Category Archive

Friends & Family Advice

Whether it’s your mom pressuring you to lose weight or not inviting family to your wedding or how to fire a bridesmaid… this is our archive of how to handle wedding planning drama with friends and family. Be sure to check out our archive of copy ‘n’ paste conflict resolution posts, too!

I'm nonbinary with an non-accepting family: should I be in my sister's wedding?

Should I be a nonbinary bridesmaid in my sister’s wedding?

My sister has asked me to a bridesmaid. I’m deeply estranged from the majority of my extended relatives. She’s turning this wedding into a family reunion (300+ guests). I thought I had enough to worry about with being nonbinary and potentially needing to deal with gender dysphoria on the day, but many of these relatives are horrendously bigoted as well. Part of me wants to say fuck it and be outrageously myself as a nonbinary bridesmaid… but my anxious self fears for my safety. I’m not out to everyone.Should I ask to be demoted from bridesmaid to “regular guest” status so I can have full choice over what I wear?

Unwanted wedding guests: We don't want a sexual predator at our wedding

Unwanted wedding guests: We don’t want a sexual predator at our wedding

We found out recently that one of our creepy old friends sexually assaulted someone. Needless to say, he is NOT invited to our wedding… any more. The problem here is that we sent our save-the-dates six weeks before we found out. How do we ensure that this predator doesn’t show up at our wedding? Do we have to explicitly tell him that he isn’t invited anymore, or do we casually “forget” to send out his invitation? What if he shows up anyway?

Registry poems are a thing in the UK and Australia and they're kind of genius

Registry poems are a thing in the UK and Australia and they’re kind of genius

Registry etiquette is ALWAYS a touchy subject. But one discussion we want to introduce to the recently engaged is the concept of registry poems, popularized in countries like the UK and Australia.

Registries aren’t as common there, but accepting cash gifts is, often requested in the form of registry poems (or wishing well poems). For Americans (and others) who may not know, these are literally fun little poems asking for money contributions to help with the wedding or honeymoon or just starting out their lives together.

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De-stressing wedding planning by changing my wedding party expectations

There are a number of wedding traditions that soon translate into serious expectations for family and the wedding party. Family members and the wedding party are expected to step up and donate time, energy, and most importantly–money, to help the new couple launch their lives together. Here’s how I de-stressed my wedding planning by changing my wedding party expectations…