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T
Beginner January 2016

Fight with bridesmaid

tori, on July 7, 2021 at 1:47 PM

Posted in Etiquette and Advice 26

I am posting this to see if myself (the bride) is expecting too much from my best friend (bridesmaid). Pretty much my friend has been acting strange since I’ve been engaged. I asked her to be a bridesmaid since I love her, she’s important to me, and I want her support. Just like I would do for her....
I am posting this to see if myself (the bride) is expecting too much from my best friend (bridesmaid).


Pretty much my friend has been acting strange since I’ve been engaged. I asked her to be a bridesmaid since I love her, she’s important to me, and I want her support. Just like I would do for her. However, my expectations were very wrong. (I have 5 bridesmaids in total)
This past march, I started planning my bachelorette party with my other bridesmaid (since my best friend never stepped up). Also, to preface, my younger sister is my MOH. I never expected her to plan such an event since she’s young and would have no idea where to start. So I really was expecting my best friend to handle it. Especially when we’ve done many vacations and outings she has planned (ie: her 21st bday in NOLA). Anyways, she took a complete step back. She then proceeded to make me feel guilty about costs. My friend and I tried our very best to make the weekend cost effective for everyone. I would be satisfied with one night on the town, but majority of my friends are from out of town. Thus, it is a weekend at a location that is reasonable for everyone. My friend also sent several emails about estimated costs and let everyone know how much things would be prior to booking anything. That way, people could determine if they had the funds. No one has given me grief except my best friend. She had all the information, but ignored it and instead questioned me. Very rudely. I told her she should’ve mentioned her concerns prior to us booking (like the email said), but for her to cancel, it would screw everyone over with owing extra money. It of course made me upset and caused a fight. We ended up apologizing and moving forward (or so I thought). And I thought from that point forward she would be more involved since I mentioned she would have a better idea and control over costs if she helped planning. But no.
This past weekend. I confronted her about not being involved in both the Bach party and bridal shower. She proceeded to tell me she took a “step back” after our argument in March because I made her uncomfortable. I also asked her to meet my fiancé’s parents the night prior to the shower, even just briefly. My fiancé is also a good friend of hers so I thought it’d be no big deal. But no. She said she “wanted to enjoy her night” and to “count her out”. She went out with another friend the night I asked her to stop and say hi, and her plans “just logistically wouldn’t work” for her to stop by. She then said I don't deserve to have a whole weekend devoted to me and that I should be grateful she cancelled her Saturday night plans to spend time with me/family/friends after my shower. Which she didn’t end up showing face until about 3-4 hours later when we all called it a night. She also said I am making it out to be that my wedding is a “privilege” for her to be in. Which I never thought I was doing.
So idk if I am expecting too much from her and I’m in the wrong or what. Obviously our expectations of each other are clearly different. But I felt like I wasn’t asking that much from her. Just to be involved and help plan like everyone else has. My family and even friends not in the bridal party have questioned me as to her lack of involvement and why she isn’t present. I am not asking her to devote every weekend up until my wedding to me. I simply wanted her to be involved in the standard thing bridesmaids do, like help set up the shower and Bach party. Please let me know because I am driving myself crazy analyzing my actions as a bride. And it has made me regret having bridesmaids.

26 Comments

  • T
    Beginner January 2016
    tori ·
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    Let me clarify. I did not expect her to plan my Bach party in entirety. But at least be involved in the planning process. For example, help decorate or set up the shower before hand. I came up with the games, decor and other ideas myself. Maybe I didn’t explain that correctly. Either way, I guess I did not properly communicate that because I just expected it. Since the rest of my bridesmaids have been involved in some small way or another. My mother believes there might be some jealously component as well. She is single, and has been for a long time. Her strange behavior also was occurring prior to any mention of Bach party plans. Just very stand-off ish about any wedding talk in the beginning. Once again, I am the type of friend where I will do anything for you without question, and I thought she would do the same for me. Wedding or no wedding
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  • T
    Beginner January 2016
    tori ·
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    Thank you. Your comment is very kind. And my mother believes there might be some jealously component and her not wanting me to be a center of attention. She is single and has been for a while. She also does not have very high motivation or career aspirations. Which is fine. But both my mother, and other friend (gay guy friend who is also close with her) believe she may be depressed about her life? Idk. I would like to revisit this with her but right now is not the time
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  • Jacks
    Rockstar November 2054
    Jacks ·
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    I really respect that you took the advice to heart. I really do hope your friendship will end up OK.

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  • Emily
    Savvy August 2021
    Emily ·
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    I feel like you got a little beat up here. I don't think you had these ridiculous expectations of your BM I think you suffered from what all of us do at different times and that is you would do those things for your friends and would gladly do them as a bridesmaid. Where we fail is communicating those things. I agree a wedding is just a day but her friendship will go well past that. My only disagree is waiting to reach out. I find things go way better if we reach out, apologize for our part or for just hurting the person. Tell them we love them and are glad they are standing up with us. No big discussion no drama just simple. It will do ALOT to smooth things over and make your wedding day a dream. Good luck to you!

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  • R
    Dedicated April 2022
    Rachel ·
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    Wow after reading these comments, brutal. I don’t think you’re in the wrong as much as these comments are saying. I would 100% expect all my bridesmaids to be somewhat involved in planning my Bach. It sounds like you needed someone to step up and plan it, which led to some miscommunication, but she could of contributed a little more. If she couldn’t afford to go altogether, that’s one thing. But if that were the case, she needed to communicate that and be upfront (which I totally understand cause money is often a concern). She shouldn’t make you feel bad about having a Bach party, which you deserve. If she agreed to go and paid for the trip, I’d expect her to help plan too. I think what you could have done, is articulate that you needed the bridesmaids to step up more and help plan since the MOH usually handles it. But other than that, I think these comments put you on blast. Bridesmaids are your friends first, yes, but they are supposed to help make your wedding planning stuff easier. Plus, it sounds like she comes off rude. Maybe she’s jealous? Idk, but moving forward I wouldn’t expect much from her. She’s shown you where she stands and I wouldn’t rely on her for helping plan things.
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  • T
    Beginner January 2016
    tori ·
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    I really appreciate your comment because this is exactly how I have been feeling. I did not expect her to plan anything on her own or in entirety. But to just be there and be supportive like everyone else has. Which I should’ve communicated better. Since I “thought” she was my best friend, I sorta felt I didn’t have to be so transparent about her involvement? Our conversation really did shed some light for me on our relationship, and that I really can’t rely on her for things. My family and other friends also believe there is somewhat of a jealously component. But once again, thank you! I felt like I was acting as some sort of demanding bridezilla with some of these comments
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