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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Holding on to a grudge for a wedding no show?

509 replies

Sightforsoreeyez · 11/04/2021 12:10

Would you be upset at an evening guest that didn’t show up because they decided to go out drinking with their friends instead and never messaged on the day to say they weren’t showing up? Limited guests so I would have invited someone else.

Obviously this was a couple of years ago now but that person has since messaged me to meet up for a catch up. Am I silly for holding on to a grudge most people wouldn’t be bothered about?

OP posts:
couchparsnip · 11/04/2021 17:33

I would have been annoyed if you could have invited someone else.
We had a very small ceremony and invited family only. The evening do was for everyone else. Maybe the OP had to limit numbers in the same way. Not everyone has a huge all day wedding!

GreyhoundG1rl · 11/04/2021 17:36

@Changechangychange

One of DH’s friend’s weddings, one of the two ushers didn’t turn up “because he was shagging his new girlfriend” (who was also invited). Just turned his phone off on the day. He had been assigned jobs to do on the day, and B&G had bought him a suit, paid for a hotel room him and GF for the evening, etc.

They are still actually friends - I have no idea how, I would have wanted to murder him if I had been the bride.

What an absolute simpleton Hmm
GreyhoundG1rl · 11/04/2021 17:37

@Fluffycloudland77

Trouble is that roll cost the bride and groom best part of £20-30.

I only had one evening guest but the first 50 was free.

There was a £20-30 per head charge for evening guests? For what?
Normandy144 · 11/04/2021 17:38

I think it's bad form to miss a day invitation but an evening one? Not really. It's just a night out and if it's a cash bar then it's one they've got to pay for so if they would rather spend their money in another way then so be it. I really dislike the whole concept of evening invitations. Plan your wedding to host as many people as you can in the day and into the evening. None of this two-tier rubbish.

Parky04 · 11/04/2021 17:41

I only ever want to go to the evening bit. Weddings are so boring! I wouldn't even have noticed if an evening guest didn't turn up.

LawnFever · 11/04/2021 17:43

It's often an afterthought, not a good party. No food or shit food, no drink or expensive drinks. And any that expect you to travel, give a cash gift, just naff AF plus they tend to the be the worst. I just decline. Usually decline all of them, though, because I can't abide events that go on for hours and hours unless they're fun.

You’ve obviously only been to crap weddings or to ones you’re determined to hate before you’ve even arrived, best keep up declining anything potentially fun and leave more space for other people who can enjoy themselves Smile

LawnFever · 11/04/2021 17:45

There was a £20-30 per head charge for evening guests? For what?

Most evening dos have a buffet and/or sausage butties or something later on for guests too, so that’s going to cost per head

Fluffycloudland77 · 11/04/2021 17:46

@GreyhoundG1rl the food and drink package. Ours was rolled in but a family wedding we went to was £20 a head for freezer food 15 years ago.

StillCoughingandLaughing · 11/04/2021 17:52

@worried3012

I think you're right to be annoyed and right to get some sort of apology but I'm not sure it's worth holding on this for so long. They may well be wanting to explain when they meet you in person but two years later would be a bit odd.

As for evening guests debate, I think it's silly when people say ' they can't have meant that much to you to only be evening guest'. I don't agree with that at all, the bridal couple can't invite everyone they want for the day, that's why people do invite others in the evening. Not meaning that much to someone would be not inviting them at all. I've been an evening guest and wasn't offended in the slightest. I know it's hard for people to stick to set day time numbers. I get for some people being an evening guest can be a pain logically but it doesn't mean they are thought of any less IMO.

I agree. I’ve been invited to three evening dos in my life and, for two of them, I was flattered and pleased to be included. For the third, I’d honestly expected to be invited to the full day, but the bride (my friend) explained that, because she was very religious, she’d decided to concentrate on people she knew from church for the full day, as the ceremony would mean more to them. As an atheist I could hardly argue with that! I went to the evening do, had a nice time and toasted the bride and groom... because why wouldn’t you if you could?
Notgoingonholiday · 11/04/2021 17:52

I still hold a grudge at the 2 day guests who didn't turn up to our wedding. Family (DHs), but not close, but cost (my parents) £50 per head, and this was nearly 16 years ago! Just rude and unnecessary behaviour... To be honest though, I don't think I'd have noticed if an evening guest hadn't shown up, I was enjoying myself way too much by then Grin

WombatChocolate · 11/04/2021 17:55

When you’ve accepted an invitation, of course it’s rude to just not turn up. That would be the case if everyone was paying for themselves and even more so, when the host is paying for the guest.

Of course things happen that mean people have to drop out, but they should say so. Most people will do that.

However, things happen that mean people forget and although it is extremely rude, it’s a reality. Feeling so hurt and furious about it, to never speak to someone again seems a massive over-reaction to me. Unless you are doing ‘Rent a crowd’ for your wedding and asking people you barely know, these are your friends or family. If they are your friends or family, you have history with them and even if annoyed, you should be able to get over this, unless you lack the self esteem or perspective to be able to cope with what is some rudeness. It happens and no doubt, we have all been rude at some point and would hope not to be cast into the abyss as a result.

Where people have not turned up, and I’m not justifying it at all, is it usually people who are not good friends....just casual acquaintances or colleagues from work? Have they been invited with a partner and perhaps won’t know anyone much? I’m not justifying it....they shouldn’t accept if they don’t want to come and they should certainly let you know if something means they can’t attend on the day, but I think loose acquaintances are often less invested in weddings, and especially if they are the invited partner and do t know the person. This is where people who have been invited to an evening do,, of someone who isn’t a close friend, perhaps some distance away feel less invested and do t attend. Again I’m not justifying it.

And I then find the fury and bearing a grudge even more odd. Because these are loose acquaintances, not good friends. Why would you invest the mental energy in hating them? I can see why it is really hurtful if it’s a good friend who lets you down...but I would expect there to be a reason and cut people slack, and even if they have simply been very crap....if they were a friend, I would push myself to move on from it unless it one of a frequent chain of sumilar events.

Those having their wedding sometimes forget that although this is their big day, it doesn’t hold the same importance for the guests, especially those who are evening guests who are loose acquaintances and certainly not for their +1 on the invite if they have never met you. Some of this bearing a grudge is investing ones own wedding and themselves with too much self importance and then being too offended beyond the proportion of the crime.

Absolutely it’s rude. Do all rude actions require a grudge to be borne forever or people to be cut off. No.

RisingSunn · 11/04/2021 17:58

If they weren’t important enough to you to invite to the whole wedding; then I don’t think there is any need to hold a grudge.

For some reason I really dislike the whole ‘evening guest’ thing; and I wouldn’t attend as one.

IEat · 11/04/2021 18:04

Have they didn’t think they were good enough of a friend to be a part of the wedding ceremony. So they evening I only invite was a take or leave so they decided to do something else

WombatChocolate · 11/04/2021 18:05

Some right old miseries on here.

If you get invited to weddings of people you aren’t bothered about, that’s unusual, but just decline if you don’t fancy it, or don’t want the effort of the journey and gift etc or think it’s not worth it if just invited to an evening do.

I have to say, I haven’t had invitations to weddings of people I’m not bothered about. I’ve actually been to over 70 weddings over many years. They have all been weddings of people either I or my DH or both of us have cared about. We have been pleased to be invited and to attend. We have turned down about 5 over the years due to practicality reasons or being already booked for something. Otherwise we have gone and have often travelled a distance and sometimes done that and incurred quite an expense for the evening do. Many have been in Churches and we have usually been to the Church service, even if then not at the afternoon reception and just the evening reception. We have really enjoyed them because we’ve liked to see our friends on their big day and it is a big day for them. I probably wouldn’t have made the effort for those I barely knew, but I can’t imagine those I barely know would have invited me anyway. It’s nice to go to the full wedding (although DH found those of my friends a bit tedious if he didn’t know so many people early on) but I totally understand the cost often means people,need an evening do to be able to invite everyone. I do t take offence at not being in the very select group. I’m just glad to be included.

Again I’m surprised at the offence people take about getting an evening invitation. If they are not good friends then simply turn it down if you dot want to go, if they’re good friends try and see if from their point of view and do t make it about you.

Again I’m surprised at how people get so easily offended and are so fragile. Get a bit more easy-going and grow some self esteem out of things that matter!

hellcatspangle · 11/04/2021 18:07

All these posters saying they don't blame her for not letting you know as she was ONLY an evening guest...why?

It's perfectly common round here to have a day reception with a meal for family and closest friends, then invite other more distant family/work colleagues etc to an evening party, which also usually costs money per head for a buffet. I've no idea why it seems to be a thing on MN that it's unspeakable to do this!

YANBU op to be annoyed.

Chillychangchoo · 11/04/2021 18:10

You’re being unreasonable. Evening invites are for unimportant people and she had a better offer.
If this was for a day invite I could understand.

LawnFever · 11/04/2021 18:15

People who think it’s ok to not show for an evening invite because it’s ‘not important’ would you think it’s fine for a friend to no-show for a pre arranged evening meal or night out that a friend/family member had bought a meal/ticket for you?

It’s rude to say you’re doing something to just not show, if you’re a misery who is easily offended by an evening invite just say no and sit at home

YouokHun · 11/04/2021 18:19

I’ve been a no show at a wedding like @IJustLikeBiscuitsOK. I set off for a wedding on my own in my new (and, I thought, reliable) car. The venue was three hours drive away and my plan was to arrive 45 mins before the church so that I could be sure to be there on time. This was 1990 and before anyone had mobiles. I managed just over an hour of the journey when my car broke down. I had a twenty minute walk to find a phone box, then another 20 mins to find one that worked. Then a permanently engaged tone at the hall were the reception was, I couldn’t call the church. I had no local knowledge of the rural place I’d broken down and no way of getting a message to anyone as I didn’t know other guests. I hung about by the phone calling the AA and then the reception venue and finally I managed to leave a message for the wedding party (which, not being a hotel, wasn’t passed on I discovered). I got towed home about 3 hours later and then called the venue again and spoke to the Bride’s mother to apologise profusely and explain. I had already bought them a present from a list so that was sorted and I then wrote the bride a letter to explain what had happened.

I never heard from the bride again. I know she received my message on the night and my card. I know she received the present. Someone later told me that she didn’t believe a word of it and there wasn’t much I could do about it - no witnesses!

Notavegan · 11/04/2021 18:21

I had a day guest no show. I didn't hold a grudge, but it did Change my opinion of her a bit. It was a small wedding. She never told me why.

aretherereally4Hs · 11/04/2021 18:21

Evening invites are awful so I'd not be bothered at all. Meet up!

aretherereally4Hs · 11/04/2021 18:24

@Sightforsoreeyez

Oh ok well if people are turning this into an evening guest debate then I’m off. That’s not the thread.

People do things differently. Your way isn’t the only and right way.

If I get invited to anything and don’t go then as a decent human being I tell that person.

Bye.

@Sightforsoreeyez we had evening guests but I wouldn't be bothered as I hadn't invited them all day so would understand if they didn't want to come.
Footloosefancyfree · 11/04/2021 18:29

Whole thing = relatives, v close friends and those travelling a long distance.
Evening only = everybody else eg work colleagues, other friends and neighbours

This ^

I think the problem is people don't consider the number of guests before the venue. So they pick a fancy wedding venue and then comes the two tier system. Basically to keep costs down they allocate so many to the day and so many to the evening do. I would never contemplate inviting an friend to my evening do. All people who attended on the evening were work colleagues and family members of the mil and fil. I certainly didn't take offence if they didn't all come it was an open invitation at work. She was obviously not a close friend to be allocated a evening do.

AppleJane · 11/04/2021 18:29

@Scarby9

Yes. I hold a grudge about a former work colleague who didn't turn up to my 50th and didn't let me know. The numbers were strictly limited and I had paid £30 a head. When I saw her on the Monday she said she had been 'all cosy in my jim-jams and I just couldn't be bothered'.

This is why I love animals and hate humans.

Andylion · 11/04/2021 18:30

So these were your grandchildren? And not invited to your wedding? Or am I reading your post all wrong.

I need an answer to @Aprilshowersandhail post too.

Andylion · 11/04/2021 18:31

@Aprilshowersandhail

No a friend. She had put pics on Instagram and my dd saw them (I haven't got sm).
Got it. Thanks.