IT’S no secret that weddings can cost a pretty penny, but one bride might’ve taken things too far with her attempt to claw back some cash.
This comes after a weddings guest revealed she was sent a heft invoice on her invitation from a friend she hadn’t spoken to in years.
Taking to Reddit, the guest explained that she no longer speaks to the bride-to-be since she first got engaged and “cut off all her single friends.”
But the two years of radio silence ended when the woman received an email from a wedding coordinator with an invite and an invoice.
“At the bottom of the invite was a bill for $400 [£314] to pay for the venue plus $150 [£118] for the meal.
“I know this varies around the world but where I am the bride and groom or maybe their family pays for the venue and food.
“Not random people you don’t talk to,” the woman slammed.
But things went from bad to worse when the woman realised she could see who else the email was sent to, and there was only 20 altogether, which raised some suspicions.
“I guess she’s pretty much only inviting me to help pay a cost,” the woman mused.
“I would never have the balls to do that to someone especially after telling them we can’t be friends cause you’re engaged and can’t have single friends,” she continued.
After declining the invitation the woman spoke to a mutual friend who was also invited to the wedding, only to find out her suspicions of only being invited to help cover costs were likely correct.
In fact, the woman claimed she wasn’t on the original guest list but was rather a backup plan if other people couldn’t attened.
“She REALLY needed people to come to this wedding cause the venue gives her a discount if the quantity of people reaches a certain amount.
“Everyone in the wedding party is not paying. So I was like a last resort type thing, basically,” she explained.
After sharing the story on social media people were stunned that the bride would ask for money, especailly after not speaking to the woman in years.
“Reply all that you haven’t spoken to her in years and don’t feel like being used in a cash grab,” one person commented on the the post.
A second agreed: “This is such a bizarre and scummy thing to do.
“You cut off contact with someone and only contact them after two years of no contact just so you can squeeze $550 dollars out of them?
“Seriously? Does she think money grows on trees or something?”
And another wrote: “Decline the invite but send a nice gift, a book on etiquette.”
“Oh I’d send her a card with monopoly money in,” someone else joked.
By Josie Griffiths, Fabulous deputy digital editor and bride-to-be
As someone who lives in an already cluttered 38 square metre one-bed flat, gifts aren’t exactly at the top of the list for our wedding day in August.
All we want is money towards our honeymoon – and we’re already expecting backlash from the older generations, but what can you do?
I would love an air fryer or coffee machine for the kitchen, but we simply don’t have the space.
I think there’s a few keys when asking for cash to stop it looking tacky – which this bride has very much got wrong.
One – the money is for our honeymoon, not to cover the cost of the wedding, we are absolutely paying for that ourselves.
Two – like any gift, it’s totally optional, and people can decide what they’re comfortable spending themselves. When I went to a wedding abroad in my mid-20s, I didn’t contribute to their honeymoon fund and I still feel happy with my decision, the trip to Spain already cost me and my partner a lot.
Under no circumstances should you ever invoice people for a specific amount. Your guests are just that, they shouldn’t have to pay to “cover” the food, decorations and entertainment you’ve chosen – that’s on you.
Three – make it look and feel like a registry – there are some great websites where guests can donate cash for cocktails, room upgrades and experiences abroad, which feel a lot more personal than a bank account number and sort code. People like to know where their money’s going and then you can send proper thank yous with pics of you enjoying whatever they’ve paid towards.
As for how to ask, some people do poems but personally I hate them, they sound childish and you wouldn’t knock one up to ask your mate to transfer you £100 towards your trip away, so it sounds odd here.
Something like this, on your formal invite or wedding website, would be perfect: The most important thing to us is that you are able to celebrate with us on our wedding day. However, if you wish to give a gift, we will gratefully accept a small contribution towards our honeymoon.
Good luck!
