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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To tell friend she WBU over DB's wedding?

181 replies

ridiculouscaper · 09/05/2017 19:49

Have name changed, as the details might out me.

A bit long, sorry.

My friend is upset with me, and has told my DP that she wants an apology. DP thinks I should apologise, but I don't want to as I don't think I've done anything wrong.

Background: My friend, though lovely, can be a bit thin-skinned and high maintenance. She takes offence quite easily and has a tendency to create drama where there really isn't any need for it. She also has very fixed ideas about how social/family things should and should not be done, even when these supposed social conventions are unknown to the rest of us!

This issue all started with her twin brother's upcoming wedding. Her DB and his future DW have been together a long time. My friend has never really liked the bride, and has never made an effort to cultivate a friendship or anything like that. Fair enough, there's no rule to say you have to be friends with a relative's DP! My friend's DSis is fairly chummy with the bride, on the other hand. The bride has now asked the DSis (along with her own DSis and best friend) to be bridesmaid. My friend was livid when she found this out a few days ago.

She reckons she should be bridesmaid because she's his twin, and is upset because she won't be a part of the wedding party, and (apparently??) that means she won't be in any of the photos. I thought she was BU, and told her so, pointing out that her DSis is much closer to the bride, it's the bride's choice, and that it's the bride and groom's day, blah blah blah. I was fairly diplomatic, I think. She calmed down a bit during our conversation, and while she was still pissed off about not being bridesmaid, I thought that was the end of it.

Yesterday afternoon, she sent me a text asking if I could talk. I told her I was a bit busy with a work-related deadline but said she could ring if it was important, if not I could speak to her that evening. She phoned me immediately. Turns out she was still furious about not being bridesmaid, and after she spoke to me a few days ago she went and booked a two-week holiday starting the day before the wedding!! Unsurprisingly, her DB is upset that his twin sister won't be there. Her DD is upset that she is going to miss her uncle's wedding. Even her DM, who normally placates her no matter what, is upset.

I told her I thought she was bang out of order. She disagreed. The conversation ended up getting quite heated. She said she couldn't understand why her DB was upset she wouldn't be there "as it's not like I'm even going to be a part of the wedding". She said her DM should back her up over the bride, and said her DSis had "betrayed" her by agreeing to be bridesmaid without asking if she was going to be one first. Her family have asked her to change the dates of the holiday. She does not want to because she will lose her deposit.

I tried to be diplomatic at first, but the conversation went around in circles and I ended up losing it with her (partly because I thought she was being an arsehole, and also because I was a bit stressed with work). I told her I thought she had no reason to be upset at not being bridesmaid in the first place, and that she had obviously only booked the holiday in a tantrum because she wouldn't be a key part of the wedding. I told her I thought she was being childish, spiteful and attention-seeking, and that she was being unfair stressing her mum out (her DM is getting on a bit, and has been in very poor health recently). I also told her I had better shit to be doing than listening to her whinge about not being the bridesmaid of someone she doesn't like and has made no effort with. She ended up hanging up on me (she has form for that).

She met DP in town today at lunchtime, and told him she was very upset and had been crying all evening because of how I had spoken to her. She told him to tell me she expects an apology or she will consider our friendship over.

WIBU? DP reckons I should apologise to keep the peace, and because it might makes things awkward with mutual friends. I don't think I have anything to apologise for. Maybe I should have been a bit calmer saying it, but I still agree with what I said. I also reckon it'll blow over, as she has told other people that their friendships are over in the past only to be best pals again a fortnight later Grin

So, Mumsnetters? Should I apologise?

OP posts:
nooka · 10/05/2017 05:09

Best man is grooms choice (his best friend) and bridesmaids are brides choice (usually her best friends and maybe some young relatives if she wants small bridesmaids/flower girls) surely? Ushers etc don't need to be chosen so much in advance and aren't that big a deal I think.

I was bridesmaid to my big sister, I don't believe my other sister made a fuss about it. dh's sister did a reading at our wedding and his other sister wasn't bothered. All adults, the OP's friend's behaviour is very childish.

treaclesoda · 10/05/2017 05:13

My mind is boggled at the comments saying that the bride was mean. In all the weddings I've ever been to (and that's a lot of weddings) I've only ever seen a bridesmaid come from the groom's family once and it stood out because it was really strange (and it only happened the bride only did it because her MIL demanded it). It's about fifteen years ago and someone actually mentioned it to me within the past month as 'do you remember when X had Y's sister as bridesmaid, wasn't that weird having the groom's sister?'

I've never heard of having the groom's sister as bridesmaid just because it's his sister. Surely in this case the bride is asking the other sister primarily because they are friends, not because she is related to the groom?

Friend has been exceptionally self centred and childish.

Fruitcorner123 · 10/05/2017 06:01

She overreacted and did act childishly. HOWEVER i think there's a hidden agenda on the bride's part here. She could have just not had either sister. This was deliberate by the bride. Your friend could have done with you just talking her down rather than calling her names and you could apologise for the name calling. I would be upset if I had a twin and he/she didn't choose me to be part of the wedding. It's not the 1900s we can have people of opposite genders involved in our wedding and the couple should have discussed the fact that either they involve both sisters or neither. If the bride didn't want her to be a bridesmaid her twin could have found another role for her and didnt so i would have been upset too. I wouldn't have reacted like your friend though.

FrancisCrawford · 10/05/2017 06:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

notanurse2017 · 10/05/2017 06:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

emmyrose2000 · 10/05/2017 06:51

Even her DM, who normally placates her no matter what, is upset

Seems like the MIL has a lot to answer for. She's presumably spent years/a lifetime cultivating the friend's entitled behaviour and now she's finally met someone who thankfully won't cowtow to her demands. Good on the bride.

However, from friend's POV: She's (presumably) the only sibling not part of the wedding. I'd be hurt too. But maybe she should've made more of an effort prior to this.

From Bride's POV: She's only having the people who mean something to her, which is as it should be.

Don't apologise OP. It sounds like this was something long overdue and sooner or later someone was going to tell this woman a few home truths. Your DH is being ridiculous expecting you to aplogise to keep the peace - it's this sort of attitude that seems to have gotten everyone into this mess in the first place.

Are there any other siblings aside from the twins and the sister?

emmyrose2000 · 10/05/2017 06:51

*mother, not MIL.

BoneyBackJefferson · 10/05/2017 07:09

I'm surprised that posters think that the SiL is out of order by not having someone that dislikes her as a bridesmaid.

The OP's friend has cultivated this mess and has had a dose of reality in that not everyone is going to pander to her, it might even do her some good.

ptumbi · 10/05/2017 07:41

I dunno, I'm not a twin, but surely boy-and-girl twins are just, you know, brother and sister? Having a twin sister, as a boy, is no different to having an older or younger sister?

I get it's different with identical twins, but different sexes have diffferent friends, interests, views...

(but then I'm not a twin and hate my own sister, so who am I to ask...)

So yes I'd ask one sister i got on with and not the other - not even to 'keep the peace' Hmm

CalmItKermitt · 10/05/2017 08:00

Ywnbu but being the only one not invited to be BM was always going to sting.

treaclesoda · 10/05/2017 08:15

being the only one not invited to be BM was always going to sting

Very true but probably no more than it has stung the bride to have been made to feel unwelcome over a period of years. So there is no monopoly on hurt feelings in this situation.

TheNaze73 · 10/05/2017 08:18

Don't apologise, she sounds like a high maintenance prick

diddl · 10/05/2017 08:47

I wouldn't apologise.

I think that she has shown her true colours by booking the holiday.

I don't think that the bride is wrong to choose her own sister plus one of the bridegrooms.

It might have hurt, but she would still have been at her brothers wedding as a guest.

She's shown what she thinks of him by deciding not to attend at all.

I wouldn't be bothered to be her friend anymore as I think that taking it out on her brother is bloody horrible.

Underthemoonlight · 10/05/2017 08:55

I'm going against the grain I don't agree with her lashing out at you but the bride has asked one of her dp sisters to be in the bridal party and not his twin sister which I think personally you included all your dps sisters or not at all so I get her POV. It's the way she has gone about expressing herself which hasn't covered her in glory.

rightwhine · 10/05/2017 09:05

Apologise not for what you said but how you said it.

andintothefire · 10/05/2017 09:08

I don't think there is anything wrong at all with the bride not asking the twin sister to be bridesmaid. I also agree that it is slightly unusual to ask the groom's sister to be bridesmaid (although perhaps becoming more common). The issue is leaving out one family member while asking another sister to be part of the wedding party, and neither the bride nor groom apparently making any effort to make her feel included.

Personally I think it is not simply "the bride's choice" for bridesmaids if that choice is going to cause a rift in her new family for years because it deliberately excludes one person. Weddings are often major events for the siblings of the bride and groom. The bride and groom should have realised that leaving out the twin sister might be hurtful, and should have made sure that she was OK with it and understood the reasons for that choice, and definitely found some other way of her being included (such as a reading or speech at the reception). And I blame the groom equally for this.

I just don't think they have been very kind. While it doesn't in any way justify the friend's behaviour, I do think she deserves a bit more sympathy for how upset she must have been at being left out. It almost sends her a message that the bride and groom are not very interested in having her as a major part of their lives once they are married. If I were getting married I just couldn't imagine upsetting my DH's sister that way.

wordlemcfuddle · 10/05/2017 09:09

No YANBU. She sounds nuts. Ok she's upset but it's all "me, me , me".

Oh and why does she keep running to your partner? Watch that one.

GoatsFeet · 10/05/2017 09:12

The issue is leaving out one family member while asking another sister to be part of the wedding party, and neither the bride nor groom apparently making any effort to make her feel included

I agree. I think it's quite tough that a twin is left out. It's a pity she's not one of her twin brother's attendants - "best woman" or the like. From what you say, the rest of the family will be involved as more than simply guests, and one sister left out. That's very tough.

shyturnip · 10/05/2017 09:16

Good post andintothefire

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 10/05/2017 09:23

The bride isn't asking the SIL to be a bridesmaid because she's her SIL, it's because she's her friend.

YANBU your mate is behaving like a dick BUT she's hurt and let's face it, I'm sure we all act like dicks when we feel hurt, I know I do sometimes.

Don't apologise because you haven't said anything wrong but try and cut her some slack and maybe just reach out to her so that once she's calmed down and has her rational head on again she knows she still has you as a friend.

RockyBird · 10/05/2017 09:27

My SIL and I are close and great friends. We chat most days get on like a house on fire. I've only just noticed she didn't pick me as a BM due to this thread. WIBU to be offended 7 years down the line? Grin

OP high maintenance friends are worth the bother, believe me.

RockyBird · 10/05/2017 09:28

aren't

peukpokicuzo · 10/05/2017 09:29

YWNBU OP.

A response along the lines of the post upthread from ILookedintheWater about 20:10 9th May I consider you a true & dear friend... etc etc. Real friends don't stand by while their friends ridiculous behaviour makes them look like an idiot. She needed to hear the truth. By all means be sorry that you were quite so harsh, but you did it from love because she needed to hear it and wasn't hearing it when you were more gentle.

Speakeasy22 · 10/05/2017 09:45

Your friend has reacted badly of course but it must be a bit embarrassing not to be a bridesmaid, especially as a twin. I think the bride is making a statement and one that she will regret in terms of a future relationship with the family.

Notonthestairs · 10/05/2017 09:50

She booked a holiday to avoid the wedding?
Because the wedding wasn't all about her but now it will be. Completely ridiculous and lacks any self awareness.

Yes it would sting not to be included in the wedding party - but then the key question would be to ask yourself why and maybe take some responsibility for not being all that nice to the bride for the last few years. She's not owed BM status. The point of the bridesmaid (aside from looking photogenic probably) is to support the bride in the lead up to the wedding - did she want to do that? I doubt it.

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