relationships 0 27
Okay ladies, I need your opinion. I have nine bridesmaids, and I love them all to death. But I’ve noticed something with one of them.

Back story: this girl has been one of my closest friends throughout high school. She lived across the street from me, so we were basically inseparable. Once I graduated I moved a way for a while, but I still made time to see her whenever I came back. I’ve helped her through some pretty tough times with her two daughters father abandoning them, I have put a roof over their head, food on their plates, and gas in her tank. She refuses to get a job, so now that I am getting married , of course I would ask her to be a bridesmaid. She joyfully accepted. But since I have asked her, she doesn’t ask me to hang out with her anymore, nor does she even try to talk to me unless I message her first. I asked her about a month or two ago if she still planned on being in the wedding since she hadn’t gotten ahold of me, and she removed herself from the bridal party group chat, as well as hasn’t come to any of the important things. (I asked her to come with when I found my dress and that she could bring her daughters and she told me she would, but came up with a crappy reason THAT DAY as to why she couldn’t come, even though I had a ride planned out for her). She told me she still wanted to be in the wedding but she doesn’t have the money to purchase the dress I found. It’s off of amazon and only $80 with shipping. I want her to be in the wedding but I know she is expecting me to help her out again since I’ve helped her out for so long, but I can’t do it. I don’t want to (nor should I have to) pay for her dress, especially since I have an entire wedding to plan and pay for. What would you do if you were in my shoes? Please help!

27 Comments

Latest activity by Caitlin, on September 27, 2019 at 11:12 AM
  • M
    Legend June 2019
    Melle ·
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    Gah that's a tough one Smiley sad I think I'd end up helping to pay for the dress anyway but I do see where you're coming from because it sounds like you've always helped her
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  • Kaylee
    Dedicated August 2020
    Kaylee ·
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    She has never repaid me back, either. Which isn’t that big of a deal but when you add it up it does come down to a lot of money. I feel like I’d be more willing to help her if she was making an effort through everything but she hardly talks to me anymore and she doesn’t even try to get a job to help pay for things. 😔
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  • Kaylee
    Dedicated August 2020
    Kaylee ·
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    Her sister is a licensed daycare provider as well, and has room for her two daughters, so she can’t say that it’s because she can’t find someone to watch them. Her entire family is willing to. It’s so stressful and I’m super worried.
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  • M
    Legend June 2019
    Melle ·
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    Yea I think in this case you've really done so much for her so maybe just leave it to her if she can be in it or not. Then she can just be a guest Smiley sad you're not asking much of her to just get the dress considering all you've done already for her.
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  • Megan
    Expert October 2019
    Megan ·
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    I would tell her you cant because it's not fair to your other bridesmaids if you pay for her and not them, and that's just not affordable. It sounds like you really care for her but if you pay her way and not all 9 of your bridesmaids, is it fair to the ones who are putting their best foot forward? I hope it all works out. 🍀
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  • Karla
    Dedicated July 2021
    Karla ·
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    It sounds like she’s freeloading off of you and that’s not okay under any circumstances. I would just have a heart to heart with her & be honest with the way you feel. She has to put her big panties on and grow up. She has kids to take care of for gods sake.
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  • Kaylee
    Dedicated August 2020
    Kaylee ·
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    Thank you so much! I don’t want to hurt anyones feelings but I can’t afford to pay for her any longer!
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  • Kaylee
    Dedicated August 2020
    Kaylee ·
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    Thank you! I do not want to hurt her feelings at all, but sometimes tough love is what you have to give to get through to a person! I completely agree, back then I would have just thought I was helping a friend but I see now that she was definitely taking advantage of my friendship when she was the one who put herself in this hole! I appreciate all of your guys comments, I was honestly so stuck!
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  • Karla
    Dedicated July 2021
    Karla ·
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    Yes exactly! The more you allow it, the more she will do it. Good luck girl I hope it all works out!
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  • Jackie
    Dedicated October 2020
    Jackie ·
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    I would say something like, "sorry but paying for this wedding is so expensive, I just don't have it in my budget to help pay for your dress." If she really wants to be in your wedding she will find a way to make it work. I'm sorry you're going through this Smiley sad this is a tough situation.

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  • Kaylee
    Dedicated August 2020
    Kaylee ·
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    May I note, I picked a cheaper bridesmaid dress so she would be able to afford it. At the time I found it, she said it would work. Now she’s saying it’s too much
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  • Kaylee
    Dedicated August 2020
    Kaylee ·
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    She hasn’t technically told me that she wants me to pay for it, but I can tell by the way she’s telling me all of the things she can’t afford and how much she would love to be in the wedding is a big enough hint for me. I found the bridesmaid dress about 6 months ago, plenty of time for her to save up. It’s also the fact that she hasn’t tried reaching out to me since I’ve moved closer to her again.
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  • Mrs. Bubba
    VIP September 2019
    Mrs. Bubba ·
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    This is why I asked my Cousin to serve the food. She didn’t want to do that because she was “going to have on her nice. She recently told me that she was “feeling a type of way because I hadn’t asked her to participate”. I DID ask her to serve in a role that would NOT cost ME any money, but she declined. She also had tried to ask me for help getting her 👗. I was planning a Wedding and did NOT have funds for grown people.

    Oh, she also wore something that looked like she was going to work (business casual), not the nice 👗.
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  • MrsD
    Legend July 2019
    MrsD ·
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    I probably would just tell her you can't afford it. I assume if you pay for the dress, you'll need to figure out her transportation, hotel, HAMU, who watches her kids during the wedding, etc. too? I'd let her know she is more than welcome to still come as a guest.

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  • Kaylee
    Dedicated August 2020
    Kaylee ·
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    That’s what I’m leaning towards. I’ve given her plenty of time to start saving and she doesn’t make any effort to. Thank you, now I just need to figure out how I’m going to tell her.
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  • Jill
    Jill ·
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    If someone asked me to serve food at their wedding, I would decline too. That's not participating in someone's wedding, that's free labor for you.


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  • Madison
    Dedicated October 2019
    Madison ·
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    This woman has been leeching off your kindness for far too long. Now that you're getting married, the $$$ is probably going to stop and that subconsciously is affecting her which is why she won't return your calls. She's trying to control you and keep her $$$ flowing. I'd cut her out of your life after the wedding. And I'd ask her to step down as a bridesmaid if she won't buy her dress. You don't buy your dress, you're coming as a guest.

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  • Mrs. Bubba
    VIP September 2019
    Mrs. Bubba ·
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    I wanted someone that I could trust serving food. I wanted her
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  • Mrs. Bubba
    VIP September 2019
    Mrs. Bubba ·
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    To have a role that wouldn’t cost me any 💵. Having her as a Bridesmaid or Hostess would have cost me 💵 because she was asking for 💵 to help her get a 👗to wear just as a guest.
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  • Jill
    Jill ·
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    What type of wedding did you have that you couldn't trust the wedding venue to serve the food? You don't ask guests to "work" your wedding. You invited her as a guest not a vendor.

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