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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Friend getting married abroad- other friend having tantrum

194 replies

ThatKeenJadeLeader · 11/07/2025 09:01

Good Morning,

I was wondering if anyone had any advice on how I can sort this situation out.

Friendship group of 5 of us. We are 36/37.

Me and two other women (married and kids), (one male) single no kids and other friend (currently in the process of marrying the most lovely man).

My friendship group has been together since uni. Me and two other women all got married from 27-30. Male friend never married/ never in a relationship. Other friend has been single despite being absolutely lovely and has finally found a bloke who treats her well- they got engaged last year and are planning the wedding.

Friend has family in Italy (was born here but has very elderly grandparents out there).

Anyway....male friend developed a problem with drinking and other things a few years ago and gave himself paranoia and anxiety through it. Friend has decided she wants to get married in her grandparents village in Italy so family who can't make the flight anymore can see her get married. She said she will also arrange a party for when she gets back for people here that won't be invited/ can't go.

Male friend has had a complete tantrum and left the group chat because his anxiety won't allow him to fly. Has messaged me and one of the other girls saying he can't believe she's being so selfish and she knows his issues and she should do it here at a location that would suit him.

This is not the first time he has acted like this. He is a horror at every life event we do. Got drunk at other friends daughters christening and started a rant about how it's a shame we all have to conform to stereotypical families etc. He's gay. At my hen party he had a full tantrum and other friends wedding he walked out of as she wasn't paying him enough attention and then got angry we didn't realise for over an hour that he had left. He has had plenty of opportunities for relationships as we did have a period of time where we thought he might be jealous and struggling but this is not the case. He is just immature in general.

I personally want to shake him and tell him to stop being so selfish, but other friend is saying we know how he is so we should try and calm it down.

I have absolutely taken a massive step back from him over the years because all he wants is drama, but we do remain civil, but this one has thrown me right over the edge.

Would I be the arsehole to not pussyfoot round him and give him some home truths on how he's behaving? We never do normally and always end up feeling sorry for him when he eventually apologises when he realises he has gone too far.

OP posts:
Xyloplane · 11/07/2025 09:24

Why are you friends with him? He clearly doesn’t like any of you. Stop pandering to this nonsense.

SpryCat · 11/07/2025 09:26

He’s a toxic attention seeker, he tries to spoil every celebration with his tantrums, in order to make it all about him.
If you tell him any home truths, you are giving him ammunition to act up. It’s best to step away and ignore and enjoy your friends wedding. Don’t be surprised when you’re all abroad, at the wedding, and he starts ringing you all because he is having a ‘breakdown’!
He is jealous and can’t bear people being happy and having anything at all to celebrate. Inside he is a seething mass of hatred towards you all.

dottiedodah · 11/07/2025 09:26

Bye Bye to him. WTF? who on earth does he think he is FFS! If your friend wanted to marry in NZ that is up to her.I think this "friendship " is well and truly over TBH.He sounds jealous .Block him and move on

Parky04 · 11/07/2025 09:27

Friends are supposed to add value to your life. He does the complete opposite. He needs to be ditched!

tryingtobesogood · 11/07/2025 09:28

other friends wedding he walked out of as she wasn't paying him enough attention and then got angry we didn't realise for over an hour that he had left.

I think this is hilarious and is exactly how you should behave towards him. Either challenge him if that is what you want to do, or just ignore him. I think ignoring him would have a greater effect as he obviously thrives off the drama.

ThatKeenJadeLeader · 11/07/2025 09:28

SpryCat · 11/07/2025 09:26

He’s a toxic attention seeker, he tries to spoil every celebration with his tantrums, in order to make it all about him.
If you tell him any home truths, you are giving him ammunition to act up. It’s best to step away and ignore and enjoy your friends wedding. Don’t be surprised when you’re all abroad, at the wedding, and he starts ringing you all because he is having a ‘breakdown’!
He is jealous and can’t bear people being happy and having anything at all to celebrate. Inside he is a seething mass of hatred towards you all.

Edited

He does this all the time! If I am about to have a job interview, attend something for my daughters school/ have an important meeting, go on holiday- my husband now makes bets on what hour before we have something important he will message with a breakdown about something and it happens every time! Or you will be telling everyone something really important and he buts in with an irrelevant drama and then goes oh sorry to make it about me for once, it's always about him!

OP posts:
defrazzled · 11/07/2025 09:30

Did she arrange it abroad specifically so he wouldn't come? Sounds likely! Clever girl!

WondererWanderer · 11/07/2025 09:32

Eurostar to Paris.

High speed train from Paris to Milan - only 6.5 hours.

Train from Milan to wherever in Italy you are or to the major airports you'll be landing in and someone can collect him.

Italy's rail network is good and very reasonable.

He doesnt have to fly. Put it to him and leave it there.

ThatKeenJadeLeader · 11/07/2025 09:32

WondererWanderer · 11/07/2025 09:32

Eurostar to Paris.

High speed train from Paris to Milan - only 6.5 hours.

Train from Milan to wherever in Italy you are or to the major airports you'll be landing in and someone can collect him.

Italy's rail network is good and very reasonable.

He doesnt have to fly. Put it to him and leave it there.

He won't leave the UK

OP posts:
WondererWanderer · 11/07/2025 09:33

ThatKeenJadeLeader · 11/07/2025 09:32

He won't leave the UK

Oh well. That's his problem then!

EDIT tell him what you think of him and leave him to it. He needs to grow up.

Aavalon57 · 11/07/2025 09:33

Why are you all still friends with him?

GospelOakCloak · 11/07/2025 09:35

OhBling · 11/07/2025 09:24

So this is pretyy classic covert narcissistic behaviur. I'm not saying he is one but the behaviour traits are clearly there.

I mention this specifically only becuase it can be helpful to use that as a lens through which you look at his behaviour. Ultimately however, people like this are entitled and believe nothing is ever their responsibility or their fault. They are permanent victims. And the more you do to try to help them, support them, reassure them, build them up, ironically, the worse it is as that becomes your role - to validate their feelings.

I'm quite surprised he hasn't caused more drama between you. But perhaps becuase you've all been friends for a long time, it's hard for the classic smear campaign to work. It certainly souds like he's trying - in this case, to smear th ebride so the rest of you fall in line and pressure her. But it clearly isn't working.

If he’s a covert narcissist I dread to think what an overt one would be like

OhBling · 11/07/2025 09:36

This is where you have to just be really kind, but clear.

"Friend, I'm sorry you won't be at the wedding. We'd love you to come and there are options to take trains. But what's most important for friend is to have her adored grandparents there, which is of course completely reasonable. If you can't make it, we'll plan a lovely party for afterwards in England xxx"

And then leave the rest.

Of course, I'd actually be considering cancelling the friendshp completely, but that's another story. Just a guess - he has a bad relationship with his family?

Canijustsayonething · 11/07/2025 09:36

Aavalon57 · 11/07/2025 09:33

Why are you all still friends with him?

I'm wondering this too...🤔doesn't sound like he has any good qualities at all.

SENNeeds2 · 11/07/2025 09:36

I would send him a train time table
but sounds like its better he doesn't go

hdksolxveu · 11/07/2025 09:37

He needs therapy!

OhBling · 11/07/2025 09:38

GospelOakCloak · 11/07/2025 09:35

If he’s a covert narcissist I dread to think what an overt one would be like

Grin Covert narcissists are also called "vulnerable" narcissists. It's not that their behaviours are necessarily hidden. It's that their desire to be centre of attention is masked in drama, victimhood, things going wrong, needing help etc.

Sometimes it's subtle. Sometimes less so. What I'm learning is that the older they get, the less subtle it gets. I think its becuase the behaviours become more and more extreme as previous levels stop working. They often land up alone.

ThatKeenJadeLeader · 11/07/2025 09:38

OhBling · 11/07/2025 09:36

This is where you have to just be really kind, but clear.

"Friend, I'm sorry you won't be at the wedding. We'd love you to come and there are options to take trains. But what's most important for friend is to have her adored grandparents there, which is of course completely reasonable. If you can't make it, we'll plan a lovely party for afterwards in England xxx"

And then leave the rest.

Of course, I'd actually be considering cancelling the friendshp completely, but that's another story. Just a guess - he has a bad relationship with his family?

Nope- parents are LOVELY. He still lives with them.

OP posts:
MatildaTheCat · 11/07/2025 09:38

defrazzled · 11/07/2025 09:30

Did she arrange it abroad specifically so he wouldn't come? Sounds likely! Clever girl!

Exactly my thoughts.

Honestly OP, stop giving this oxygen and just stop the friendship ( nb this isn’t a friendship)

AddictAlice · 11/07/2025 09:38

I would just leave it. It's good that he has left the group chat as you don't have to deal with him. I wouldn't engage with him at all. Her wedding, her choice. His tantrum will eventually subside. Until the next one.

TourdeFrance2025 · 11/07/2025 09:39

I'd support the friend getting married, reassure her she's entitled to arrange her wedding how she wants it & that it sounds lovely.

id probably avoid telling him any home truths. to keep the peace, but only to a point. If he starts upsetting the bride then I'd tell him what I thought of his behaviour & attitude.

ehb102 · 11/07/2025 09:41

You have Mumsnet collective permission to dump him as a friend. Slow fade, full ghost or confrontation, you choose.

Itisnotdownonanymap · 11/07/2025 09:44

Sounds like a good result to me

3peassuit · 11/07/2025 09:45

Given his past behaviour, I’d find it a relief he wasn’t coming to the wedding. I understand your wish to confront him but would it change anything or just add to his misplaced list of grievances.

whynotmereally · 11/07/2025 09:46

I’d message him tell him he’s selfish to think he can dictate where his friends wedding is and you have had enough of his constant drama.

id check in with wedding friend and show support