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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

not pg related, well maybe im being pg irrational, need advice on hen party

14 replies

Martie1 · 03/07/2014 14:23

Hi all

Ive just received a message telling me to bring along a present to a hen do for the bride to be. We can't put names on it and the bride to be has to guess who it's from. We're told it can be a tear jearker or something funny.

Problem is, I cannot stand the bride to be. She is marrying my brother and I am going to the hen party because im 'doing the right thing'. I have always disliked her, she is false, socially unaware, and totally selfish. She is the type of person who would have you believe that she is sweet and thoughtful but it's completely the opposite. She is entirely self absorbed and I am yet to see her doing an entirely selfless act.

I have always felt this way even from when they started going out. It did not take long for others to begin feeling the same way as I did and to see through her. My entire family and my brother's friends cannot stand her but we all put on a show for my brother as we love him. The fact is, none of us would have this girl in our company were it not for the fact that she is my brother's gf/fiancee. Last year, my sister was accosted at a wedding by another drunk guest to tell her that the sil-to-be is an *sshole and no one understands why my brother is going out with her. This man is a colleague of both my brother and his fiancee. I have also been approached in a similar manner by colleagues of both and other friends also have had things said to them. My brother knows all this, he is still marrying her and that is his choice. I am not even going to try change his mind, as a few months back my parents talked to him and he has decided to go ahead with the wedding. This was after she did something particularly hurtful to my parents and sister and my parents decided it was time to speak up.

I previously was able to get on with her, put on a good show, for the sake of my brother but recent events have totally pissed me off and I can no longer tolerate her at all. She previously thought we got on well, I think she realises that things are different now. I have had reason to see her twice in the last couple of weeks and she has tread very carefully with me, and knows to avoid me. However the brat has also tried to engage me in conversation in public as she knows I would never embarrass myself by not talking to her.

So my grand question is, what do I get someone I hate? I suppose I could buy something totally bland. However I would love to get her something that gets a message across that I won't ever forget how much hurt she has caused recently.

I should say, in the past I have always just pushed aside her behaviour and put it down to "did you see/hear what she was up to this time." My priority has always been my brother, he's a great guy and she knows she has a catch. She also knows that my family and I are all too polite to point out her behaviour. But I have not been able to get over recent events mostly because I warned her a few months back about how much stress/strain my mother was under and she still went ahead with her selfish actions. I deliberately told her that my mum was under pressure/strain in the hope that it would cause her to see sense. (She pretends like she worships my mother and my mother always had her reservations but was willing to give the benefit of the doubt but now knows exactly what she is like.)

My dh thinks my attitude at the moment is pg related. Partly because I am always the one in our relationship willing to forgive and forget with people, move one, see the best in people and give others the benefit of the doubt. DH is usually the one who gives everyone one chance and then writes them off if they mess with him.

He could be right. I am also well pissed off at DH's sister at the moment due to years of her behaviour of treating us like idiots and dictating to us what we should do with our lives. I have been avoiding her like the plague. She was unbelievably hurtful when we announced our news, launching into her 'news' rather than congratulating us. It was mental, like a completion. My sil-to-be is also a complete know it all (a phrase one of her colleagues described her as!). I am of the view that both of these people will be telling me what to do when I have my baby and I want to avoid that. Keeping them at bay seems to be the best way to do it. (Dh's sis had kids, sil-to-be does not, but as I say, is a complete know it all.)

Sorry for the crazy long post. I should say I am doing yoga at the moment to try and relax myself. I have found the first 6 months of 2014 very stressful and challenging. To some extent I predicted this at the start of the year, but secretly hoped it wouldn't come true. It has and worse. We've already had one death and I fear another could be imminent due to cancer.

17+3

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 03/07/2014 14:27

Don't go. It's not right thatyou go

squizita · 03/07/2014 14:39

Just don't go.

Going and ruining it by snapping would be appalling, and if you're under that much stress how can you guarantee you won't snap?

Also do look into stress relief and counselling too: it sounds like you've had 2 confrontations/falling outs with extended family recently so maybe DH has a point and the stress is affecting the way you deal with things.

nc060 · 03/07/2014 14:44

Just say you are pregnant and not up to it? I really couldnt hand a hen doo at the minute.

Ultimately for all her faults it is her hen doo, it will be the only one she has and is not fair to ruin it for her and whatever you said at the hen doo would not be taken seriously as everyone else would be under the influence of booze xx

TarkaTheOtter · 03/07/2014 14:46

I think the fact that you would even consider taking a nasty present to deliberately ruin her hen do suggests that maybe it is you, not her, that is the problem. If you don't like her, and are don't thing you can even pretend to, then going is not "doing the right thing".

TarkaTheOtter · 03/07/2014 14:48

Sorry if that reads a bit harsh, just don't think you should do something you might later regret. If you do anything to ruin if you will totally lose the moral high ground.

CoolCat2014 · 03/07/2014 15:23

If she is horrible or not she doesn't deserve to have her hen party wrecked, that's just mean, and stooping to her level.

Don't go - say you're not feeling up to it, or go and take a bland gift like a pair of mugs or a scented candle.

Martie1 · 03/07/2014 15:28

I know i shouldn't bring a 'nasty' present.... I would just love to. The whole reason I am supposed to be going is to 'do the right thing.' Bringing a nasty present would just negate that and I know that. I am just on a rant, the message about the present set me off. I was hoping to forget about her hen do until it was happening. Then i could just muddle through.

I have always kept myself right, always treated her well, i have been nothing but pleasant to the girl for years. I have never treated her badly, not once. I just fed up being trodden on by her. I am so tired of her taking everyone else good nature for granted as are all the rest of my family members. Another family member pointed out that I shouldn't change my attitude to life generally because one person takes advantage of it. I know it's not just me because it is everyone who knows the two of them who comments on their relationship.

I would love to not go to the hen do and Im giving that option serious consideration. The last one I was at recently wrecked me. I really won't do something stupid though. I know i'll regret it and lose the moral high ground. Maybe by the time it comes round I will just pull the pg card. I do think the rest of my family members might kill me though for leaving them to it. I have to think of me and the baby first lol.

squizata -i haven't fallen out with DH's sister. She has no idea about how we feel about her. I get on with her and spend most of my time just agreeing with her for a quiet life. I spend most of my time trying to prevent my dh and her getting into rows! I blame my mother, she brought me up with a 'smile and get on with it attitude' but I believe that all it breeds in me is resentment. Yet I enjoy my happy smiley view of life generally. Families are a pain in the backside (but what would we do without them). Why am i having a child???? lol

OP posts:
Martie1 · 03/07/2014 15:31

And those saying that, horrible or not, she deserves not to have her hen party ruined, are totally right. I totally agree. And i'm loving the scented candle suggestion. That's right up her street and will require minimal effort (plus, I can say, sweetly, 'cause she loves candles' rather than 'cause she loves to burn people' which is what I'll actually be thinking in my head but will not say out loud because I am a total chicken anyway.)

Im a crazy ranting pg bitch. Dh is right. Oh god.

OP posts:
WipsGlitter · 03/07/2014 15:32

Two separate issues: if you go being ghee sweet because she is sweet or bubbles because she is bubbly.

But if you really think your brother is marrying the wrong person then that's much harder...

WipsGlitter · 03/07/2014 15:32

Bring her sweets that should say

halfdoneharris · 03/07/2014 16:09

Either don't go to the Hen for pregnancy reasons (will it be a get wasted type hen party?) or if you do go get her something bland from Accessorise like a bangle or a ring. It is not a named present anyway and it is not on to ruin someone's hen due to family politics (even if she is a total beeatch).

If it is any consolation, men who are blinded by these types of woman and marry them generally see the error of their ways within a year or so. Hopefully before there are any kids on the scene. That is when you step in and be a shoulder to cry on.

It's your brother's life and he has made his decision so there is no point runing your relationship with him over this (speaking from previous experience about a close male friend).

kaykayblue · 03/07/2014 17:30

Cite pregnancy reasons and just don't go. Otherwise you'll be getting riled up about it the whole time between now and then. If anyone asks - even people who know you hate her - just stick with the pregnancy story, else it will get back to your brother and you will have a falling out.

I'm told one of the great gifts of pregnancy is being able to cancel on anything you want and blaming being pregnant. Use it!!

karigan · 03/07/2014 17:36

Its probably no consolation but my friend married a girl that none of his friends or family liked about 18 months ago. She was blatently trouble and so very wrong for him, several people including his mum and best friends tried having a quiet word but he was insistent that she was 'the one'. Eventually we all just let him get on with it and they split up just over a year later and he is much happier for it and has now realised what we all saw from very early on.

Its not worth damaging your relationship with your brother over, just bite your lip and ride it out.

seasavage · 03/07/2014 20:52

I echo the sentiments that you shouldn't go. You're clearly deeply affected and shouldn't take this stress on.
If you go you're also 'approving' the match from your brother's point of view. A hen do (to me) is for a close group. Going implies a closeness you clearly do not have. My sil(multiple) were not at mine. I doubt any of them thought that odd or rude .. I am still getting to know them.

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