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Just Said Yes December 2021

Trying to get over the fact that my friend didn’t ask me to be a bridesmaid, please help.

Jenna, on April 12, 2021 at 4:54 AM Posted in Etiquette and Advice 0 5
Hi, does anyone have any advice?


BACKSTORY (I apologize for the length, but I feel like the context is important. If you don’t want to read all that, I completely understand):

Leah, a pseudonym for the sake of anonymity, was my best friend in high school. She moved to my town, was new to my high school and had no friends there. We clicked as soon as we met and we became inseparable, we practically lived at each others’ houses.
Leah had hardships in her life that I didn’t and I tried as hard as I could to be supportive for her. Her mom died when she was 11 and she was the oldest of 8, so she became the mom while also dealing with her own mom’s death. I tried to look out for her like she was my own little sister. We’re only a few months apart in age, but that’s how our friendship dynamic was. She’d fall asleep on my shoulder and I’d just be glad she was finally getting rest because she was in so many high level classes, pressured to get straight A’s, not to mention practically raising her siblings. She had so much going on all the time and I tried to always be there as the only person who never made her mad ever.
By senior year of high school, we’d talk about possible future weddings we may have and she’d always say, “I BETTER be in your wedding” and I’d tell her of course, she’d probably be maid of honor anyway. That same year, her high school boyfriend tried to make a move on me while he was still dating her. So I told her immediately and she broke up with him. She and I were even closer after that, if that was even possible.
Anyway, Leah went to college 2 hours away from where our parents lived, I went to a college where I could live at home. She would come home to visit and we’d still talk every day. She confided in me about relationships she had and no matter how far she was, it was home when we talked to each other.
After college, she decided to stay in the town she went to college in. We drifted apart a bit. We still talked somewhat often, but she made new friends and I grew closer to other friends of mine.
Leah met this guy that was perfect for her. By now, we weren’t talking daily anymore and I no longer got regular updates about her love life. But she did call me as soon as he proposed! I was so happy for her, especially after some of the creeps she’d been with.
So her wedding approached and she didn’t ask me to be a bridesmaid. About a week before her bachelorette party she said, “Oh hey, my bachelorette party is next weekend, want to come?” I was in a government job at the time that required me to work weekends. I told her I was really sorry and would’ve been able to make it if I’d known about it sooner, but my work would not allow me to take leave so last minute. She said they’d planned the bachelorette party last minute, which is why she’d only just messaged me about it.
I did get to go to her bridal shower. I initially didn’t receive an invitation and was hurt when I found out about the shower through another friend. However, I had recently moved and when I asked Leah about it, she said she’d sent the invite to my old address. I do believe this was a genuine accident.
On her wedding day, I was so happy for her that I was literally bouncing when she walked down the aisle. In that moment I felt absolutely no negative feeling about not being in her wedding, I was so happy for her.
About 9 months after her wedding, my boyfriend proposed to me, launching planning for my own wedding. Originally we were going to have 3 bridesmaids and 3 groomsmen, but my fiancé kept adding guys (haha)! I don’t have a lot of female friends, as I work in a male dominated profession. So when I had to find a fourth bridesmaid, I thought about asking Leah. My maid of honor, we'll call her Charlotte, really wanted me to ask Leah. Leah had created a Pinterest board for my wedding and apparently had been sharing tons of ideas with Charlotte. All this was extremely helpful since Charlotte and I had no idea how to do anything wedding related.
Part of me didn’t want to ask Leah because I wasn’t included in her 6-woman bridal party. However, I decided that she was still one of my best friends and she means so much to me, I wanted her to be in my wedding. I ended up asking her, and 2 others when my fiancé added more guys again (haha).
MAIN PROBLEM:I’m now 6 months from my wedding, which Leah will be in as a bridesmaid, and it’s been a year and a half since her wedding where I wasn’t asked to be in the wedding and it felt like I was invited to the bachelorette party as an afterthought.
I still feel a bitterness in my heart about her not including me in her wedding. I know it’s wrong to feel that way and I really want to be mature and just let it be in the past and focus on the present. However, I’ve never addressed it with her. The last thing I wanted was for her to have any sort of drama prior to or during her wedding, and now I feel like it’s probably too late. This is the person I tried so hard to take care of and I genuinely believe she had no intention of hurting anyone in her decision. I was always the person who never upset her when her world was crashing down, or at least that’s what I tried to be.
**Should I do anything? Or continue to not talk about it until enough time passes that I don’t care anymore? (I’ve talked to no one at all about this.) Or is there some advice to help me get over this?**
Things to Consider:- Between Leah and her husband, they have 3 sisters, so that covered half the bridesmaids, leaving only 3 spots left.- Leah had some close friends from childhood that she had before she even met me.- When we were drunk one time after Leah’s wedding, she said she was sorry she didn’t pick me as a bridesmaid. I just said it was okay and then we went back to laughing since we were happy drunk.
Things that Hurt:- Leah has been a bridesmaid in 4 weddings now and been maid of honor in at least one of them. I’ll probably never be a bridesmaid unless Charlotte has a wedding, but she and her fiancé want to elope.- Leah had another friend from high school, we'll call her Tina, who lived in the same place as me when Leah was getting married. I found out very recently that Leah asked Tina to be a bridesmaid at her wedding, but Tina flaked at the last minute. When telling me that story, Leah said “I should’ve picked you over her.” I decided not to comment on that and just respond by agreeing that Tina shouldn’t have flaked on her.- The only times Leah has ever said anything to me about not picking me was the time when we were drunk and when she was telling me what happened with Tina.
If you read my massive post, thank you so much, I appreciate your help.

5 Comments

Latest activity by Jennifer, on April 12, 2021 at 12:59 PM
  • J
    Master 0000
    Judith ·
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    Time to let it go. It is old news. If you are happy with her in your wedding now, be happy. Forget how many sisters or other friends she had, at the time they were chosen she felt more recently close to them. Now you are close again. I think you would look childish bringing it up,
    a little kid asking but why, . Show your maturity by accepting where you are now. Down the line, in the next 30 years maybe you will stand up with someone. Why worry about it now?
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  • Sarah
    Master September 2019
    Sarah ·
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    Being a bridesmaid or not for others isn’t really relevant to this. It isn’t a race. I can understand that your feelings were hurt that she didn’t choose you to be in her wedding, but is that worth being bitter about forever? For what it’s worth, I have a few very close friends I’ve had for 20+ years that I didn’t include in my wedding. I’m close with them, and it’s like nothing has changed when we’re together, but the truth is I’m closer to the girls I did choose, regardless of how long I’ve known them. I feel like if you let this continue to bother you it will have the ability to ruin your own wedding experience for you too.
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  • H
    Master July 2019
    Hannah ·
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    I agree with Sarah on this. You said so yourself that you are not as close as you used to be. Also, no one owes making someone else a bridesmaid. I'm assuming you were there for her during those rough times because you wanted to be supportive of her as a friend, not because of what you might get later. You can bring it up to her if you want, but what are you hoping to accomplish by that? The wedding is over. There isn't anything that could be done. And while she may be lying about the bachelorette/bridal shower stuff, her explanations seem very plausible, especially if she didn't have much involvement in planning those events (heck, I didn't know the date of my bachelorette until the morning of).
    • Reply
  • D
    June 2021
    Dj Tanner ·
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    You seem like a really great friend that really cares a lot about the people in your life. It’s clear that the situation was a bit awkward for Leah toO seeing as how she took it upon herself to mention something both of you were drinking… It was definitely a thought on her mind and the alcohol makes it come out. I would just let it go. Just understand that sometimes we always don’t understand the decisions that our friends make, but it doesn’t invalidate us or make us any less important to them. No need to open up a can of worms if everything is good. I would work on acceptance and realizing that the only relationship that you should be focused on right now is the one for you in your FH. Just try to focus on the wedding and eventually time will heal
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  • Jennifer
    VIP August 2021
    Jennifer ·
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    I agree with DJ. I've always been the type to give 100% in friendships, and sometimes have been disappointed when a friend gives back 40%. Friendships can be a weird rollercoaster sometimes, but at least you two are in a great place now. I'm sure it was when she was getting married, she had college friendships with people she felt closer to at the time, maybe she thought with your job your were too busy and didn't want you to feel overwhelmed, but the fact that she brought it up and apologized to you after the wedding means she does hold regret in not asking you. Now you guys can have that experience together for your wedding!

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