Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Invite Etiquette

I know a wedding is a joyous occassion, I get it. You're getting MARRIED! Very fun for you.

However, if I haven't seen you in six years and you didn't express an interest in rekindling our friendship until after you got a ring on your finger, I do not need a "Save the Date" for your bachelorette party.

Nor do I need an invite to your wedding shower. Wedding showers are about as boring as watching an interview with Paris Hilton. Wait, did I say boring? I meant stupid.

According to proper etiquette (no, I am not citing sources, I'm too lazy), inviting me to your wedding is a bit of a stretch. Do you want another present? Have you heard I am entertaining at weddings? (let's be honest, I'm entertaining at most social functions, unless a cute boy is hitting on me. Then I am generally afraid and uncomfortable and don't quite know what to do with myself.) Do you really want me to "win" the bouquet toss so perhaps I can be the next person to get caught up in the commercialization of marriage? (PS - see, you obviously don't really know me anymore, or else you'd know I boycott bouquet tosses. Or I stand out there pretending I'm going to give it my all and then let the bouquet fall to the ground. I don't want your dead flowers.)

The worst thing about this is no one is ever honest with a bride-to-be. When, I respond "Sorry, I am unable to make it" to all the events, I will look like the bad person. I will look rude and heartless and bitter. No one ever says to the bride, "Girl, of course she isn't coming...you haven't spoken to her in years, and no, your recent emails do not count for shit". (apparently the person who should be straight up with the bride should have a bit of ghetto in them).

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hate being put in this situation! I dealt with this twice last year, although there was an added layer of situational stickiness -- both people attended my wedding. Hey, the were invited because we actually talked at the time! And it was their decision to fall out of touch, so I don't think I should feel bad about not going along with the unwritten rule of wedding attendance reciprocity ... and yet, I do :/

Anonymous said...

Alissa, I don't think you should feel bad. I think we need to realize that life goes on, people change, and someone who was your best friend in 2001 might be someone you don't talk to in 2003. And that's okay! I would say about 85% of the people's who's wedding's I have attended will not be invited if I ever have one. Not out of malice, just because we are not that close anymore!