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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

My bridesmaid hates her dress?

496 replies

JackieBrown63 · 16/07/2021 09:43

Hi Mumsnetters! My fiance and I are getting married in less than a month and we are super excited for the big day. However, my Maid of Honor keeps pushing me to change her bridesmaid dress by cutting it up to make it short or changing the straps. I honestly did my best to work with them both and thought we came up with a dress that was a nice compromise between both their styles (I only have 2 bridesmaids). I've told my MOH that I am happy to make small alterations to make the dress more flattering if that makes her happy but don't want to change the style of the dress as I'd really like them both to match (if I have 6 bridesmaids it would be fine to have them all in a different style but think it would look odd as I only have 2). She keeps pushing the issue and I don't want to be difficult but don't see the point of them wearing "bridesmaid dresses" at all if they don't match. This is just a small issue compared to everything else but it's the day before my hen do and I just want to relax and enjoy it but right now I'm feeling teary and not much up for a laugh! Any advice would be appreciated :) x

OP posts:
ittakes2 · 16/07/2021 12:49

Its up to you but the fact they are the same colour and the same material would be enough for me. Having my best friend feel comfortable on the day which goes on for hours would be more important to me that some photos with completely identical matching dresses!

QueenArnica · 16/07/2021 12:51

Honestly, I don’t think you are being reasonable. She agreed to the dress, you’ve paid and now she’s effectively changing the dress to something totally different. I think she’s being a bit shitty tbh but I would take the route that causes the least stress and upset for you. Good luck and enjoy your hen do!

QueenArnica · 16/07/2021 12:51

I hate my phone! They should say I don’t think you are being UNREASONABLE!!!!

Brefugee · 16/07/2021 12:53

Just Sack her off and get the dress back

BoredZelda · 16/07/2021 12:55

I’ve never seen the point of matching bridesmaids dresses. It’s really weird.

I’d rather people were comfortable.

Wife2b · 16/07/2021 12:56

Sorry OP, you are being unreasonable. Surely their comfort is more important than aesthetics? I’m 8 weeks out from getting married and all I want is for everyone to have a lovely day and be comfortable. I also have two bridesmaids and couldn’t care less that they don’t match as long as they’re relaxed and enjoying the day.

Crankley · 16/07/2021 12:57

To be honest, I think she should just wear the dress - it's only one day and everyone will be looking at you, not her.

I was a bridesmaid eight times when I was younger, I hated most of the dresses (and hairstyles) and never wore them again.

Honeyroar · 16/07/2021 12:59

When people say there’s no point in matching dresses - there’s no point in bridesmaids either in this day and age.

KatherineOfGaunt · 16/07/2021 13:00

I think she's being really unfair. She agreed to the dress and now, a month before, she wants to completely change it and has even just gone ahead and booked a seamstress. And she's making you feel bad and like you don't want to go on your hen. You should be enjoying the build-up, not feeling stressed about something the MOH should just suck up.

Can you get your mum/aunt/other bridesmaid to talk to her and explain she is upsetting you and that you don't want the dress changed? She's having no regard for your feelings so someone needs to tell her (if you can't yourself) how you're feeling.

You keep putting "lol" at the end of your posts, but it's clear you're really upset by this. Please get someone to talk to her.

ittakes2 · 16/07/2021 13:00

I am sorry I have read some updates since I posted my post. Your friend sounds tricky and I would be hugely disappointed with her if I was you. Is she the jealous type? Maybe she is getting jealous of you.
I would be tempted to say to her that you don't want to have two vastly different bridesmaids and you would completedly understand if she prefers to come in a dress of her choice and be with the other guests and just have one bridesmaid. Honestly she doesn't sound like much of a friend. Unfort none of my sister bridesmaids liked the dresses they wore or their hair....but they never told me until after the wedding! They saw how excited I was about the dresses I choose (also made to measure for them) that they didn't want to spoil my day by being tricky.

kth35 · 16/07/2021 13:00

I've never worn a bridesmaid dress I would have chosen myself. One was a strapless dress which looked awesome on her curvaceous sister but was a bit of a struggle for me trying to keep it from falling down, being less well-endowed. All good fun and I think I managed not to flash anyone.

It's an honour to be asked to be a bridesmaid and I went with whatever made my friends happy. It's only for one day after all. Altering a dress is fairly rude, alerting a dress without asking is extremely rude. Not least because her proposed dress sounds awful and the opposite of understated.

TurquoiseDragon · 16/07/2021 13:00

@Rockitrosie

I think people are missing the point here - the bm agreed to the dress and op has had it made at significant expense. For the bm to now be moaning and trying to make changes is massively U.

It’s the brides day and the bm shouldn’t be putting added stress on her - no one will be looking at her anyway! She needs to get over herself.
Part and parcel of being a bm is wearing a hideous dress anyway - you should see some of the monstrosities my dsis and I wore in the 80’s/90’s!
What on earth ever happened to sucking it up and good old fashioned manners?

This, actually

I wore a hideous peach meringue dress as bridesmaid in the 1980s. I hated it. But I sucked it up for one day for my friend.

This dress is far, far nicer, and OP's friend should also suck it up, especially since she agreed to the dress initially.

riotlady · 16/07/2021 13:03

@kth35

I've never worn a bridesmaid dress I would have chosen myself. One was a strapless dress which looked awesome on her curvaceous sister but was a bit of a struggle for me trying to keep it from falling down, being less well-endowed. All good fun and I think I managed not to flash anyone.

It's an honour to be asked to be a bridesmaid and I went with whatever made my friends happy. It's only for one day after all. Altering a dress is fairly rude, alerting a dress without asking is extremely rude. Not least because her proposed dress sounds awful and the opposite of understated.

This. It’s not fair of her at all to spring this on you when she’s agreed to the dress already
QueenBee52 · 16/07/2021 13:03

@BoredZelda

I’ve never seen the point of matching bridesmaids dresses. It’s really weird.

I’d rather people were comfortable.

Weirdest comment I ever read 🤔🤣

Killahangilion · 16/07/2021 13:03

Are you sure she’s really your friend? She’s certainly not acting like one. I think you need to remind her who’s wedding it is.

I can’t imagine any friend of mine behaving like that about a bridesmaid dress that’s perfectly nice. It’s hardly a pink meringue.

QueenBee52 · 16/07/2021 13:04

make a stand now OP...

ask her to step down and tell her to just relax and enjoy the Wedding as a guest 🌸

RowanAlong · 16/07/2021 13:06

She’s being a pain. It’s not her day. (Unless she’s got big boobs and the dress is strapless, in which case I’d let her add support/straps).

DrinkFeckArseBrick · 16/07/2021 13:06

I thought you were being unreasonable but having read your updates, she is.

She agreed to something, you paid for it, and then at the last minute she is not only changing her mind, but actually just telling you, the bride, what she is doing and how she is changing things. I personally think that's really rude. If she wanted a short strappy dress she should have said from the outset and you could have come to some sort of agreement.

I agree with the fact that it's not nice to impose your taste on bridesmaids if it makes them feel uncomfortable but she had loads of time to tell you how to make her feel more comfortable, and she didn't. And I doubt showing more flesh will make her feel much more 'comfortable'. I wouldnt be impressed at all.

I think I'd say to her you had your heart set on the dresses as they were which is why you chose them and paid for them. Youd hate for her to be uncomfortable though but with only two bridesmaids it was important to you that they matched and the changes she wants to make mean they wont match any more. If she really isnt comfortable in the dress you will be happy for her to wear something else and be an honoury bridesmaid if that's what she would prefer but you cant see her being part of the bridal party if she wants to make those changes. Basically she either wears the dress or steps down but still celebrates with you

QueenBee52 · 16/07/2021 13:10

You really shouldn't be having this kind of stress and anxiety this close to the Wedding..

She is ruining your enjoyment of your Wedding event 🌸

Randomneim · 16/07/2021 13:10

Yikes! I reckon the key thing is to lower stress for you, and maintain the friendship. I think you need to have a conversation with her not about the dress, but about friendship and stress. Tell her that your main goal is to avoid stress and for you two as friends to respect each other on what should be a great day. Tell her what that looks like for you (a compromise maybe, involving straps but not length?) and ask her what that would look like for her. She may not realise the impact she's having on your stress levels, and once she does, she might be more up for a compromise.

FWIW I've been a bridesmaid twice, and for one (sole bridesmaid), my best friend paid for me to go out and buy any beautiful pound dress I liked up to a certain price -- we have the same aesthetic and I consulted her before purchase. We looked amazing together, and I wore the dress heaps later and still have it, though it's been bashed by having too good a time too many times. This is the optimal scenario. For the other, I was in a team of three, and I was the tall one out and the others were short, and I compromised on a dress that she paid for that looked basically ok but not amazing on me. As the bridesmaid, I had considerable 'appearance stress' that day. I crash dieted for a month, which I never do, put all all this bloody fake tan and wore annoying heels. It was fine, but it would have been better if I had a different dress I felt good in, and the bride would probably have been up for a bit of non matching.

I say all this in order to I recommend the former route, where everyone feels good in their bodies in their dress. Less stress all round and more fun. That said, if your friend just wants to optimise her dress or look unique or something facetious, rather than having serious misgivings about how she'd look, then that's not really valid.

TLDR: have the meta-conversation. Better do some work now. LOL my own wedding is next week and I'm one of those registry office smug fucks cycling down in a high street frock so GRAIN OF SALT.

AuntyFungal · 16/07/2021 13:11

Scenario 1
MOH has the alterations made and it looks good.
Everyone happy.

Scenario 2
MOH has the alterations made. They work but the dress looks like a Fri/Sat night clubbing dress.
Bride not happy with the look.
Guests will talk about it (yes they will, especially if you’re having a church ceremony).

Scenario 3
MOH has the alterations made and it looks like a dog’s dinner.
MOH wants’ a new dress.
Can bride afford another? Stress of last minute ordering. What if they’re out of stock/size?

Scenario 4
Bride refuses alterations.
MOH goes off in strop, doesn’t attend wedding.
Sad and not an adult reaction.

Scenario 5
Bride refuses alterations.
MOH sucks it up. Behaves like a grown up.

It’s your wedding & pictures OP. It sounds like you’ve offered plenty of solutions and compromises. A good friend wouldn’t be digging their heels in and causing more stress to an already stressful situation.

A simple;
“Please don’t alter the dress. This is the dress we agreed on. If you’d rather step down and be a guest I’ll understand.”

Randomneim · 16/07/2021 13:12

@Randomneim

Yikes! I reckon the key thing is to lower stress for you, and maintain the friendship. I think you need to have a conversation with her not about the dress, but about friendship and stress. Tell her that your main goal is to avoid stress and for you two as friends to respect each other on what should be a great day. Tell her what that looks like for you (a compromise maybe, involving straps but not length?) and ask her what that would look like for her. She may not realise the impact she's having on your stress levels, and once she does, she might be more up for a compromise.

FWIW I've been a bridesmaid twice, and for one (sole bridesmaid), my best friend paid for me to go out and buy any beautiful pound dress I liked up to a certain price -- we have the same aesthetic and I consulted her before purchase. We looked amazing together, and I wore the dress heaps later and still have it, though it's been bashed by having too good a time too many times. This is the optimal scenario. For the other, I was in a team of three, and I was the tall one out and the others were short, and I compromised on a dress that she paid for that looked basically ok but not amazing on me. As the bridesmaid, I had considerable 'appearance stress' that day. I crash dieted for a month, which I never do, put all all this bloody fake tan and wore annoying heels. It was fine, but it would have been better if I had a different dress I felt good in, and the bride would probably have been up for a bit of non matching.

I say all this in order to I recommend the former route, where everyone feels good in their bodies in their dress. Less stress all round and more fun. That said, if your friend just wants to optimise her dress or look unique or something facetious, rather than having serious misgivings about how she'd look, then that's not really valid.

TLDR: have the meta-conversation. Better do some work now. LOL my own wedding is next week and I'm one of those registry office smug fucks cycling down in a high street frock so GRAIN OF SALT.

**oops pound dress: not a thing
SparkyLauz · 16/07/2021 13:13

Coming from someone who fretted over all the small details coming up to my wedding, tears and tantrums etc. No one will even notice or care and neither will you on the day. Afterwards you will wonder why you stressed over it so much trust me! I would just let her get on with it if it makes her more comfortable

DavidTheDog · 16/07/2021 13:14

I'd thank her for her consideration but she's excused.

TidyDancer · 16/07/2021 13:15

Her idea of the dress really doesn't sound anything like the original beyond the same stretch of material!

I think you're going to need to be kind but firm about this and tell her she can't change the dress. It's not about it not fitting so she can just suck it up for a few hours. I think you've already offered a decent compromise in telling her she can change out of it after the photos.

Tbh though, she doesn't really sound like that good of a friend to be doing this.

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