Relationships
8 Cringeworthy Stories About Bridesmaids Who Let Their Brides Down Big Time
by Corinne Sullivan
Updated:
Originally Published:
Shutterstock
Being a bridesmaid is a major honor — you don't ask just anyone to stand beside you on one of the most important days of your life. Of course, because it is such an honor, it also comes with a lot of responsibility. To be fair, some brides totally abuse their authority and make their bridesmaids' lives a living hell, but sometimes, it's the bridesmaids that wreck havoc on the lives of the brides. Even if you've always dreamed of having a bridal party someday, hearing some of the worst bridesmaids stories might just make you think twice about that decision.
OK, yes, brides should realize that their bridal parties are devoting a whole lot of time and money into making their day special. But after discovering this Ask Reddit thread about horrible bridesmaids, I've concluded that some people are simply not meant for the role — or, really, for any role in the bride's life. From the uncooperative, to the unsupportive, to the straight-up uncouth, I've rounded up stories about the most bad-mannered bridesmaids that I could find, and I think you're going to want to sit down for these. Sure, bachelorette parties are fun, but they're definitely not worth this nonsense.
The Drunken "I Do" Crew
Glorious bridesmaids in pink dresses
Not me, but my best friend's bridesmaids were supposed to pick her up when she returned from visiting family the day before the wedding to go out and celebrate at some bars and then head to a hotel ... After being 30 minutes late, they called and asked her to pick them up from a bar. They had all gotten drunk without her. Then at the hotel, all of the bridesmaids passed out and slept in the beds, while [my friend] had to sleep on a trashy, uncomfortable couch. The next day at the wedding, they didn't help set anything up. All the groomsmen were demanded by the mom of two of the bridesmaids to clean up the entire wedding ourselves while they all got drunk.
The Mopey Maid
I only had a maid of honor. She was concerned about her ex hanging out with his current girlfriend all day. Changed into her PJs during the reception. Didn’t want to help set up. She’s my best friend and was going through a lot but it really sucked anyway.
The Petulant Party Member
[My bridesmaid] was in school for event planning, yet she still couldn’t understand that this was a barn wedding between a 23- and 24-year-old with a limited budget.
When it came time to choose bridesmaids dresses, she insisted on ones that were $400. I said I couldn’t ask the girls to pay that, and I chose an $80 one that was super cute. She said, “They have a year to save, so you should get the other ones,” and she actually gave me the silent treatment when I chose the equally flattering, cheaper dress.
She then ran into money issues and it was a mess (and, gee, couldn’t afford the $80 dress and said, “You know it’s customary for the bride to buy the dresses”).
... She was chronically late to everything. I just started telling her things started two hours before they did so she’d be on time. She figured it out.
Then, the bachelorette. She chose a club close to her house in a different city from me and the bridal party. It was walking distance from her home and she said everyone could stay there. Perfect — everyone is low on funds, and now we don’t have to pay for cabs. The day before the bachelorette, I texted her offering to bring orange juice, coffee pods, and a fruit tray for the morning so people could eat and go. She suddenly says that she’s not comfortable with anyone staying over. I say okay; how many would you be comfortable with? None. Not even me. I ask what’s up and she loses it. I’m passive at this stage in my life and just want to help and to understand. She’s p*ssed that I’m pressing the issue and decides that she’s pulling out of the wedding. I say I don’t understand; I have tried this entire time to make things easier for her. I suggest we choose another club, more central to everyone’s locations since now we can’t stay in town. She. Loses. It. Throws a fit and confirms she’s out of the wedding. “I planned this!” I so appreciated her planning it. Turns out the venue was never called, there was no reservation or plan.
There were a million other little things, but that’s it. And I hated it because I never understood; by all accounts, I wasn’t a bridezilla, and I honestly think her problem was that I wasn’t! And when you’re the bride and someone drops out, everyone assumes you are the problem and must have been entitled. So not the case here. We never spoke again.
The Wanna-Be Bride
Not mine, but I was a guest/photographer at my classmate's wedding. She had her friend from another city come over. It wasn't the typical terrible bridesmaid — in fact, she was very supportive and helping, but it was super clear she was OBSESSED with getting married. She said things like, "I've already caught eight bouquets, this one is going to be my number nine!" and "OMG I, like, wore sooo many wedding dresses to photoshoots, I bet my fiancé won't even be surprised when he sees me in my own hahaha!" Her "fiancé" (who hasn't even proposed to her yet) was there and every time she talked about her wedding planning, he rolled his eyes, obviously wishing he were somewhere else.
The Fickle Sisters
bridesmaids and bride
I chose my sisters, which was the biggest mistake.
They fought me on every single decision when it came to the dress. Everyone they chose looked too casual or was very inappropriate for a wedding (think either a faux leather peplum dress from Guess, or a casual Wilfred dress from Aritzia). After I searched for weeks online and at stores, they finally agreed on one from Nordstrom, which I had to order and take care of. They fought me on any "duties" or helping with any sort of prep. They showed up for four hours the day before. [They] argued on any placement of decorations and took off after I begged everyone to do a short rehearsal. Even though I told them I needed help. (Keep in mind they did not have to travel for the wedding; my husband and I arranged it so WE were the only ones who had to travel far.) No bridal shower, no bachelorette party. They claimed they were too busy. A friend offered to throw one and they told her no, they would plan one... they never did. Two nights before the wedding, I told them I booked reservations for us and my mom at a local pub just to have something. I ended up having to cancel because they didn't want too. (My mom enabled and justified a lot of their behavior. And she wonders why I felt like they were the favorites growing up.) The day of, they did not help me at all get ready at all. My photographers were amazing who did everything from help me finish my hair and makeup (they even ran out to get me new lashes because mine got wrecked) and get me into my dress. And, at the reception, they made a toast... which was so awkward. It was basically about who should have been the maid of honor and basically all about them. I remember looking out and peoples faces were just cringing. At the end, I just focused on having fun the rest of the night and ignoring them.
The Negative Nancy
I chose my best friend of 16 years to be my maid of honor. Big mistake on my part, as she has a strong personality, can be very controlling, and is studying to be a lawyer, so she believes she can never be wrong.
About four months ago, my fiancé and I were thinking it over and decided it’d be cheaper and easier to just have a backyard wedding to save some money, as we were due to spend at least $16k at our current venue. I told my MOH about it, thinking she’d be supportive, but instead she just sh*t all over the idea. She called it trashy and a “glorified graduation party."
Thinking it would do no harm, I asked her mom if it’d be a possibility for us to have the wedding in her backyard. Due to liability reasons, she declined. The next day, my MOH confronts me and calls me a sh*tty person and selfish for going behind her back and asking her mom. They don’t have the best relationship, but they still talk every now and then and I really thought it wouldn’t be an issue. I apologized over and over to my friend, while she repeatedly told me I was stupid ... I finally ended the conversation by basically kicking her out of the wedding party.
We’re now getting married in three months on the beach in Florida, with a small set of close friends and family. Either my friend doesn’t know, or she does and hasn’t bothered to confront me about it. I’ve only spoken to her once since our fight a few months ago to wish her a happy birthday ... Sad to say I lost one of my best friends over my own wedding because I didn’t agree with her.
And she called me the selfish one...
The Dress Mess
[My] bridesmaid/sister got a dress and said it fit perfectly fine. Day of the wedding, she shows up late for us to get ready ... in a dress with straps that were too long and that had a small burn front and center. I guess she decided it was a good idea to smoke in the car on the way over and ash flew back in. Her dress could have been altered for free, but she just never tried it on beforehand and we ended up having to run to my neighbor's to get safety pins.
The Banned Boyfriend
Not my bridesmaid, but one of my best friends got married a couple of years ago, and one of our other best friends was the maid of honor (we were a group of six but the bride and the MOH were inseparable ever since they both found out they were pregnant within a month of each other). The entire wedding and reception, the MOH was in the worst mood ever, to the point that her own father told her to stop being such a spoiled brat on what was meant to be the happiest day of her best friend's life. There's only a handful of photos where she's actually smiling, and at one point in the night, her mum's dress had broken and the MOH actually screamed and shouted at her for it (like it was her fault) in front of so many people.
The reason she was so unbearable? She wanted her new boyfriend to come to the wedding. They'd been together a couple of weeks but he had been shunned by our entire social circle for stealing thousands of pounds from his friends and employer, and the person he had tried to pin the theft on was a wedding guest.
The only thing worse than bridezillas? Bridesmaidzillas. You might have always pictured all of the important women in your life lining up besides you at the altar, but choose your bridal party carefully, or you might just end up with a bridesmaid horror story of your own.
This article was originally published on
