Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I made DP's friend cry.

550 replies

Hugerag · 07/08/2023 21:26

I have been with DP for 3 years, and he has a large social group who he has been friends with for decades. In the 3 years I have been with DP, I have always made an effort with his friends and their partners, and really hoped that as time went on my friendship with them would improve and I'd become more integrated into their group as opposed to being on the periphery.

Two weeks ago, It was my birthday party, and to avoid outing myself, it was quite a big birthday (think 40th). The birthday party was very girly and was only for the women in my life. I set up a group chat on WhatsApp to tell everyone the details of the party, including the venue, catering, drinks orders, games etc I had planned. I invited all of my DP's friends partners, despite not knowing them all that well. I invited them because I wanted to make an effort to be a part of their group and because of DP, who also wants me to become a larger part of his friendship circle. Gradually, over the weeks leading up the party, all of DP's friends partners dropped out... even though by that point they knew that I had spent time, effort and money in catering and drinks orders preparing for them to come. I started to get quite upset, but the final straw was when it was down to the final invitee, who only a few days before my birthday, told me that she had unexpectedly been given tickets to a concert on the same weekend as my party, so she was going to go to that instead. She sent me a text message apologising. It later turned out that she went to the concert with another one of the women in the friendship circle who had also been invited but had dropped out earlier.

Yesterday, DP and I went to a BBQ with the friendship circle. The woman who had dropped out at the last minute because she had been given concert tickets came up to me and apologised to me in person. I told her that I accepted her apology and we'd all move on, however, I was disappointed and upset that none of the women in the group had made the effort to come, I'd spent a lot of time and money which she was aware of having been on the WhatsApp group, and I found it quite rude that she'd dropped out at the last minute because she'd got a better offer. She seemed quite taken aback and the conversation ended there.

Today, DP received a text message from his friend, explaining that I'd really upset his partner and made her cry! DP is now annoyed with me and thinks I am creating unnecessary tension and drama. I am sticking to my opinion that it is me that should be upset with all of them and that I am the person who has been wronged. I'm forever being polite and kind and not speaking up for myself, this is one of the only times in my life that I have actually been assertive!

AIBU?

OP posts:
SayingwhatIreallythink · 07/08/2023 21:30

I think it’s one of the occasions when you should have just kept your feelings to yourself for the sake of friendships going forward.

Treesandrivers · 07/08/2023 21:32

You are right to stand up for yourself.

Maybe you should do it a bit more often?

Any idea why they are bullying you? Was a great friend of theirs hoping to marry your DH?

Maybe gently probe DH?

Standing up to bullies is always a good plan.

Justmuddlingalong · 07/08/2023 21:32

But these women aren't your friends. They're your DP's friends partners who you've admitted you don't know very well. Don't push friendships, allow them to develop naturally over time.

ThreeLittleDots · 07/08/2023 21:34

You invited them to something personal to you, that was nothing whatsoever to do with your DH's friendship group, despite barely knowing them.

Complaining about the waste of money and doing a big "I accept your apology but..." speech is super crass and self-centred.

I'm not sure how you hope for friendships to naturally develop if you behave this way.

SayingwhatIreallythink · 07/08/2023 21:35

Treesandrivers · 07/08/2023 21:32

You are right to stand up for yourself.

Maybe you should do it a bit more often?

Any idea why they are bullying you? Was a great friend of theirs hoping to marry your DH?

Maybe gently probe DH?

Standing up to bullies is always a good plan.

How were they bullies? They were invited to something they didn’t seem to be particularly keen to go to, gradually dropped out until there was only one left. I wouldn’t fancy going to a party where I hardly knew anyone, by myself.

Woopzies · 07/08/2023 21:36

I must admit, this feels like I've read an account from a 6 year old whose friends didn't want to come to their party.

It was incredibly childish of you to have used the last 'drop out' - who at least had the courtesy to apologise in person - as someone to rant to about how you felt about it.

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 07/08/2023 21:36

Tell your DP/DH to fuck right off. He pushed you to do something you didn't want to do. His friends / circle were then downright rude and you are perfectly within your rights to be annoyed and to stand up for yourself. Your feelings are perfectly valid and he should be embarrassed on their behalf not gaslighting you.

I wouldn't bother again. It will blow over in time but they won't mess you around again.

Pirsty · 07/08/2023 21:36

I think if you’re going to accept someone’s apology, that should be it and you should move on with the conversation. It was a bit unfair to make the only person who apologised properly bear the brunt of your disappointment. You are not BU to feel sad/disappointed/angry (I think going to a concert instead of a birthday is a bit crap once you’ve RSVPed) but I think it was a bit U to be so assertive that you made her cry

CamelSilk · 07/08/2023 21:37

They were mean and you were right to say something, but unfortunately it won't help you to integrate into the group going forwards.

Hugerag · 07/08/2023 21:37

It's less about pushing for friendship. It's about the fact that several had put in orders for food and drinks, as well as participating in other aspects of the planning, which resulted in me not only spending time and effort, but money. To then all drop out after that, I find it really rude and it's not something I would do.

OP posts:
CantThinkOfANameAtAll · 07/08/2023 21:37

Why did you invite non friends to your party? Surely it would have been better to invite DPs friends AND partners, not just the partners. What about your own friends?

Hivaluegirl · 07/08/2023 21:38

She's a cry baby so what you said your opinion.

FloweryName · 07/08/2023 21:39

Tell him it made you cry when people were flakey about your celebration if tears are what matter to him. Why is her being upset more important than you being upset?

Pleasebeafleabite · 07/08/2023 21:39

Good for you OP. Hers was obviously a weaselly apology anyway. Well done on pointing out the reality.

AliceOlive · 07/08/2023 21:39

They accepted and then backed out? How many women? Did anything happen in between? How long were you planning this?

smooththecat · 07/08/2023 21:39

From an admittedly bitter perspective, ha ha ha, hope you don’t have to find out what happens to those ‘friends’ if your partner cheats on you with an ow and leaves.

NancyJoan · 07/08/2023 21:40

Accepting an invitation, ordering food and then dropping out is so, so rude.

howsaboutit · 07/08/2023 21:40

OP, I can understand why you’d feel hurt. You’ve taken the time and effort to try to forge friendships with your partner’s friends’ partners and unfortunately it hasn’t been welcomed in the way that you’d have liked.
With that, you have to understand that those friendships are not yet formed and they don’t owe you anything. They don’t have to attend a party because you’ve invited them. To politely turn down the invite is ok, whatever reason they have for doing so. I think the final friend that dropped out may have been more inclined to do so because the others weren’t going so of all of them I’d actually have less of an issue with her. You say you don’t know any of them particularly well but expected one of them to come to the party alone, to spend time with a party group who I’m assuming you’d know very well. I’m not surprised she dropped out too.
She was also the one that made the effort to apologise to you in person and then she received the backlash that none of them went. I don’t think that’s fair and I’m not surprised this upset her.

AliceOlive · 07/08/2023 21:42

smooththecat · 07/08/2023 21:39

From an admittedly bitter perspective, ha ha ha, hope you don’t have to find out what happens to those ‘friends’ if your partner cheats on you with an ow and leaves.

Eh?

Mutinyonthecrunchie · 07/08/2023 21:42

Made her cry? So what? She sounds wet and a drama llama bleating to your dp.

drpet49 · 07/08/2023 21:43

It’s been 3 years. They aren’t interested in a friendship with you OP.

Justmuddlingalong · 07/08/2023 21:44

Were there occasional WhatsApp messages regarding the plans or numerous updates?

AliceOlive · 07/08/2023 21:44

@howsaboutit Seems like she cried because she knows what she did was super rude and she didn’t like being told so. Not fair because the OP didn’t say the same to the others? Maybe she just didn’t get her chance yet.

Hugerag · 07/08/2023 21:45

@howsaboutit They don't owe me anything, you are correct. They don't have to make an effort to be friends or to welcome my invitation. They didn't have to attend the party.

But to accept the invitation, participate in the planning (my time, effort), order food and drinks (my money), then to all gradually drop out... especially for one to admit it was because she got a better offer (to attend a concert with another one of the women who was meant to be coming)... it's just not on, and shows they don't care one iota about upsetting me.

OP posts:
Gerrataere · 07/08/2023 21:46

They were bloody rude and at least you had the spine to say so. But they’ll never be your friends now, so might as well stop chasing.

Swipe left for the next trending thread