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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Another Bridezilla one....

163 replies

Reallyareyoukiddingme · 19/01/2024 18:42

I'm pretty sure IANBU but I needed advice on how to handle this situation!

I've been friends with a woman for around 10 years - let's call her Michaela. She and I worked together but bonded fairly quickly and we have stayed close despite me moving jobs. She was my bridesmaid when I got married a few years ago and we see each other probably every six months or so (I have to organise these).

Her relationship started around the same time as mine but for various reasons she was never expecting her OH to propose to her. He subsequently has and she is obviously very excited about this, and has asked me to be her bridesmaid. But her wedding plans are utterly out of control.

Her OH is from a religious background so she's having a big religious wedding up north, plus the religious ceremony (non legally binding). She's also having a legal wedding party in her home town - AND is planning a (non legal, non religious, just fun) destination wedding in a fairly expensive country in Europe. All of this is....fine.... though I am slightly stressed as to how I'll afford this both money wise and holiday allowance wise, but I'm very happy to attend all parts of it.

The problem came when she started discussing a hen do - again abroad, in a different European capital city. I was caught slightly on the hop when she first mentioned it and went along with the very vague initial planning stages, but I realised fairly quickly it was going to be a) my idea of hell (very late nights clubbing etc) and b) totally unaffordable in the context of all the other money I'm spending. So I messaged her to say how I was really sorry, but realised money was more of an issue than expected, and while I was delighted to be attending all parts of the wedding itself I just couldn't make the hen do work. I would have called her to chat through this but she hates phone calls and refuses to answer them, so a message was my only option.

She has since totally ignored me. I left it a week or so then messaged again, asking how wedding plans were going etc, and if I could help with anything. She has ignored that too.
BUT weirdly has added me to the bridesmaid WhatsApp group. There's lots of chat on there about plans to meet up and chat about the hen do, talk about the various wedding logistics etc - but no one is addressing me directly and she's still ignoring me.

WIBU to message her and say I was voluntarily stepping down from my BM duties? I really don't want to even go to the wedding at this point, and I'm so disappointed by her behaviour - I just can't imagine how she's justifying it to herself. But I am loathe to throw away so many years of friendship over something pretty petty in the grand scheme of things.

OP posts:
Merryoldgoat · 19/01/2024 18:45

So you have to do all the running, she’s not taking other people’s budgets into account but expecting everyone to attend things she wants them to, and she ignoring you now because you said you couldn’t afford the hen as you are going to THREE of her weddings?

What exactly are you throwing away?

BalletBob · 19/01/2024 18:47

Is she definitely ignoring you and not just crap at replying to messages or really busy? I think it's a bit OTT to step down at this point.

Hii93 · 19/01/2024 18:48

Reallyareyoukiddingme · 19/01/2024 18:42

I'm pretty sure IANBU but I needed advice on how to handle this situation!

I've been friends with a woman for around 10 years - let's call her Michaela. She and I worked together but bonded fairly quickly and we have stayed close despite me moving jobs. She was my bridesmaid when I got married a few years ago and we see each other probably every six months or so (I have to organise these).

Her relationship started around the same time as mine but for various reasons she was never expecting her OH to propose to her. He subsequently has and she is obviously very excited about this, and has asked me to be her bridesmaid. But her wedding plans are utterly out of control.

Her OH is from a religious background so she's having a big religious wedding up north, plus the religious ceremony (non legally binding). She's also having a legal wedding party in her home town - AND is planning a (non legal, non religious, just fun) destination wedding in a fairly expensive country in Europe. All of this is....fine.... though I am slightly stressed as to how I'll afford this both money wise and holiday allowance wise, but I'm very happy to attend all parts of it.

The problem came when she started discussing a hen do - again abroad, in a different European capital city. I was caught slightly on the hop when she first mentioned it and went along with the very vague initial planning stages, but I realised fairly quickly it was going to be a) my idea of hell (very late nights clubbing etc) and b) totally unaffordable in the context of all the other money I'm spending. So I messaged her to say how I was really sorry, but realised money was more of an issue than expected, and while I was delighted to be attending all parts of the wedding itself I just couldn't make the hen do work. I would have called her to chat through this but she hates phone calls and refuses to answer them, so a message was my only option.

She has since totally ignored me. I left it a week or so then messaged again, asking how wedding plans were going etc, and if I could help with anything. She has ignored that too.
BUT weirdly has added me to the bridesmaid WhatsApp group. There's lots of chat on there about plans to meet up and chat about the hen do, talk about the various wedding logistics etc - but no one is addressing me directly and she's still ignoring me.

WIBU to message her and say I was voluntarily stepping down from my BM duties? I really don't want to even go to the wedding at this point, and I'm so disappointed by her behaviour - I just can't imagine how she's justifying it to herself. But I am loathe to throw away so many years of friendship over something pretty petty in the grand scheme of things.

She isn't a friend but a user. The fact that you have to organise it every time you meet tells us that. Also she is definitely going to go down the road of different wedding different dress you need to buy along with a present for each wedding.

Reallyareyoukiddingme · 19/01/2024 18:50

@BalletBob definitely ignoring. I sent initial message end of November!!

OP posts:
PragmaticWench · 19/01/2024 18:51

Have you directly asked her if she's ignoring you?

AnnieRegent · 19/01/2024 18:52

Before stepping down, I would message her again and ask if you could have a chat. Yes she is being ridiculous but I would want to know that I had done what I could to salvage the friendship. You have my sympathy, someone going brizezilla is such a stupid thing to potentially lose a good friend over. If she ignores you again then I guess you step down.

senua · 19/01/2024 18:52

I think it's a bit OTT to step down at this point.
I agree. Sit tight and wait for her to make the first move, for a change.

Hii93 · 19/01/2024 18:53

Merryoldgoat · 19/01/2024 18:45

So you have to do all the running, she’s not taking other people’s budgets into account but expecting everyone to attend things she wants them to, and she ignoring you now because you said you couldn’t afford the hen as you are going to THREE of her weddings?

What exactly are you throwing away?

Exactly there is nothing to throw away and just wait until she decides that the bridesmaids have to have different dresses for each wedding and she wants gifts for each wedding.

It's best to bow out now before money is spent

Reallyareyoukiddingme · 19/01/2024 18:53

@PragmaticWench no, that's the next step. I thought she'd have to realise she was being ridiculous and come to her senses, and not directly calling her out gave her space to say 'sorry, been so busy' and less awkward for everyone. But I think we're past that option now!

OP posts:
JustTalkToThem · 19/01/2024 18:54

Call her!!!!

GlitteryDirt · 19/01/2024 18:55

Is the WhatsApp group discussing all the weddings? I can't imagine everyone will go along with that

Reallyareyoukiddingme · 19/01/2024 18:56

@JustTalkToThem appropriate user name!! She has (self diagnosed) ADD and will not talk on the phone. She just doesn't pick up.

OP posts:
Reallyareyoukiddingme · 19/01/2024 19:00

@GlitteryDirt it seems like all the other bridesmaids (Nine!!) are able to attend all parts. But seriously...nine bridesmaids, she won't miss me!

OP posts:
Calypsocuckoo · 19/01/2024 19:10

To be honest I would stay in the chat and not say anything just to observe as it all sounds batshit crazy ! She will have to contact you about dresses/ make up/ hair/ arrangements so I would wait it out, you can then decide whether to stand down as a bridesmaid (9???? Who has 9?) then report back all the craziness please 🙏🏻

Ghostgirl77 · 19/01/2024 19:20

Honestly I’d just ignore her right back and let her make the first move. But I’m a bit petty like that.

SisterMichaelsHabit · 19/01/2024 19:22

Three wedding celebrations is ridiculous. Two is enough for anyone (assuming long travel between bride and groom's family; this worked well for an English friend who was marrying a woman from China). Your friend's gone massively overboard and it sounds like she's got an "all or nothing" mentality that means she can't cope with you having reasonable boundaries like saying no to her out of control spending of other people's money.

PermanentTemporary · 19/01/2024 19:23

I'd agree with just sitting tight, unless you are basically ok with losing the friendship (tbh it may be that it's over anyway). You've given her a clear reply about what you can and can't do. Just be clear when the time comes that you can't do the hen do.

I'm old but my partner has young friends via a hobby, and I'm gobsmacked at the pressure brides put on their bridesmaids. It's frankly ridiculous - the last discussion I was at, four friends were slating another for getting pregnant during a two-year engagement and dropping out of being a bridesmaid. Much talk of 'values' and treating this perfectly ordinary event as a betrayal. Kept my mouth shut but it hasn't made me want to get closer to any of them. You've made a perfectly reasonable decision - now the ball is in her court.

Hii93 · 19/01/2024 19:23

SisterMichaelsHabit · 19/01/2024 19:22

Three wedding celebrations is ridiculous. Two is enough for anyone (assuming long travel between bride and groom's family; this worked well for an English friend who was marrying a woman from China). Your friend's gone massively overboard and it sounds like she's got an "all or nothing" mentality that means she can't cope with you having reasonable boundaries like saying no to her out of control spending of other people's money.

Edited

Exactly what I thought and since she considers them separate events I bet she wants bridesmaids to buy a different dress for each and a gift for each

SisterMichaelsHabit · 19/01/2024 19:24

Also YANBU and don't contact her! This person is not a good friend, she just wants you as a prop in her photographs.

thedancingparrot · 19/01/2024 19:30

Sit tight and be prepared to cut your losses and walk away. It is not as if she does not have other bridesmaids to help her celebrate. Bride is being ridiculous.

writingmylifeaway · 19/01/2024 19:31

Withdraw from all of it and spend the saved money on yourself!

Mywhoopdeedoo · 19/01/2024 19:34

Fuck that and fuck her, she’s batshit, leave the WhatsApp and walk away

Runnerinthenight · 19/01/2024 19:35

She's batshit crazy! Let her simmer.

Minglingpringle · 19/01/2024 19:36

No need to break off the friendship. And no need to do anything you don’t want to do. She’s gone a bit loopy for her wedding but just see it through and you’ll probably both care less about it all in a few months if you keep it low key.

First send her a message to make everything clear. “Hi, haven’t heard from you for a while - hope you’re not ignoring me! Just want to check we’re on the same page and you know I’m not going to the hen do. Looking forward to all the other wedding bits.”

If she ignores that, follow up a few days later with “Hi, I’m getting a bad feeling you’re ignoring me. If I’m right, I guess you’re probably upset with me for some reason. Does that mean you don’t want me to come to your wedding any more? If I don’t hear from you, I’ll assume you don’t want me there and I won’t attend. But do let me know if you want me to come because obviously I’d love to be there!”

And then leave the ball in her court and forget about it. If she doesn’t reach out, yes, you’ve lost a friend, for the time being at least, but there was really nothing you could do. If she reaches out, you can still be friends if you still want to. But try not to give it much head space or let it upset you. Just be straightforward and see what happens.

MarIeyG · 19/01/2024 22:24

Yeah if you've been ignores a few times since November just step down. That's no friend.

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