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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Hot and cold friend who’s wedding is costing me thousands to attend?

158 replies

33belle27 · 22/01/2023 21:14

So long story short, I’ve been really good friends, since college, with ‘Amy’. We’ve had our baby boys at the same time, gone through similar chapters of our lives at the same time and just in general had each other to lean on over the years. We are both now in our 30’s.

There has been a couple of occasions where she has seemed to go quiet on me, cancelled things we have planned or leaves me on read. I always put this down to just busy day to day life. On one occasion though she cancelled me at the last minute and then I saw on social media that she was out with friends later that day. I called her out on it and said it hurt that she couldn’t make time to see me but later was seeing friends, she apologised profusely and explained that it was a last minute decision to go out and that the morning had been hectic for her, which I understood and we moved on.
I make a lot of effort to see Amy and am always the one to organise what we are up to and when we are going to see each other, she will be really non-committal and I’ll often worry that she is going to cancel and she often will. She will always be really apologetic and will promise we will make other plans.

When we do see each other it is nice and I remember why we are friends and I convince myself it’s worth putting up with the hot and cold and that maybe I’m reading into it too much.

So she is getting married early next year, she has asked me to come, it is abroad and it costing me thousands to attend. When she asked me things were good and she gave me a heartwarming speech about how much it would mean to have me there and I was bowled over and felt I couldn’t let her down and that I’d love to see her get married. Of course we are having to make some sacrifices financially to afford going but for a long term friend who I’ve had so many lovely memories with, it felt right.

Recently she has gone quiet on me again, leaving me on read for days despite being quite active on social media and seeing friends etc. She will come back and apologise and explain how busy she’s been and get back to the conversation, but it does sometimes feel like she just doesn’t have time for me.

Friends and family have asked why I’m spending thousands to go to her wedding when she makes me question our friendship all the time. I just know that if I pull out of attending now that our friendship will be over. I don’t want to fall out with her but at the same time I keep going around in circles constantly wondering if she genuinely likes me or whether I’m just an anxious overthinker?

OP posts:
33belle27 · 22/01/2023 23:01

Pipsquiggle · 22/01/2023 22:58

Honestly, the cost alone would be a "no" from me. Who can afford that nowadays?

Other people will be saying the same.

Do you lose any money if you pull out now?

Where is the wedding?

She sounds like a fair weather friend to me.

The wedding is a typical holiday destination. We usually do not holiday abroad as our son has autism and we like to stick to places he knows and feels safe at.

OP posts:
Guavafish1 · 22/01/2023 23:04

Tell her on the phone

burnoutbabe · 22/01/2023 23:04

I would ring the holiday company tomorrow to find out what happens if you cancel. Abs what options for moving holiday to a more family friendly resort. Then decide on that basis.

If you can get out of it and only be £260 down, all good. If you have to pay full amount then you have to attend really and just enjoy time away with husband.

Gymnopedie · 22/01/2023 23:07

Guavafish1 · 22/01/2023 23:04

Tell her on the phone

And don't let her try to guilt you, or to say how much it means to her, or even (and I suspect she might) if she gets nasty.

I honestly don't believe that this has anything to do with you being important to them. Their egos want you to prove how important they are to you.

PinkyFlamingo · 22/01/2023 23:07

How can you drop out if you've booked though?

33belle27 · 22/01/2023 23:10

PinkyFlamingo · 22/01/2023 23:07

How can you drop out if you've booked though?

Husband tells me we booked like a cancellation insurance as an extra. It is a long while away so i assume we are still in the period of being able to cancel/change.

the deposit was a couple of hundred

OP posts:
33belle27 · 22/01/2023 23:11

Gymnopedie · 22/01/2023 23:07

And don't let her try to guilt you, or to say how much it means to her, or even (and I suspect she might) if she gets nasty.

I honestly don't believe that this has anything to do with you being important to them. Their egos want you to prove how important they are to you.

Yeah I think you’re right.

I do believe she will try and guilt trip me.
I do find myself always following her lead and doing what suits her.

i hate confrontation and just hate upsetting people

OP posts:
Theeaglesoared · 22/01/2023 23:12

OP I think you will be relieved if you cancel your holiday. It doesn't sound like she prioritises you. You will make other friends who will.

Pantsomime · 22/01/2023 23:12

OP phone her then you can’t over think any messages or read anything into them. Tell her you’ve had some unexpected costs and it will mean sacrificing the family holiday for her wedding and you can’t do it to your family. If she’s a friend she’ll understand, but you already intimated she wasn’t as she’d end it if you didn’t go - just cancel, but do it by phone and talking to her and het it over and done with, don’t string it out.
People who have destination weddings should realise not everyone has their budget or sees the event as important as they do

HamBone · 22/01/2023 23:13

So your DH wants to cancel, your DS probably won’t feel comfortable and you’ve got insurance. Plus you’ve got cold feet about going.

Four good reasons to cancel.

OhIdoLike2bBesideTheSeaside · 22/01/2023 23:13

Sarah2891 · 22/01/2023 21:21

I do not think you should go. No way. She is not into this friendship like you are. Make up a reason not to go and then do not contact her first. See how long it takes her to contact you.

I agree 100% this

Fruityfloral34 · 22/01/2023 23:15

I would send a text saying something has come up, you will explain when you next speak but really sorry can't make it. Say an unexpected financial expense has come up... you know friend is really busy these days but you will explain at a later date. I wouldn't put myself out for someone who was hot and cold.

Do you think the friendship as it is now is worth the trip away and do you actually want to go, would be my questions to myself before cancelling.

dormouses · 22/01/2023 23:16

But financially things are tighter for her

Yet she's booked a destination wedding at no doubt huge expense that she expects her guests to fork out thousands for?

Can the wedding. Her response will tell you everything you need to know about your friendship.

Crimeismymiddlename · 22/01/2023 23:16

You will regret going. It’s thousands of pounds and you are not even sure you are friends.

templesit · 22/01/2023 23:19

Op you sound like a lovely person and a great friend- far to great for 'Amy'.

You have to put yourself first, make a stand and stop letting this woman pick you up and put you down when she wants to, you don't deserve that.

Who is she to treat you this way.

£200 is worth losing as it's the price of your well being which is worth so much more.
Cancel asap while you can- you will feel so much better having taken some control back and making the choice that in your gut you know is the right one.

Steviebrown · 22/01/2023 23:20

Bloody hell cancel it immediately! You must have better things to spend all that money on. Don’t faff and possibly lose more money than you have to. Don’t make excuses either, just say that unfortunately you can no longer attend. If pushed why share details of your finances? Just say it doesn’t work for you and you have decided not to go.

WinterFoxes · 22/01/2023 23:20

I wouldn't spend thousands to go to any wedding except very very close family. If you have plenty of money and are happy to spend it, and hope to catch up with many beloved old friends you have in common, then go. But if you will be making small talk with strangers and sitting in a hotel feeling sick at how much you spent on a friend who you barely catch up with anymore, then pullout.

I am always mystified at people who have their wedding abroad and expect everyone they know to miraculously come up with the money and time off work to attend. In itself, it seems a very self-absorbed thing to do and would put me off a person.

MarmiteCoriander · 22/01/2023 23:20

'leaves me on read' What does this even mean???

I agree with pulling out slowly and not attend. You have a year until the wedding, but this doesn't sound that close anymore. Friendships do change over time and sometimes they just dissolve for no real reason. Don't spend £££'s for the sake of it!

Jellybean23 · 22/01/2023 23:26

It's madness to stretch yourself financially for her wedding. Tell her now that you can't afford the expense and have to cancel. If couples genuinely wanted everyone to attend their wonderful weddings, they would marry in this country. It's an ego trip without consideration for the guests.

RampantIvy · 22/01/2023 23:26

Friends and family have asked why I’m spending thousands to go to her wedding when she makes me question our friendship all the time

I'm with them. Don't go.

CheshireCat1 · 22/01/2023 23:35

I would cancel the booking, apologise to your friend and buy them a lovely wedding gift.

WhereYouLeftIt · 22/01/2023 23:48

33belle27 · 22/01/2023 22:40

Thankyou so much for all your responses so far.

next instalment for the wedding is due next month, I think I need to sort this sooner rather than later.

if I do tell her we can’t make it do I tell her face to face? By phone call?

Tell her by text. Yes, seriously. She should read and respond to THAT, I would think.

Couchpotato3 · 22/01/2023 23:56

Can you cancel the trip and get your money back? If yes, then do, save the money and stop sacrificing things for the sake of a poor quality friendship. Tell her it was too expensive, but you'd love to see her afterwards and look at her photos etc.

If you can't cancel, then look on it as a lovely holiday, that just happens to have a friend's wedding tacked on. Plan trips and treats for yourself while you are there, so that it isn't just all about her do.

In the mean time, let her do the running around and don't bother contacting her first. Do you worry about the same issues with all your friendships? I doubt it - your instincts sound correct on this one. A real friend wouldn't have you second-guessing yourself about whether she really wants to bother with you etc.

And as for the hen-do. Ask yourself - am I looking forward to this? If yes, go and enjoy yourself. If you're actually dreading it and don't fancy it, you really don't have to go. If you're feeling brave, you can be honest with her, or you can just come down with a nasty dose of food-poisoning the night before...

Milkand2sugarsplease · 22/01/2023 23:58

I'd use the next instalment date as your reason for cancelling to be honest. Tell her finances just aren't stacking up for it and you need to pull out now before you have to lay out a lot more.

She has ages to fill those spots - perhaps with some of the friends she is texting when she's ignoring you!!

Cheeseandlobster · 23/01/2023 00:04

WhyCantYourPartnerDoIt · 22/01/2023 21:57

You’re not being unreasonable - an invitation isn’t legally binding.

but you sound like hard work as a friend.

Are you joking? Read the op again?

Op. Friendship should not be this hard. I would not be spending so much money on someone who treats me as back up friend. Take a step back for your own sanity. And don't go to the wedding. I don't think for one minute she would do the same for you

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