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Wedding Etiquette Forum

Bridesmaid Issue Resurfaces AGAIN...

Sorry ladies to bring this back again, but I keep thinking this issue has died and it seems that some drama has zombie tendencies...

Quick history... Bridesmaid got pissed and threw a tantrum when she asked me if I'd be comfortable with her bringing her married (not separated, nor divorced, nor in an open marriage... fully married with a poor unfortunate clueless wife) "boyfriend" to my wedding and I answered honestly that as he was still married I would prefer for him not to be there.  She sent some hurtful e-mails calling me judgmental etc... and in the end it came down to that I wanted her to be in the wedding, but I wasn't saying it was okay to bring the guy and the ball was in her court if she wanted to come or not.  I waited and no response...  So I called and she wouldn't answer.  Finally I sent her a message saying that I'd like her to be there, but I needed to make the final plans and if she didn't get back to me by a certain date I'd assume that she didn't want to be in the wedding.  It seemed a fair assupmtion that if she won't talk to me that she wouldn't want to come.

This girl had been like a sister and I had to explain to my mom what was going on.  My mom told my aunt and just the other day told my grandma so that I wouldn't have to answer questions on my wedding about why the bridesmaid wasn't there.

I also had to explain to my sister and my one other bridesmaid after the bridesmaid with the married boyfriend bailed on my bachelorette by sending them a text message stating "I think its best if I don't come" when they were trying to figure out where she was.

Okay, I tried, I sent nice messages, I begged, I cried, and then I reached the acceptance point and moved forward.  I had to send the introduction list to my DJ, my sister-in-law has made and printed the programs, I've sent my seating chart in and made the bridesmaid hair appointments.

Now 10 Days before my wedding I get a message that says "I have been thinking a lot lately and I would like to be a part of your wedding.  I decided that it wasn't fair to be upset that you weren't considering my feelings if I wasn't considering yours...  I am still very emotional about it and I would just ask that its not brought up at your wedding because I honestly can't handle it"

I didn't feel happy reading this message like I expected I would, I honestly felt pissed...  Maybe that makes me a bad person, maybe it makes me just human.  She said nasty things to me, bailed on my bachelorette, and dropped out of my wedding causing my stress level to go through the roof and making me cry that someone I considered to be a good friend would do that and now just based on that text message I'm supposed to pretend nothing happened and have her as part of my wedding party?  Oh, and also make sure nobody mentions that she dropped out before and the reason why.

So what do I do from here?  Do I say "sure all is forgotten" and go try and remake her hair appointment, hope the programs haven't been printed, update the introduction list and try to add someone else to the seating chart and final payment?  Do I say "you can attend as a guest, but XYZ has already been done so you can't be a bridesmaid"?  I think it's considered bad manners to kick a bridesmaid out, but I wasn't sure.  Option 3 is to say I'm still really hurt and emtional myself and I don't want you there, but that would equal the complete death of the friendship and I don't think I want to do that.

Advice would be greatly appreciated.  Everything was coming together nicely.  I was hurt, but I moved forward and it wasn't going to spoil FI and my day.  Now I feel like a bomb has been dropped and my stress level is way up because I may have to redo everything and deal with a bridesmaid who I don't exactly feel comfortable with right now.

Re: Bridesmaid Issue Resurfaces AGAIN...

  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_bridesmaid-issue-resurfaces-again?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:597cf2f6-fa73-4e27-b8c8-aa8058bc06ebPost:cabafc60-caae-4ccc-82b6-fb18f7306fa7">Re: Bridesmaid Issue Resurfaces AGAIN...</a>:
    [QUOTE]I"d probably invite her as a guest.  You didn't fire her as a bridesmaid, she dropped out.  
    Posted by mica178[/QUOTE]

    This.
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  • cherbein wrote: "Now 10 Days before my wedding I get a message that says I have been thinking a lot lately and I would like to be a part of your wedding.  I decided that it wasn't fair to be upset that you weren't considering my feelings if I wasn't considering yours...  I am still very emotional about it and I would just ask that its not brought up at your wedding because I honestly can't handle it"
    **********************************************************************************************
    When you are getting ready, putting on your dress, having your makeup done, taking your pictures, etc. you should be all smiles.  Your WP's focus should be on nothing else but being a positive support system for YOU.  You should not be burdened with monitoring the comments of other WP members or wedding guests as she would have you do.  And they shouldn't have to be worried about hurting her feelings. 
    It's YOUR day.

    So if her being a BM is conditional on you protecting her emotions and blocking any mention of the issue then I would tell her that you would love for her to still be a BM but you are concerned that IF she is really "emotional" and as her friend you cannot lie to her and guarantee that the issue won't be brought up by someone else or that she might not get strange looks, and since you need all of your WP to be undistracted, that you think IF this is the case then it might be in her best interest to be a guest at this point if she is really sensitive.

    Put the ball in her court in terms of reassuring you that she can handle being a BM without being coddled and that she can put your needs before her own on that day.  This way you are not kicking her out since I know you want to preserve the friendship.  And
    if she reassures you that you don't have to worry about her emotions or whatever then you can reserve the right to bring her back in the fold.


  • I think I'd probably let her be a BM again.  If she's not in the program, oh well.  I doubt anyone will notice or care anyway.  

    Even if she removed herself, this relationship is on the rocks.  If you are committed to working on it and saving it, inviting her as a guest isn't going to help.

    Although I would respond about how things hurt your feelings and you think she owes you an apology for saying this or that.  
  • I feel like it's a lose-lose situation and I'm just pissed off at her for causing this drama AGAIN.  It's even worse that it's 10 days out from the wedding and I have to finalize things.  I don't have time to play phone or e-mail tag and try to work things out.  I'm afraid I'll jump through hoops to add her in and then she'll quit again.  She said she was fine before and then she quit and now she wants back in...  Make's me think of that Katy Perry song...

    I absolutely can't guarantee that noone will say anything to her, or ask questions or give her funny looks.  There are people there who know why she quit and said people aren't very happy with her because they don't approve of her dating a married man and they really don't approve of her dragging her affair and it's drama into my wedding and making me cry.  If I say its okay to come, how do I politely tell her that people know why she quit and that I will not be running interference?

    If I tell her to "shove it" I'll feel guilty for trashing a decade plus friendship.  If I tell her she can come as a bridesmaid, it'll be awkward the whole time I'm getting ready when I should be having fun with my WP because nothing has been resolved.  She really hurt me and while I'd liked to say I can be a bigger person and rise above, I'm human and I don't feel that same level of comfort with her after she ignored me and quit.  Inviting her just as a guest makes some things easier since I just have to update the seating chart and final head count, but will that damage the friendship?

  • If she has the dress, let her be a BM.  If not, she's a guest.  I wouldn't reprint the programs over this, but adding her to the intros would seem to be a much easier edit. 

    BUT. 

    It really sounds like you need some FRIENDS time.  Can you find a time between now and then to go to lunch/dinner/drinks with her and just be friends, without all the BM/wedding crap?  It might make you feel better about things, and afterall - it's about having your FRIEND be part of your wedding, not your WEDDING be part of your friendship, right? 
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  • Squirrly,

    She works crazy hours and is next to impossible to get ahold of most of the time.  It's hard making time for friends when you're busy trying to find time to meet up with your married boyfriend who is sneaking around on his wife (sorry, a bit of the bitterness talking there, but not really inaccurate...).

    I fully agree that it would be best to try to fix the friendship first, but how do I do that in under 10 days with a girl who doesn't want to talk about what's wrong?  She just wants to show up, not mention it, and pretend all is fine...
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_bridesmaid-issue-resurfaces-again?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:597cf2f6-fa73-4e27-b8c8-aa8058bc06ebPost:324fb09a-42b4-4594-b08e-d794a3736369">Re: Bridesmaid Issue Resurfaces AGAIN...</a>:
    [QUOTE]Well, for what it's worth.... "<strong>Friend, I think we have a lot to work out between us. I've given the final count to the caterer, and the wedding plans are all set. I'd love to get together with you after the wedding."</strong> The most I'd do is invite her as a guest after this.....but frankly, I wouldn't trust her not to sneak in with the creep. I definitely wouldn't have her as a bridesmaid after all that's been said and done. She dropped out - it's HER fault, not yours.
    Posted by RetreadBride[/QUOTE]

    I love the wording on this. She can't blame you that everything is finalized 10 days before the wedding. It wasn't fair of her to leave you hanging for so long. I don't care if you have a decade's worth of being friends, but with her acting like that - SHE didn't act like a good friend.
    Anniversary An engaged woman is always more agreeable than a disengaged. She is satisfied with herself. Her cares are over, and she feels that she may exert all her powers of pleasing without suspicion. All is safe with a lady engaged; no harm can be done. ~Jane Austen BabyFruit Ticker
  • I agree with what Squirrly said. I think your friend is being childish by thinking a text message is appropriate. I saw your post that she's really busy, but I would probably send a text back saying something like "I appreciate your apology, but I think we need to talk about this more. Will you please give me a call later today?"

    If she calls, you talk, and you're happy with the outcome, then let her be a BM. The programs don't matter, adding her to introductions is easy, and she can get her hair done anywhere. If she can't man up and call, or if the conversation leads to you feel like you really don't want her there, then end the friendship.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_bridesmaid-issue-resurfaces-again?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:597cf2f6-fa73-4e27-b8c8-aa8058bc06ebPost:324fb09a-42b4-4594-b08e-d794a3736369">Re: Bridesmaid Issue Resurfaces AGAIN...</a>:
    [QUOTE]Well, for what it's worth.... "Friend, I think we have a lot to work out between us. I've given the final count to the caterer, and the wedding plans are all set. I'd love to get together with you after the wedding." The most I'd do is invite her as a guest after this.....but frankly, I wouldn't trust her not to sneak in with the creep. I definitely wouldn't have her as a bridesmaid after all that's been said and done. She dropped out - it's HER fault, not yours.
    Posted by RetreadBride[/QUOTE]

    This and Banana's as well

    What if married lover is able to get away from his W on the day/evening of your wedding?  You <em>know</em> who she'll pick.  If she's a guest and doesn't show - too bad, her loss.  But if she's a bridesmaid again - then you have stress on your wedding day.  Who needs that?
  • Ooo good point Marrin!

    And since she texted you with her "apology" (in which she did not once say that she was sorry, just that both of you were in the wrong) I don't see anything wrong with emailing her that you appreciate her message but that - either what retread said or - the wedding party is set but you'd appreciate her presence as a guest.  Don't say anything about whether or not people are going to bring it up to her, chances are no one's going to care about what's going on in her life on your wedding day anyway. And then let her show up as she will or won't, and you don't have to worry about it either way.
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  • "Well, for what it's worth.... "Friend, I think we have a lot to work out between us. I've given the final count to the caterer, and the wedding plans are all set. I'd love to get together with you after the wedding." The most I'd do is invite her as a guest after this.....but frankly, I wouldn't trust her not to sneak in with the creep. I definitely wouldn't have her as a bridesmaid after all that's been said and done. She dropped out - it's HER fault, not yours."
    Posted by RetreadBride

    Gotta go with Retread Bride, Marrin and LoveMuffins.  This chick has put you through the wringer.  You have been worried, stressed, sought advice, etc.  And she did not even really apologize or seek YOU out for some one-on-one time.  I think it's time to go with that old saying "If you have something, let it go, if it comes back to you, it is yours.  If it doesn't it never was."  If the friendship is over it will not be your fault.  Do not feel guilty.  Every friend we make does not end up being a lifetime friend.  Invite her as a guest and enjoy this week and your big day.  Every day that you focus on this is a day too many.  Don't give her the power to be the center of your universe when your FI, other family and friends should have that honor.
  • I'm with retreat on this one. I really wouldnt change everything at the last minute it doesnt sound like it's worth it.
  • Alright... So I tried to call and not surprisingly she didn't answer.  She very well may be at work, but I couldn't leave a message because her inbox is full.  Below is what I e-mailed her and will see if she actually calls me tonight.  She's honestly ignored me for pretty much three weeks up until her text yesterday, so I'm not holding my breathe on this one. 

    I got you message yesterday about the wedding. As I mentioned in my prior message, I needed to know what you wanted to do by last Tuesday, so that I could finish the planning and send out the information to finalize things.  At this point, those plans are set, so I can’t really add you back in as a bridesmaid.  If you would still like to be at the wedding, I can still include you on the guest list, but I have to know by tomorrow because my final head count and final payment are due for the reception. Please give me a call so that we can talk. A lot has happened and I do not want the first time that we talk to each other again to be at the wedding itself.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_bridesmaid-issue-resurfaces-again?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:597cf2f6-fa73-4e27-b8c8-aa8058bc06ebPost:df45db28-78d0-46f4-8ce0-90a8c1135d38">Re: Bridesmaid Issue Resurfaces AGAIN...</a>:
    [QUOTE]If it were me, I would invite her as a guest, but not as a bridesmaid. She made the choice not to contact you when you reached out, so it was her choice not to be in the wedding. You gave her a date, and it's in the past. Tell her you still value her as a friend and would love for her to be there, but arrangements have been made and it's too late to change them now. Good luck! 
    Posted by SEWF[/QUOTE]

    Exactly this.
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  • Believe it or not she actually called when she saw the missed call.  A rather painful and somewhat explosive conversation then occurred.  A lot of pent up feelings were released on both sides, but eventually we returned to the realm of the rational and some things got worked out.

    She's going to be a bridesmaid and I'm just praying that I'm not making a mistake.  She seemed sincere and it's better to express things directly to eachother as opposed to a text message or e-mail.

    All good luck wishes and prayers that this doesn't blow up in my face are appreciated!
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