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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU - Friends wedding

220 replies

Happygogoat · 26/07/2020 23:07

Hi all. Have had two friends weddings postponed due to covid both with separate consequences given our baby now due next year but will cover just one in this post!

Wedding was due for August. Now reluctantly and stressfully rearranged (understandably and I feel for them) to Jan 2021.... for 10 days post my due date. Friend knows I am pregnant (wasn't particularly congratulatory but that's by the by!). Got a lukewarm "congrats" and went back to moaning about something trivial.

Friend has not mentioned pregnancy at all or suggested/acknowledged we might not be able to come. Has included us in group whatsapp about Transport and accommodation etc asking to let them know our plans. We tend to also message privately so I feel if a message was coming along the lines of "I understand you probably can't make it" it would have come by now. I know she is stressed and it's so horrible having it moved so I am just finding the right time to decline (recognise it's on me to do this rather than her reach out to me) but I have a horrible sinking feeling she will be annoyed.

I just don't see how it's remotely possible. I will either be overdue, literally HAVING a baby, or with a v small baby in tow! Even if baby came early they'd be so small and I'd still be recovering. My last birth was straightforward so hoping for same again but not guaranteed and best case scenario I'd still actually be bleeding I think!! Let alone all the other bits and pieces to recover.

Part of me wants to offer potentially driving there with the little one and just getting through it, even just the ceremony, with baby attached to my boob (I hope - I want to breastfeed but again know not guaranteed straightforward). But venue is 3 hours away so too far in the car at that age and so I don't really know why I'd offer.... I know in my heart we can't promise it/it can't happen and they need to know numbers sooner. I just want to offer something and avoid the inevitable annoyance I feel will come my way but it's not fair to drag the inevitable when I know we won't make it/shouldn't! It's not best for me or baby and I know post partum is the time to be selfish.

Not to be callous but friend is childless and so I feel explaining how impossible this is for us will fall to an extent on deaf ears and I'll just look like a bad friend..... if and when she has a baby i know the understanding would come but in the meantime I just want to be heard and understood without upsetting a good friend!

Advice and views welcome!

OP posts:
GoshHashana · 26/07/2020 23:09

Just tell her you can't go.

BranchedOut · 26/07/2020 23:11

Just decline - you're having a baby, so a great excuse to get out of it!

PragmaticWench · 26/07/2020 23:13

I'd be quite blunt, along the lines of 'we'd give anything to be with you but ill either be so pregnant I can't move or sit, or will have a tiny baby and be bleeding heavily for a month.'

That should do it. If it doesn't, stuff them and concentrate on you and your children.

PragmaticWench · 26/07/2020 23:14

Far better to decline in advance .

Shizzlestix · 26/07/2020 23:14

I think now is the time to say you won’t be going-obviously! Let her know-how has she not clicked already?! You could just do the ‘Can’t believe I’ll be missing your wedding’ sad face thing, but I’d just go for the whole ‘Obviously, I won’t be there’ thing.

ButterPie1 · 26/07/2020 23:14

You're over thinking it - imagine if they had just said 'we assume you won't want to come!'. Just be a grown up and RSVP accordingly.

Merryoldgoat · 26/07/2020 23:15

Just decline given your new circumstances and wish her well.

AntiHop · 26/07/2020 23:15

I wouldn't go.

One of my friends was due around my wedding. I left it totally up to her. I made it clear I would not be offended in the least, and that she could decide on the day. Shd did come to the reception, for about an hour. Her house was about a 30-45 min drive away.

There is no way I'd be travelling 3 hours. No good for you or baby.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 26/07/2020 23:17

Just decline now.

toodlepipsqueaks · 26/07/2020 23:17

We've had to move our wedding from this to next year, too. I get that might create new clashes so no worries if people have to RSVP no now for similar reasons to you. She is probably taking her cues from you - I'm not sure I'd message you separately with a presumption that you couldn't come but equally would completely understand you saying no. Just RSVP no now - no need to entertain options that are just not practical for you.

WarriorsComeOutToPlayay · 26/07/2020 23:18

I am childless OP. I didn't realise that makes me completely devoid of empathy and understanding for my pregnant friends. Who knew!!

Whatelsecouldibecalled · 26/07/2020 23:18

Christ! Decline 100% decline. I posted on here a few months ago when I was supposed to be a bridesmaid for a friend three weeks after I was due my first baby. Wedding was a three hour drive away and would have required a two night stop over. Everyone have great advice but the upshot was it wasn’t possible. They were right! As it happens wedding was cancelled due to covid. I had a straight forward birth but traumatic recovery with severe 3rd degree tear requiring lots of stitches and three rounds of antibiotics. There is no way in hell I would have made that wedding

KrisAkabusi · 26/07/2020 23:19

You're making a massive deal over nothing. Just say you can't go

converseandjeans · 26/07/2020 23:19

Even with an easy delivery this would be tricky for various reasons;-

  • possibly bad weather so not easy to drive 3 hrs each way & it would likely be dark so not that safe
  • you might be in labour
  • you might have complications
  • you have another child to factor in
Just message her and tell her how it is -,she might not get it now but some day she will.
WhereamI88 · 26/07/2020 23:19

You're a grown woman. It's your responsibility to assess the situation and consequences and tell her you can't go. It's not her responsibility to do the maths re your due duate, how you would feel, how small your baby is etc. And if she did and suggested you didn't come? Most people would be offended and you would be posting on AIBU that "my friend doesn't want me at the wedding"

BumbleBeee69 · 26/07/2020 23:20

I agree with previous posts suggesting you are WAY over thinking this... Your friends focus is HER ... Your focus is You and your Baby... that is all ... DECLINE the invite 🌺

PurpleRiverIsland · 26/07/2020 23:21

She probably remember your due date. It’s odd that you to expect her to know it off by heart.

Just say how upset you are that you cannot attend and the curse covid and lockdown. If she kicks off about this you need to pick much better friends!!

Purpleartichoke · 26/07/2020 23:21

Just decline. You aren’t available. Get her a thoughtful gift and move on.

PurpleRiverIsland · 26/07/2020 23:21

*she probably doesn’t remember your due date

MinesAPintOfTea · 26/07/2020 23:21

Just decline. Are you sure she's even registered your due date and it's relation to her wedding date? Also I'm one who will always invite even if I know circumstances will make attending difficult. She wants you to feel welcome.

"Very sorry, but too close to when LO due to make an appearance, have a lovely day." Done. It's an invitation, not a summons.

BackforGood · 26/07/2020 23:22

imagine if they had just said 'we assume you won't want to come!'.

...you'd have been offended at that!

Got a lukewarm "congrats" and went back to moaning about something trivial.

What would you expect someone to say, apart from 'Congratulations' when you tell them you are having a baby ? Start asking you how that happened ??? The 'something' might be more trivial to you, but far more important to her. Honestly, and early stage of pregnancy really isn't that interesting to someone else.

I am just finding the right time to decline

I'm not sure why you are making this into a big thing. Unfortunately (and I do feel for everyone who had to change their wedding plans), the date has had to be moved. It is now on a date you can't make, so now you know that, let her know. It just isn't a big issue.

Happygogoat · 26/07/2020 23:22

@ButterPie1

You're over thinking it - imagine if they had just said 'we assume you won't want to come!'. Just be a grown up and RSVP accordingly.
It's not "want". It's physically being able! I would love to be there and hope they know that in all circumstance. I'm likening it to a v close friend who had a baby 3 weeks before my daughters birthday party. I messaged her and said I would feel wrong not to invite you but I am assuming you cannot come so please don't stress. Maybe that was over-permissive of me.
OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 26/07/2020 23:23

I don’t understand all the drama.

Just say no. Being pissed off with your friend before they’ve even had the chance to react badly is a bit pointless.

Not to be callous but friend is childless and so I feel explaining how impossible this is for us will fall to an extent on deaf ears and I'll just look like a bad friend

You do realise most people without children aren’t total idiots? You sound seriously clueless and patronising yourself here.

runrabbitrunrunrun · 26/07/2020 23:25

Is your friend really that self absorbed to realise this would absolutely be not possible for you?!
Don’t even give her a maybe because you don’t need that stress ruining the end of your pregnancy!

Happygogoat · 26/07/2020 23:26

@WarriorsComeOutToPlayay

I am childless OP. I didn't realise that makes me completely devoid of empathy and understanding for my pregnant friends. Who knew!!
With apologies, this is not what I meant or hoped to come across at all. I just meant that me saying "I can't be there" due to physical symptoms/recovery might be harder for this particular individual to understand... I feel in their mind if I'm not laid up in hospital then I'm fine. There are other examples of similar that I obviously couldn't mention in one post (the perils of internet advice). Didn't mean to offend and I certainly don't think people without kids are devoid of empathy or understanding for their friends! X
OP posts:
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