Moms and Maids

Don't want to be BM, just want to help

My friend is engaged and we have been talking non-stop about wedding plans. She has no date yet because her d-bag FI refuses to talk to her about the wedding at all. She has major relationship issues they she refuses to deal with, but that's another story for another time. She also has OCD and anxiety issues which makes it impossible for her to make decisions. I try to help her with things but its like nothing I say matters because she is incapable of settling on an Answer for anything. Lately she has become rather Zilla-ish because of it. She gets all worked up over things that do not matter (such as what color her mom will be wearing) and when I tell her that's not something she should be concerned with, she freaks out even more and does days of research on MOB dresses. She invited me to go dress shopping with her (she has ONE dress imagined in her mind and gets upset when nothing matches her exact description). I agreed to go but I am starting to worry she will ask me to be a BM someday. Obviously, with no wedding date, she hasn't picked a WP yet and it may be a while till she does. But I really do not want to be THAT involved in her wedding. I do not mind helping her or just having wedding chat, but I know how she is and can see her becoming a Zilla very quickly. Should I stop helping her so I do not seem like I want to be a BM? I feel like I am leading her on to believe that I want to be in her wedding.... Whenever that may be.

Re: Don't want to be BM, just want to help

  • If she asks you to be a bm, you could say, "Friend, I'm so honored that you've asked me to be in your wedding party. Unfortunately, I don't have enough time (money, energy, whatever) to devote to your wedding. Please let me know if you need help with ____________." Be specific about your offer, rather than making an open ended offer. 

    Good luck with the dress shopping. 
                       
  • Even without her bride-zilla behavior you shouldn't be a BM in a wedding where you don't actually support the marriage and it's pretty clear from your post that you don't support this marriage. If she asks just say that you don't think you have the time, money, or whatever and leave it at that.


  • r&c14r&c14 member
    First Anniversary First Comment Name Dropper 5 Love Its
    I suffer from OCD and anxiety badly and I can seem to focus intently on one detail for a while, but in the end it all works out and I realize it won't be perfect. A lot that goes with OCD is stress and if her FI is as bad as you say he is, she's probably super stressed and focusing on the wedding hoping that it will fix her relationship. Maybe ask her to go to dinner with you so she can have a night free from wedding planning and just talk about life in general. She might open up about what might be bothering her and it will help to vent and then you guys can have some quality friendship time sans wedding talk. I'm so glad my FI is very supportive of my issues and me getting help. I hope this works out for both of you.

    If she does ask, and you don't feel like you can handle it, just kindly decline like other PPs have said. You don't have to say yes!
    Wedding Countdown Ticker

  • I am glad to get input from someone with OCD. She talks about her wedding non stop, and even talked about it for years before she was engaged. I try to get together with her often but because of her issues she sticks with her tight routine life and makes very little time to "fly by the seat of her pants." When we talk now, I try to change the subject because I get so sick of hearing about wedding stuff, and within minutes it's right back to her worrying about proper timing between the ceremony and reception, or what color her mom should wear, or any other stupid thing that doesn't matter because she has no idea when she's getting married. I try to listen to her go one and on but she is going to drive herself, and others, insane. I was just wondering if I should just step out of helping all together but I think I will just do like you all said and deal with the BM question when it happens.
  • I've told her that many times and she still dwells on it. We went shopping today and she went on a tirade because her mom had put money down on a dress that my friend "didn't approve of." I told her over and over that it doesn't matter if she approves or not but she kept at it. Her concern? BM dresses will be red, and mom picked a blue dress. Bride assumes the whole world will see it as a "red white and blue wedding." *facepalm*
  • I've told her that many times and she still dwells on it. We went shopping today and she went on a tirade because her mom had put money down on a dress that my friend "didn't approve of." I told her over and over that it doesn't matter if she approves or not but she kept at it. Her concern? BM dresses will be red, and mom picked a blue dress. Bride assumes the whole world will see it as a "red white and blue wedding." *facepalm*
    Her mom picked out a dress when the wedding date hasn't been set? And the bride is looking for a wedding dress and bm dresses? This is all very strange. Maybe they will scare the groom off and there'll be no wedding to plan.

    It seems like you're tired of listening about your friend's possible wedding. You should tell her the truth - that she talks so much about it that you've lost interest. This happens often with overbearing brides. 
                       
  • That's exactly it. She is making a huge deal about stuff that is totally moot. She talks for days about wedding things that are irrelevant since she has no date. I try to change the subject but it always goes back to wedding.
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