Best Friend getting married abroad

[user1495097590]

Hi Everyone,

I need other people's opinions because this is really playing on my mind! My best friend is getting married in May 2019 abroad in Aiya napa. I have an 8 month old boy who will be nearly 2 next May. The thing is me and my partner have always struggled with money we've just bought a house and renovated it so up to our eyeballs in finance and maxed out credit cards etc. We were planning on going on our first holiday as a family next year to somewhere close maybe Menorca/Spain. As it will be my boys first flight and also it will be a nice chilled holiday. We are trying to pay off some debts and we're going to book something last minute next year.

But my friend has asked me to be a bridesmaid and attend her wedding in Aiya napa. So basically that would mean making our only holiday next year Aiya napa with a nearly 2 year old and it wouldn't be exactly that chilled! Am I being selfish if I say I can only afford one holiday next year ( which is very true) so that I want to take our boy to somewhere chilled? What would you do? I have to think what's best for our family and to be honest we didn't get a holiday last year, we work hard all year so I don't want to have our only break as somewhere I can't even spend much quality time with our little boy. Opinions please?!

If she's a good friend, I'd explain the situation to her, say you will try your hardest to come and will book a quiet resort somewhere away from the wedding venue. I've heard there are bits of Aiya Napa that are more family friendly now. Maybe decline the bridesmaid bit on those grounds so you don't feel obliged to go to any hen nights/ pre wedding piss ups etc and will just attend as a guest on the day. However, as a PP has said, you don't need to go abroad if you dont have the money. Even the cheapest holiday will be over 1k, especially as a 2 year old will have to pay full fare for the flight and he wont remember it. He may remember you struggling to pay off bills and stressing about money for months afterwards while you're paying off a ton of credit card debt though.

Sorry cross post.

You can’t afford a holiday or the wedding. Holidays are off the cards if you’re up to your eyeballs in debt.

On clickstay there is a 2 bed villa with a private pool for £503 for the week in Nissi Beach. Flights don't have to cost a lot either, as your son won't be 2 yet so he won't need his own seat on the aeroplane.

That said, even if you can do Cyprus relatively cheaply, it's still money you don't have if you're up to your eyeballs in debt.

I has similar a few years ago except my friends wedding was at a long haul destination.

I just went on my own for 5 days and left DH and DS at home, you could get some really cheap flights to Ayia Napa for you and as it's short haul just go for 2 nights?

Ah sorry your last few posts hadn't refreshed when I posted, just seen you don't want to fly alone!

Think it will have to be something that I look at this time next year. Will be honest with my friend and say at the moment can't afford it, which is 100% true, but will see what we are like with money in 12 months. I understand she has to plan her wedding so will tell her to plan as if I'm not going then maybe she could add us on if we decide we can go. Then we can make our holiday in Cyprus if we can afford it. Thanks everyone

We went to my sister in laws wedding in nissi bay last year. I freaked a bit when she said aiya Napa but we stayed at the family life resort which was just across the road. It turned out to be our best holiday to date. The hotel was perfect for families. Was a little bit pricey but worth it. There were quite a few hotels around nissi bay and it's much calmer than aiya Napa. It's much more like a family resort than the 18-30s that I had imagined.

This has got on my nerves a bit. If 'money is really an issue for us' you would not be planning any holiday abroad. Seriously, if you're actually struggling for money the cost of the passports needed for a foreign holiday are prohibitive on their own!
If you can't afford it then say you can't afford it!

Perfectly doable to combine both, as others said. And Cyprus is lovely. But I agree wholeheartedly with I think if you get married abroad, you accept people might not be able to come.

Ok waitrosecoffecosstacup no need to be like that. I came on here asking for opinions because I do actually feel bad that I might not be able to attend my friends wedding. Money is the MAIN issue but obviously I'm thinking of my family and little boy too. I thought this was meant to be a forum for mums to help each other not make them feel even worse. I appreciate I asked for opinions but I think some people are missing the point of what I am saying. Thanks everyone who has helped

You can't afford it. To be honest I wouldn't be going on a holiday full stop if you are on debt and have maxed out credit cards etc.

If you do decide to go and want to look at cheaper ways of doing it, Have a look at Aegean airlines. They have special facilities for families and it cost us 460e total last year for a family of four.

Look at owners direct for accommodation. They had apartments from 12e a night. I suggested red soil villages as it's where a lot of people live that work in ayia Napa but a quick look on owners direct said the cheaper accommodation was the other side of ayia Napa in places like Kapparis which are worth looking at.

I agree that waiting to see if you can afford it before booking anything is sensible. Don't be guilt tripped into going. I have said this on other threads, but our family mantra is "don't guilt trip me, you know it won't work".

No-one guilt trips us into doing anything we can't or won't do.

LoniceraJaponica yes that's true that would be the wrong reason to go wouldn't it. I will tell her I can't commit at the moment but will see what we can afford early next year. Thanks and thanks for everyone's suggestions of places to stay

My message obviously read as offensive. Apologies.

Ayai Napa has some quieter areas along the beach, don't write it off as being too busy because of the 18-30 reputation, mostly that takes place up in the town.

Nissi Bay is walkable from Ayai Napa. Protaras is only a short bus trip from Ayai Napa and is very family friendly.

Why don't you book an air bnb placein Cyprus and just attend the wedding at the resort. The rest of the time you spend with your family, the newly weds will be doing their own thing too.

My friend got married in a town close to to there beginning with P - can't remember how it's spelled. Anyway it was a great place for a family holiday and aya napa was only a short taxi ride away. Could you book a holiday there and just commute for the wedding?

I think pp is referring to Protaras or Paralimni. Protaras is a family friendly holiday resort. Paralimni is the nearest big town to both ayia Napa and Protaras and you can get cheap accommodation there too and public transport or taxis easily between all those places. Good luck with whatever you decide op!