The wedding day is typically one of the most important days in the happy couple’s life; but it might not be equally significant to their guests, which some soon-to-be-wed seem to forget.
This redditor was invited to be a bridesmaid at her friend “Laura’s” wedding, which she gladly accepted. But little did she know that that would entail a somewhat out-of-touch list of requirements the bride expected the guests to follow.
Some soon-to-be-wed have high expectations not only for their celebration, but for their guests, too
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This redditor’s friend expected her bridesmaids and guests to follow a mind-boggling list of requirements
Image credits: Jonathan Borba (not the actual photo)
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Agreeing to be a part of the wedding party typically entails both fun and responsibility
Being invited to a wedding that you want to be a part of is an exciting thing; even more so when you’re asked to be a part of the wedding party. But in addition to the fun such a position brings, there’s also certain responsibilities that have to be taken care of.
According to the etiquette expert Amber Harrison, some of the main bridesmaid responsibilities include lending a helping hand with tasks before and during the wedding day, planning and paying for such events as the bridal shower and the bachelorette party, as well as attending any other related functions, such as the rehearsal dinner or the post-wedding brunch, for instance, if there is one.
“Being a member of the wedding party is quite an honor and can be lots of fun. It can also induce a bit of stress—the showers, the parties, the presents, the dress,” Harrison told the Huffington Post.
The main reasons causing the stress are likely not only the planning-related responsibilities, but financial matters, too. According to the expert, bridesmaids are expected to bring gifts on several occasions, pay for their dresses and shoes, as well as for numerous activities that take place before the big day. Even though customary, covering such expenses adds up and can result in quite a substantial amount.
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Attending a wedding can become quite a costly affair
The financial issues related to attending a wedding put a strain on more than one’s wallet; Bankrate found that it can also affect the friendship between the soon-to-be-wed and their guest.
According to their study on navigating wedding-related expenses as an invitee, nearly one fifth of respondents have declined an RSVP because they couldn’t afford it. To make matters worse, roughly one third of those who did said the decision had a negative effect—be it slight or great—on their relationship with the happy couple.
Bankrate found that travel plans and bridal parties are among the things that hurt the wallet the most. (Yet even after covering such expenses, guests reportedly put aside some money for gifts, too; even if a bit less than they would without said parties.) But in regards to the latter, the respondents seemed to have different limits on how much they are willing to spend.
The majority of those surveyed—28%, to be exact—said they wouldn’t want to exceed the price range of $500 to $999 dollars, while the second largest group (27%) wanted to keep it under $250 dollars. Roughly 4% of the respondents said they were willing to pay more than $5,000 dollars to make their loved one’s bridal party a night to remember.
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Paying a fortune to attend the wedding is only one of the things that tends to annoy the invitees
According to the wedding planning brand Hitched, spending a fortune on attending the wedding is one of the things guests hate the most. Of course, few people like spending a fortune on anything, but—while expecting to spend some money—people typically want to fit within a reasonable budget.
Other things that annoy wedding guests include being hungry or forgotten about, waiting around for what feels like forever, as well as speeches that feel like they’re taking forever, inconvenient locations, and certain seating arrangements, among other things.
They also seem to dislike lack of organization or information, which was in no way the case with the OP’s friend “Laura”. Not only did she have bindings ready for her bridesmaids with all the necessary information (which became another thing the bridal party had to pay for), she also provided a detailed list of expectations regarding the guests’ appearance, and a 14-page agreement, all of which eventually led to the OP opting out of attending the wedding.
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Fellow redditors shared their thoughts in the comments
