Moms and Maids

Bad Bridesmaid

I have a friend who was kind of a "hadtoaskher" bridesmaid. Ten months ago when I asked her to be in my wedding she was all enthusiastic and went with me to look at dresses and was helping plan things. Since then she got a new BF who has pretty much isolated her from all her friends. This guy is a MAJOR dbag and no one wants him around. But she seems obsessed with him almost like he is a cult leader and she is his follower! and she has totally blown me and the other maids off for the last 6 months. This new BF is in AA and he somehow convinced her that she also had a drinking problem she didn't and made her join AA with him. Since then she has been harping on me, my fianc, and other friends about drinking. She acts like if you have one glass of wine with dinner you're a raging alcoholic. Her BF actually cornered a friend of ours at a BBQ a couple months ago and lectured her because she had ONE beer. He even tried to lecture MY father at that same BBQ because my father was drinking ONE cocktail. It's really inappropriate and annoying.

She is been totally uninvolved and uninterested in wedding stuff and even nonwedding activities that we plan. The things she has been around for she has been late and/or "forgot" to do something she was supposed to do. I have been worried for a while that she would drop out of the wedding but when she finally purchased her dress she was the last of my 5 girls to finally get her dress I felt that she was safe and was still planning on being part of it. Well that past few weeks she has completely ignored my texts and calls and last night we were all supposed to get together and she texted another BM 15mins before we were supposed to meet and said she wasn't coming. I feel like she is angry at me/us but I have no idea why. And I'm also starting to get kind of angry. The wedding is 5 weeks away and I feel like she's going to flake out at the last minute. And on top of that, because she has been acting this way, part of me hopes she drops out or maybe I should ask her to step down. I stressing enough and I can't be worried about her all the time, if she'll show up, if she'll be late, if she'll forget something. I do not feel like I can depend on her at all. And even more, other people in the wedding party feel like they don't even want her and especially her BF around because if the constant comments and "lectures" about drinking. It's a wedding, there is going to be an open bar! I can only imagine the field day the two of them will have.

I need advice. Should I ask her to step down? If so, how do I do that?

Re: Bad Bridesmaid

  • Honestly, you should be more concerned about your friend and this controlling relationship she is in then your wedding.

    All I am reading is "me, me, me" when it seems that your friend is in a bad relationship with a not so great guy and instead of carrying about her and her life all you seem to care about is your wedding.  I'm sorry but if you care so little about her life then you should reimburse her for the dress and tell her not to bother to come to your wedding.  You will be doing her a favor.

  • It is your wedding you do what you want. Me, personally, I wouldn't ask her to step down, I would just let it be. If she shows up, great, if not, thats ok too. I only say that because I am in the same situation with my sister who has a "bf" who is a total dbag, no job, really bad attitude and just pushes everyone away from him. My FI wants nothing to do with him or my sister, but deals with my sister out of respect for me. My sister has been so uninvolved to a point where I don't care if she shows up or not. I also am making it a point to not give her a plus one because I don't want her to bring her bf. He has disrespected my mom, my FI, me, my sister (but thats her choice to put up with it). I refuse to give her the chance to bring someone who has a temperment of a 2 year old and can blow any second.

    If you are worried about how her bf will behave, I would have a conversation about it and say that you understand you are both in AA and that you are against drinking but there is going to be a ton of people there drinking, and I would appreciate if you kept your comments  to yourselves because it will make people uncomfortable. Its like going to a party and eating chicken fingers and your friend who is a vegetarian is giving you a lecuture on how you shouldn't eat chicken fingers! lol to each is own! keep your opinions to yourselves. If you don't want to drink, don't. BUt don't get on other people's case about it. Good luck, and congrats! Enjoy your day 
  • Yes it is me me me right now because I'm posting in the knot forum about my wedding. There is a whole other side to this story that involves myself and several friends trying to talk to this girl and get thru to her and get her away from this guy to no avail. At this point she has shut us all out and remains obsessed with him. Anything short of staging an intervention, I'm out of ideas on how to help her. She is a grown 31 year old woman...But that's neither here nor there when it comes to her stressing me out about my upcoming wedding. I came specifically to this forum to vent and get advice on how to deal with an issue I am having with my wedding.

  • Look, OP - the best advice, honestly, is to ignore it. If she flakes, she flakes. you'll still have an amazing beautiful wedding. If she shows and complains about drinking, no one will pay attention to her - too much else will be going on. You'll still have an amazing beautiful wedding. It's your CHOICE to stress about what she's doing and let her actions affect you. If you just let it go and let it be, it'll save you a lot of headache.

    But I really wouldn't kick her out. It seems like this girl is in a really terrible situation and will need friends in the future. Kicking her out would severely damage, if not end, your friendship. Try to be the bigger person and support her, even if it's tough right now. I think she'll really need your love and support in not too long.
  • zitiqueenzitiqueen member
    First Answer First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment
    edited March 2013
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_moms-maids_bad-bridesmaid?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:357Discussion:fb031166-3c43-43a7-be94-7319b240ad2bPost:734d7260-4919-4b63-8113-b69fcc9f9a7d">Bad Bridesmaid</a>:
    [QUOTE]I have a friend who was kind of a "hadtoaskher" bridesmaid. Ten months ago when I asked her to be in my wedding she was all enthusiastic and went with me to look at dresses and was helping plan things. Since then she got a new BF who has pretty much isolated her from all her friends. This guy is a MAJOR dbag and no one wants him around. But she seems obsessed with him almost like he is a cult leader and she is his follower! and she has totally blown me and the other maids off for the last 6 months. This new BF is in AA and he somehow convinced her that she also had a drinking problem she didn't and made her join AA with him. Since then she has been harping on me, my fianc, and other friends about drinking. She acts like if you have one glass of wine with dinner you're a raging alcoholic. Her BF actually cornered a friend of ours at a BBQ a couple months ago and lectured her because she had ONE beer. He even tried to lecture MY father at that same BBQ because my father was drinking ONE cocktail. It's really inappropriate and annoying. She is been totally uninvolved and uninterested in wedding stuff and even nonwedding activities that we plan. The things she has been around for she has been late and/or "forgot" to do something she was supposed to do. I have been worried for a while that she would drop out of the wedding but when she finally purchased her dress she was the last of my 5 girls to finally get her dress I felt that she was safe and was still planning on being part of it. Well that past few weeks she has completely ignored my texts and calls and last night we were all supposed to get together and she texted another BM 15mins before we were supposed to meet and said she wasn't coming. I feel like she is angry at me/us but I have no idea why. And I'm also starting to get kind of angry. The wedding is 5 weeks away and I feel like she's going to flake out at the last minute. And on top of that, because she has been acting this way, part of me hopes she drops out or maybe I should ask her to step down. I stressing enough and I can't be worried about her all the time, if she'll show up, if she'll be late, if she'll forget something. I do not feel like I can depend on her at all. And even more, other people in the wedding party feel like they don't even want her and especially her BF around because if the constant comments and "lectures" about drinking. It's a wedding, there is going to be an open bar! I can only imagine the field day the two of them will have. I need advice. Should I ask her to step down? If so, how do I do that?
    Posted by laurenheath1112[/QUOTE]

    Just tell her she isn't devoting enough of her life to your one-day party. That ought to sever the friendship for good.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_moms-maids_bad-bridesmaid?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:357Discussion:fb031166-3c43-43a7-be94-7319b240ad2bPost:ec463246-d68c-4653-b2c5-a10b5e575f43">Re: Bad Bridesmaid</a>:
    [QUOTE]<strong>It is your wedding you do what you want.</strong> Me, personally, I wouldn't ask her to step down, I would just let it be. If she shows up, great, if not, thats ok too. I only say that because I am in the same situation with my sister who has a "bf" who is a total dbag, no job, really bad attitude and just pushes everyone away from him. My FI wants nothing to do with him or my sister, but deals with my sister out of respect for me. My sister has been so uninvolved to a point where I don't care if she shows up or not. I also am making it a point to not give her a plus one because I don't want her to bring her bf. He has disrespected my mom, my FI, me, my sister (but thats her choice to put up with it). I refuse to give her the chance to bring someone who has a temperment of a 2 year old and can blow any second. If you are worried about how her bf will behave, I would have a conversation about it and say that you understand you are both in AA and that you are against drinking but there is going to be a ton of people there drinking, and I would appreciate if you kept your comments  to yourselves because it will make people uncomfortable. Its like going to a party and eating chicken fingers and your friend who is a vegetarian is giving you a lecuture on how you shouldn't eat chicken fingers! lol to each is own! keep your opinions to yourselves. If you don't want to drink, don't. BUt don't get on other people's case about it. Good luck, and congrats! Enjoy your day 
    Posted by Daizy106[/QUOTE]

    That part that I bolded is shiatty advice. Also, what is your sister supposed to be involved in with regards to your wedding?
  • Ditto Maggie.
    What did you think would happen if you walked up to a group of internet strangers and told them to get shoehorned by their lady doc?~StageManager14
    image
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_moms-maids_bad-bridesmaid?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:357Discussion:fb031166-3c43-43a7-be94-7319b240ad2bPost:2b275019-ba8e-46a8-9a6a-262054588007">Re:Bad Bridesmaid</a>:
    [QUOTE]Yes it is me me me right now because I'm posting in the knot forum about my wedding. There is a whole other side to this story that involves myself and several friends trying to talk to this girl and get thru to her and get her away from this guy to no avail. At this point she has shut us all out and remains obsessed with him. Anything short of staging an intervention, I'm out of ideas on how to help her. She is a grown 31 year old woman...But that's neither here nor there when it comes to her stressing me out about my upcoming wedding. I came specifically to this forum to vent and get advice on how to deal with an issue I am having with my wedding.
    Posted by laurenheath1112[/QUOTE]

    But you aren't having an issue with your wedding.  You are having an issue with your friend.  Whether she shows up or not or whether she complains about everyone drinking all night or not will not stop you and your FI from getting married.  The day will still go on. 

    You are having a friend issue not a wedding issue.  If you no longer want her to be a friend then simply kick her out.  But I think you are being a bit selfish.  A wedding is a one-day party, but this girl has most likely been in your life for years.  Are you really going to let one day ruin years of friendship?

    If you don't like her choices in life and don't agree with them and because of that can't be friends with her anymore then that is fine, but to use the excuse of she hasn't been there for me during wedding planning, she hasn't been supportive of my PPD, etc, etc you will come off looking like a brat who ended a friendship over a party.

    Your friend has done everything that a BM is suppose to do up to this.  She bought her dress.  Will she show up?  Maybe.  But at this point, that is all she has to do, everything else is voluntary.

  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_moms-maids_bad-bridesmaid?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:357Discussion:fb031166-3c43-43a7-be94-7319b240ad2bPost:2b275019-ba8e-46a8-9a6a-262054588007">Re:Bad Bridesmaid</a>:
    [QUOTE]Yes it is me me me right now because I'm posting in the knot forum about my wedding. There is a whole other side to this story that involves myself and several friends trying to talk to this girl and get thru to her and get her away from this guy to no avail. At this point she has shut us all out and remains obsessed with him. Anything short of staging an intervention, I'm out of ideas on how to help her. She is a grown 31 year old woman...But that's neither here nor there when it comes to her stressing me out about my upcoming wedding. I came specifically to this forum to vent and get advice on how to deal with an issue I am having with my wedding.
    Posted by laurenheath1112[/QUOTE]

    Don't kick her out. Lower your expectations. Don't assign her any tasks. The only bm duties she really has to perform are 1. Get the dress 2. Show up sober and on time for the ceremony. 
    Stop worrying about whether she will show up. If she doesn't, you'll still get married to the love of your life, right?

    There is nothing you can do, as a friend, to get her away from her control freak boyfriend. Keep in touch with her. Let her know that you'll be there if she needs you.Don't criticize her boyfriend because she will be forced to defend him.

    Also, consider the possibility that she really does have a drinking problem. She might be trying to avoid situations where she will be tempted to drink.
                       
  • if you just expect her to show up in the dress, then you won't be upset when that is all she does. Don't give her anything to take care of if you are not sure that she will get it done. Just tell her the time and place. If her controlling BF is really bad and doesn't let her go, well then it wasn't you that severed the friendship, it was her.

    06.26.06 :)
  • >>I stressing enough and I can't be worried about her all the time,

    You should not be handling this at all.
    The MOH is the coordinator of the BMs.  Ask your MOH to contact her regarding the wedding.

    Now, if you wanted to know if you should reach out to her and take her to lunch, and NOT lecture her on her choice of men and NOT rub her nose in your happy healthy wedding-bound relationship, I'd say yes to that.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_moms-maids_bad-bridesmaid?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:357Discussion:fb031166-3c43-43a7-be94-7319b240ad2bPost:07cad456-2c4a-4b7e-94ea-a8441fc8d52f">Re: Bad Bridesmaid</a>:
    [QUOTE]Maids of Honor do not "coordinate" bridesmaids.  MOHs don't have jobs in a wedding, either. There is nothing to "coordinate", since all a bridesmaid has to do is get her dress.  She doesn't need an MOH to tell her how to do that.  I'm sure most women know how to order a dress in this day and age.
    Posted by RetreadBride[/QUOTE]

    Kristen lives in a world where men make decisions for women though, because thinking is hard, yo!
  • Kristen likes to stir the pot.

    Your MOH is not in charge of the BMs. 
                       
  • I'm floored. You start out your post talking about your friend being in an abusive relationship... and at the end your main concern is whether or not she'll be a good bridesmaid? Seriously? THAT'S the concern you want to ask us about. I get that this is a wedding website, but hun, you need to work on your priorities.
    image
  • What the heck is a "hadtoaskher" bridesmaid?

    Does that mean she's not really much of a friend? If so... then I understand why you care more about your wedding than her well being. However;  I don't understand why you asked her to be part of your wedding, or why you are so bent out of shape about whether she comes or not.

    I divert the rest of my comments to Beaker (below)

    image   imageimage
    You'll never be subject to a cash bar, gap, potluck wedding, or b-list if you marry a Muppet Overlord.

  • Omg, what a witch, having issues n stuff. Kick her out, she won't mind. It's your day after all!
    image
  • Come on people.  OP can't be expected to actually CARE about friends.  I mean, that takes work n stuff.
    Don't make me mobilize OffensiveKitten

    image

    Anniversary

  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_moms-maids_bad-bridesmaid?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:357Discussion:fb031166-3c43-43a7-be94-7319b240ad2bPost:de46e968-1646-4b30-a412-ef930786b07c">Re: Bad Bridesmaid</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Bad Bridesmaid : That part that I bolded is shiatty advice. Also, what is your sister supposed to be involved in with regards to your wedding?
    Posted by zitiqueen[/QUOTE]

    its not bad advice. its her wedding! she should do what she feels fit.
     
    And you don't know the full story behind my sister and I and I am not about to get into it. Its too much history. I would have liked to share my happiness with her since we lost our father. But I think she is so unhappy in her life, she can't share in my happiness. ANd I can't let her bring me down. I invite her to everything, (fittings, shopping for accessories for myself or bridesmaids) and if she comes, great, if not, I am not taking it personally. thats all im saying.
  • I have read over all these posts.  My feelings are:

    a. you are not focusing on the biggest issue here, which is your friend's emotional and physical well-being - and frankly, you sound like a selfish beitch.

    b. your friend very possibly is an alcoholic, which is sad and even more sad, she has been reaching out for support and people have been scoffing at it....and if she is not one, and this guy/his AA group has convienced her she is an alcoholic, then she is *not* an alcoholic but she is in a seriously troubled relationship....which is sad and even more sad, she has been reaching out for support and people have been scoffing at it

    c. your wedding is causing your friend stress due to her own relationship (and her idea of what she wants vs. what you have vs. what she has), and her either real or imagined 'drinking problem' - I refer you back to your open bar

    d. you seem to be very selfish and I too wonder what a "havetoask" bridesmaid is

    e. your friend needs ...a friend. Period.

    Do your friend a favor and make a girl's night out plan to take her out (just you two) someplace without booze, Chuck E Cheese? and have fun and talk
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_moms-maids_bad-bridesmaid?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:357Discussion:fb031166-3c43-43a7-be94-7319b240ad2bPost:b091fa5b-250c-4931-a05b-8985647e36b6">Re: Bad Bridesmaid</a>:
    [QUOTE]Please do not follow Daizy's atrocious advice unless you are prepared to lose your friend for good, because you will. You wouldn't be "asking her to 'step down' from your wedding."  You'd be kicking her out because you don't think she does enough for you.  She will know that. It's a VERY public slight to a friend to be put out of a wedding.  It also says a lot about a bride, too.  All the years she's been friends with someone are meaningless against her pretty princess day. Please don't. You also said you "felt you had to ask her."  Well, then you knew what she was like before your wedding.  Why did you think her personality would change just because you got engaged?
    Posted by RetreadBride[/QUOTE]

    we can agree to disagree. i don't think my advice was "atrocious"
    you are taking it the wrong way. i said to let it be. if her friend shows up, its a win. if not, no big deal. you can't push someone to be a bridesmaid. and she is in a situation where she is worried her friend's bf will make a scene! i am going through that and im worried that my sister's bf is going to show up and  go nuts. but again, we can agree to disagree.
    carry on
  • My advice: ask your friend out for lunch, sans new BF, and get her to talk about her life. Tell her that you're concerned about the changes in her since she started dating this guy, and ask if everything is OK. She sounds like she's in a little over her head with this guy, and he sounds mighty controlling. Red bells are going off in my head about this!


    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_moms-maids_bad-bridesmaid?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:357Discussion:fb031166-3c43-43a7-be94-7319b240ad2bPost:734d7260-4919-4b63-8113-b69fcc9f9a7d">Bad Bridesmaid</a>:
    [QUOTE]I have a friend who was kind of a "hadtoaskher" bridesmaid. Ten months ago when I asked her to be in my wedding she was all enthusiastic and went with me to look at dresses and was helping plan things. Since then she got a new BF who has pretty much isolated her from all her friends. This guy is a MAJOR dbag and no one wants him around. But she seems obsessed with him almost like he is a cult leader and she is his follower! and she has totally blown me and the other maids off for the last 6 months. This new BF is in AA and he somehow convinced her that she also had a drinking problem she didn't and made her join AA with him. Since then she has been harping on me, my fianc, and other friends about drinking. She acts like if you have one glass of wine with dinner you're a raging alcoholic. Her BF actually cornered a friend of ours at a BBQ a couple months ago and lectured her because she had ONE beer. He even tried to lecture MY father at that same BBQ because my father was drinking ONE cocktail. It's really inappropriate and annoying. She is been totally uninvolved and uninterested in wedding stuff and even nonwedding activities that we plan. The things she has been around for she has been late and/or "forgot" to do something she was supposed to do. I have been worried for a while that she would drop out of the wedding but when she finally purchased her dress she was the last of my 5 girls to finally get her dress I felt that she was safe and was still planning on being part of it. Well that past few weeks she has completely ignored my texts and calls and last night we were all supposed to get together and she texted another BM 15mins before we were supposed to meet and said she wasn't coming. I feel like she is angry at me/us but I have no idea why. And I'm also starting to get kind of angry. The wedding is 5 weeks away and I feel like she's going to flake out at the last minute. And on top of that, because she has been acting this way, part of me hopes she drops out or maybe I should ask her to step down. I stressing enough and I can't be worried about her all the time, if she'll show up, if she'll be late, if she'll forget something. I do not feel like I can depend on her at all. And even more, other people in the wedding party feel like they don't even want her and especially her BF around because if the constant comments and "lectures" about drinking. It's a wedding, there is going to be an open bar! I can only imagine the field day the two of them will have. I need advice. Should I ask her to step down? If so, how do I do that?
    Posted by laurenheath1112[/QUOTE]
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_moms-maids_bad-bridesmaid?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:357Discussion:fb031166-3c43-43a7-be94-7319b240ad2bPost:eca11e0c-6a58-4d50-a80c-02a73134fca4">Re: Bad Bridesmaid</a>:
    [QUOTE]No, Daizy, we can't agree to disagree on treating people badly, and being cruel to friends.
    Posted by RetreadBride[/QUOTE]

    How am I being cruel? i don't think she should kick her out of the wedding party. her main concern is  but if her friend's bf has made people feel uncomfortable, something should be said. im sorry you feel that way
  • Daizy106Daizy106 member
    5 Love Its First Comment
    edited April 2013
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_moms-maids_bad-bridesmaid?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:357Discussion:fb031166-3c43-43a7-be94-7319b240ad2bPost:c6292559-ed64-48e6-a2cf-c24045e414b4">Re: Bad Bridesmaid</a>:
    [QUOTE]"I"m sorry you feel" is not an apology.  It's an insult to my intelligence.
    Posted by RetreadBride[/QUOTE]

    well i am not apologizing. i don't feel i have to apologize for the advice i gave.
    you are obviously looking for an argument and i'm not going to argue with someone over something petty. you feel one way, i feel another. the mature thing to do is to agree to disagree. thats what we are doing here. you feel like i insulted your intelligence? well, i don't like be called "cruel" by someone who doesn't know me. at all.
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