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if it was me, i'd just give her time and space to get over it and get on with things....not buy into the drama causing by her anger at you...etc...which is easier said than done...but I think a lot of it is bride-related anyhow unless she has behaved like this in the past

She will get over it! A few of my family and friends couldn't make it to my wedding and accepted the invite then for a month before just didn't answer calls, emails nothing, its been some time and im over it. I Dont hoped it against my best friend who lies in another state and couldn't afford to come.. still sad but I still love her. The number one thing to remember is a bride is like a pressure cooker there is an ungodly amount of stress in planning a wedding, so your job is to keep your friendship whether you go or not, let her be angry let her vent and just apologize because a soft answer turneth away wrath.. meaning if you Dont respond to her anger with anger just be humble no matter what, eventually she will see your view. For that you might have to swallow your pride when she talks to you but it will only be temporary, many people refuse to dohat and end up saying things they regret. Be patient you are doing your best but right now she is too stressed to think rationally. I'm sure she still loves you,p.s. get a second opinion on yourcar and find a mechanic who works on the side,i have kept my cars on the road for years this way where if I took them to an actual shop I would have no car because of the price and extra things they say are wrong which aren't! ( That is a real common thing for auto shops)Good luck

People who have Money, NEVER understand when someone doesn't have it!

I commend you for not going into extra debt to go to a SECOND wedding. We, as Americans spend way more than we should for the most part, this causes stress, bankrupcy, etc. You can only do what you can do. Don't lose sleep over it.

I don't really buy into the whole concept that, just because you're a bride, you have some excuse in treating people however you want because of your stress levels. Not all brides act like a lunatic while they're wedding planning, and I've always thought the whole bridezilla concept to be a little silly. I teach for a living, and there's an awful lot of stress and hours that goes into planning and managing a classroom every day. I don't think people should excuse my behavior, however, if I am a jerk to them because of that stress. If I lash out while I am stressed, that is a problem with me, and I have done something wrong and should apologize. It may be the reason I lashed out, but excuses are excuses. The same is for any other person who is experiencing stress.

So, with that, your friend was not being very kind to you in this aspect. It's very selfish to ask anyone to go without or have serious monetary consequences because of a party celebrating themselves. It's even more selfish to then lash out at the other person and tell them that they are a jealous liar. As others have said, I would give her the time now to perhaps put all of this in perspective, which may currently be skewed by the absolutely ridiculous wedding culture we have acquired. I would not, however, be kissing her a** to apologize at this point. You've already tried to do so much to be able to go to this wedding (not taking classes, not moving), and it is obvious that you are a good friend. She is the one not being a very good friend right now.

Leave it be - if she's that "close" to you to be asking you to her wedding, she is close enough to understand your financial situation. SO one more meal is counted to the caterer. Big deal - that's part of it. A bride makes her own stress and as the poster above aptly points out, there are TONS of actual jobs out there with way more stress and you don't treat folks like crap.

You have gone through way more to try to make it work out financially for you than most anyone else would do. Either she values your friendship or not. And now it's also your turn to think about how much - not how long - she has been your friend and how this behavior stacks up. Obviously it's something that is bothering you. rightly so.

I second this. Especially people with money never understanding when someone doesn't.

I am not sure what to make of this situation but for the most part I think what brides ask bridesmaids to do for their wedding is ridiculous.

My sister paid for her bridesmaids dresses and she tried to pick a destination that could be both a vacation for her guests but still price conscious. I think more brides should do this, asking someone to go to some remote place or a place that is overly expensive is just plain selfish.

But on another note, your friend may think that you are judging her for having a second wedding. I use to work at a department store and register couples and brides who are getting married a second time are very self-conscious about their second weddings and feel like people are judging them for spending money on a second wedding. Perhaps when the dust has settled you could ease her mind on that front?

^^^this.

Also, does any one else see the irony that the bride is pissed because she "gave her counts to the caterer"? So let me get ths straight, it's okay for her to be mad that she's out a couple hundred dollars for dinner, but she doesn't feel bad about asking you to spend potentially more that $1000 for gas, car rental, hotel room, dress, gift, etc.?

Give her some Time. When she gets over her wedding narcissism she'll be back if she really is a good friend, if not then I guess your friendship isn't as strong as you thought it was.

It's a second wedding! Whoop dee doo!

She has now invited you into her drama, an invitation you are not obligated to accept!

So the caterer has a count that is one off. Seriously! What if someone who was going to attend gets up that morning and is sick as all get out with the back door trots, and to ill to call and cancel?

Granted I'm probably old enough to be the brides mother, but really!

A first wedding is one thing, I get the bridezilla thing, but a second, not so much.

If you can't afford it, you can't afford it. Life happens. Maybe she will come around later, maybe she won't. If she does and apologizes, carry on, if she doesn't you probably should move on.

People come and go in our lives for different reasons, and we would be wise to accept the lessons learned.

Well that's wildly unfair to say that people with money NEVER understand. I've had money for things when my friend couldn't afford something and I've "understood" and then there were times when I couldn't afford something and my friends have "understood."

A person should be allowed to be married, just because a person is getting married for a second time doesn't mean that they shouldn't celebrate that day, and it doesn't mean that they shouldn't include anyone.

That said, I don't think your friend is being very fair to you. I lost my best friend since elementary school because I couldn't afford her wedding. I did go, but I lived in an entirely different state and was really worried the whole time that I coudln't afford the dress, shoes, gift, travel time, etc. It ended up costing me a lot. Finally on the day of the wedding she demoted me from Maid of Honor because she said I wasn't "there for her" (I was working in a different state!!) and after the wedding her new husband called to tell me that she never wanted to speak to me ever again because my dress was wrinkled and I ruined all her wedding photos. That was harsh, I'll never understand why she was so angry with me, I couldn't make the money grow out of my butt but I was THERE! and I was on the phone with her on a daily basis talking about HER HER HER for months! Now I don't miss her at all, it's been 16yrs since her wedding.

I would suggest talking to your friend calmly about your concerns, and try not to worry about what you can't do. If she loves you she'll understand. But chances are she's not thinking about you at all. It's horrible that she said she already gave a count to the caterer. In that case, just send her a gift and be done with her.

Well that's wildly unfair to say that people with money NEVER understand. I've had money for things when my friend couldn't afford something and I've "understood" and then there were times when I couldn't afford something and my friends have "understood."

A person should be allowed to be married, just because a person is getting married for a second time doesn't mean that they shouldn't celebrate that day, and it doesn't mean that they shouldn't include anyone.

That said, I don't think your friend is being very fair to you. I lost my best friend since elementary school because I couldn't afford her wedding. I did go, but I lived in an entirely different state and was really worried the whole time that I coudln't afford the dress, shoes, gift, travel time, etc. It ended up costing me a lot. Finally on the day of the wedding she demoted me from Maid of Honor because she said I wasn't "there for her" (I was working in a different state!!) and after the wedding her new husband called to tell me that she never wanted to speak to me ever again because my dress was wrinkled and I ruined all her wedding photos. That was harsh, I'll never understand why she was so angry with me, I couldn't make the money grow out of my butt but I was THERE! and I was on the phone with her on a daily basis talking about HER HER HER for months! Now I don't miss her at all, it's been 16yrs since her wedding.

I would suggest talking to your friend calmly about your concerns, and try not to worry about what you can't do. If she loves you she'll understand. But chances are she's not thinking about you at all. It's horrible that she said she already gave a count to the caterer. In that case, just send her a gift and be done with her.

It boggles me why brides have weddings in places so far away from everyone and then expect everyone to just pay for everything to get there. It's pretty rude imo.

If you're going to have a wedding at a far away location, make it extremely small and offer to pay for each guests expenses. If you can't do that, don't have it so far away!

There's probably nothing else you can do at this point. I can understand why she may be upset since you're backing out and didn't say no at the beginning. She seems to be over blowing that though. All you can do is apologize and hope that eventually she understands....

^This. Exactly. Wow, great response!

And I also second being against the concept of being excused of treating people like crap because you are "stressed". Being stressed is a REASON, not an excuse, and it's up to that person to grow up, be a good human, and apologize for being an a**hole due to their stress levels.

Hey Katzepatra-

I am sorry that you are going through all of this, clearly your heart is in the right place. Some people aren't that understanding, and that is upsetting. I couldn't make a family's wedding which was abroad because I was not medically healthy at the time and I felt guilty but I knew about the wedding after the fact. What I'm saying is that things come up and this is not a perfect, idyllic world that we live in. It is a shame that people can't be more understanding. I have been to a wedding where it was a a real pain in the neck to get to, I am glad that I could make it but I almost didn't because of the location.

You seem like a great, caring person. Don't let her get you all upset, it's not worth it. I hope you both can remain friends, time and circumstances will show true colors.

Take care!!!