Bride fires back at bridesmaid complaining about bachelorette party costs, sparking debate on social media
A bride on Reddit sought advice after she said a bridesmaid continued to complain about the cost of an upcoming bachelorette party trip. An etiquette expert weighed in.
A woman who said she's getting married in December took to Reddit to ask if she was in the wrong for feeling frustrated with one of her bridesmaids and her complaints.
In the "r/Wedding" subreddit, the user said her bridesmaid had been complaining about her upcoming bachelorette trip for weeks.
"She does have to travel, but I picked a location that is drivable for most girls," the Reddit user wrote. "With travel costs and her portion of the Airbnb costs together, her total cost was about $300."
WEDDING GUESTS CAN LEAVE EARLY ON ONE CONDITION, ACCORDING TO AN ETIQUETTE EXPERT
The bride continued, "She’s been complaining to me recently about how she has no money because of my bachelorette [party] and that we need to do my bachelorette weekend on a budget because she doesn’t want to spend a lot."
The bride pointed out that when the roles were reversed, she paid $700 for a flight and $300 for a hotel for the same bridesmaid's bachelorette party destination.
BRIDE WALKS HERSELF DOWN WEDDING AISLE AFTER MOM RUNS LATE TO CEREMONY: ‘INVITATION SAID 2PM’
She said, "I understand not everyone’s financial situation is the same, but I’m just frustrated that I spent over $1,000 on her bachelorette and now my $300 bachelorette is an issue."
After the woman asked, "Am I wrong to feel this way?" Reddit users responded in the comments section.
Many users said they understood the bride's standpoint, with one saying, "Your feelings are valid. You’re the bride, so you should be able to choose the location of your bachelorette party."
BRIDE CALLS OFF ENGAGEMENT, ATTENDS WEDDING DAYS LATER WITH HER FRIENDS AND FAMILY
Another user agreed and wrote, "Your friend needs to temper their expectations, given how much you spent to support them on their day!"
One Redditor went against the others and said, "You shouldn’t do something for someone with the expectation that they do it back for you."
This user added, "Resentfully saying ‘yes’ only so that you can feel owed a ‘yes’ in return in the future is some really toxic relationship attitude."
Another Reddit user agreed and said, "Regardless of how much you spent on hers, you don’t know your friend’s financial situation. If this is truly a hardship for her, it’s wrong of you to expect her to spend money she doesn’t have. Talk to her as a friend, not a bride."
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews/lifestyle
California-based etiquette expert Rosalinda Randall told Fox News Digital that the bride is not wrong to feel frustrated or a little insulted.
"Asking a bride to consider other options to fit into a bridesmaid’s budget is pushing the friendship boundaries," she said. "If $300 is not within your means, be honest and say so."
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
However, Randall also said it’s not a good idea for the bride to compare the two bachelorette party trips.
"Making comparisons or keeping track of who spent how much is never good for a relationship," Randall said.
She added, "Throwing it in her face now will only make the bridesmaid feel small and possibly make you, the bride, look like you’re expecting payback."
Randall recommended the bride tell the bridesmaid that she will be missed if she decides not to come on the trip, and that the two of them can plan something local together to celebrate her upcoming nuptials.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Reddit user for comment.