Weddings can be a blast. The music, the dancing, the cake... all ingredients for great memories.
But for some people, weddings can be a bit much.
Weddings are often a big, public event, and not everybody feels at ease during big events.
That's why a plus one is helpful.
But plus ones are not always an option.
Redditor klay-stan wanted to discuss their experience and get some feedback, so naturally they came to the "Am I The A**hole" (AITA) subreddit.
They asked:
"AITA If I change my Wedding RSVP after having a plus one rescinded?"
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
"I have a friend from college who is getting married in 2 1/2 weeks."
"I got the invitation for the wedding a week ago, and the invite had a QR code that brought you to their wedding website on The Knot."
"The wedding is on a Friday, and it is very last minute."
"I will have to take time off of work to attend."
"I am friends with the bride from college, and we have one mutual friend who is also invited."
"The mutual friend that we share, however, cannot attend the wedding so I will not know anyone at the event besides the bride."
"When I went to RSVP on the knot, it gave me the option to add a plus one."
"I have never seen this option before without having a plus one invited, so I assumed I was allowed a plus one."
"I am not in a long-term relationship, but because I won't know anyone at the wedding, I asked my friend to attend with me and added her to my RSVP."
"A few days later, I got a text from the bride saying that I don't have a plus one, that I shouldn't have added my friend, and that I cannot bring her."
"She said she still wants me to attend and that I can make friends with the other guests at the wedding even though I don't know anyone."
"I'm guessing the bride and groom gave me the plus one by mistake but she didn't say so or apologize for the confusion, just told me that I shouldn't have added anyone."
"I am very socially anxious and am now very nervous about attending the wedding on my own."
"I get very uncomfortable in situations where I don't know anyone, and now I don't really want to use my P[aid] T[ime] O[ff] to attend a last-minute wedding where I'm not going to know anyone."
"I feel trapped because I did technically say I was free when I RSVPd yes, but it was contingent on being able to bring a guest to keep me company."
The OP was left to wonder:
"AITA if I change my RSVP to no since I won't know anyone at the event?"
Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed some options to the question AITA:
- NTA - Not The A**hole
- YTA – You're The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH - Everyone Sucks Here
Many Redditors declared OP was NOT the A**hole.
"You can absolutely change your mind. Frankly, the lateness of the invite heavily implies that you are a seat filler for others who either canceled or said no."
"It's likely, however, that your relationship with your friend will never (fully) recover - considering you were not a first choice I doubt this will have much impact on your life going forward. NTA." ~ East_Parking8340
"100%. Like no thanks."
"OP stay at home, you don't need the stress of getting to know strangers for a whole day/night." ~ PrincessCG
"100% this. My wife and I got invited to a wedding the week before it was taking place."
"We knew it was likely we were asked to fill seats."
"So we declined, as the late notice gave us no time to prepare."
"Haven't spoken to them since." ~ Realistic-Drama8463
"My entire family got invited to the wedding of a family friend."
"The kid getting married I used to babysit for but lost touch after I went to college."
"It had been 7 years."
"The funny thing is they were not friends or even knew my siblings."
"Everyone got separate invites."
"My mother called 3 weeks prior to the wedding asking if we wanted to carpool as she assumed I got a hotel room in the block."
"I was surprised to find out they were getting married."
"A week later, we have an invite in the mail."
"I was like, at this point, this is a save face/gift grab."
"The hotel block was already released, and there was another event in that town."
"I declined, and the groom's mom called saying she expected a gift in the mail since they pulled a lot of strings to invite me."
"I ripped her a new one."
"It was so gross." ~ naivemetaphysics
"If you would like to give an excuse, OP, you can say that something came up at the last minute with work, and your PTO was revoked."
"Or you can say that your RSVP had offered to split costs with you, and without them, you just can't swing it."
"Or your car will be in the shop, and they were your ride."
"Or that you suddenly tested positive for Covid."
"Don't feel trapped just because of some nerves. There are plenty of small white lies that will let you get out of this while saving face."
"NTA, by the way." ~ GorgeousGracious
"She's probably just wanting a gift/money and inviting you because she thinks you will give a good one or some s**t."
"You aren't that important to her with such a last-minute invite and no plus one and her petty comments."
"Don't go, change it."
"And if you don't want to say why just don't answer her or say you can't make it anymore something came up or you can't get the day off work or just tell the truth, you aren't comfortable going by yourself and when you said you'd go it was with the thought you'd have a plus once since SHE gave you the option and then took it away." ~ JexxicaBaby
"NTA: The RSVP is more crucial for the reception rather than the ceremony."
"Your singular 'yes' puts you in the headcount for food, alcohol, favors, etc."
"In addition to a seat for the ceremony."
"Would you consider attending just the ceremony and skipping the reception as a compromise?"
"You'd see your friend's big moment but not have to deal with 2-4 hours of chit-chat and wedding rituals with strangers."
"If so, you can communicate that to the bride so she can correctly adjust the headcount."
"You were owed an explanation or apology for the mistake plus one option."
"Single friends deserve better in these situations." ~ Echo_Code
"Change your RSVP, don't bother giving an excuse."
"You were invited 2 1/2 weeks before the wedding, which means you were a B or C-level guest, who only got an invite because not enough A-levels decided to attend."
"If they ask, just say your friend was your transportation. NTA." ~ PleaseCoffeeMe
"No. You're fine."
"Just be sure to change your RSVP to no before the due date."
"If she asks you about it, just answer that you're really socially anxious."
"Then don't engage with any more questions."
"You have a perfectly legitimate reason to say no."
"The rest is gravy." ~ REDDIT
"NTA. This is a shmozzle, and a last-minute one at that."
"Decline, send best wishes, and be glad that you are out of this." ~ CandylandCanada
"With that short of notice, it's likely you didn't make the cut of the people they really wanted there, and now they're just looking for people to fill the seats of those who couldn't make it."
"If it were me, I'd cancel and just accept that the friendship will probably be over. NTA." ~ WittyAndWeird
"Personally, I think if you are inviting someone who will..."
"A) not know anyone or more than one other person except bride/groom or..."
"B) sat at a table of exclusive couples and is the only single, then it's automatic plus one."
"I get not wanting strangers at your wedding, but honestly, guest comfort matters too."
"My husband hates weddings and as such I tend to attend alone and even at a table of close friends if they are all couples it can get lonely, you end up feeling like a bit of a burden!"
"I do not expect a plus one if my husband won't attend. For your information, it's just my experience of weddings as a perpetual single!"
"Also, my friend invited another friend's mum as her plus-one when it became clear her husband couldn't attend with her)." ~ toiletconfession
"NTA. You can completely change your mind about attending."
"Given the last-minute nature of the invite, it sounds like inviting you might have been an afterthought."
"Don't put yourself out to attend an event where you will only know 1 person, who (given that it's the bride) is not exactly going to be free to keep you company." ~ CuriousEmphasis7698
"Oh dear, I asked an old friend to be my +1, she said yes, took time off and now you've to go back and tell her she's not invited."
"What a shame!"
"Guess you and your friend should go for a spa day and a catch-up."
"Sorry bride, pity about the mix-up. Sorted!" ~ purppledolphin
"NTA. I would change your RSVP, and I wouldn't feel bad about it either."
"The fact that you got an invitation 2.5 weeks before the wedding sounds like you were in the last tier of guests. People they invited after the first few rounds sent back their invitations and couldn't come."
"The fact that you have social anxiety and would be miserable without someone to be there with you would make this an easy decision for me."
"And I don't understand these comments saying it will end the friendship."
"Anyone who invites someone to their wedding 2.5 weeks before the wedding date then texts to say they can't have a +1 clearly doesn't place a super high value on the friendship to begin with... just saying." ~ dragonsandvamps
"NTA. Simply change it on the website."
"If she reaches out to ask why, just tell her you're not comfortable traveling solo."
"You don't owe anyone your attendance." ~ Alert-Cranberry-5972
"NTA. I gave all our single friends a +1."
"It's called empathy."
"Some people have it, some people don't."
"Sounds like this bride does not."
"I understand some people can't afford to invite that many +1s, but then, alright, don't be surprised if none of them attend."
"A wedding where I don't know anybody?"
"I'd rather do almost anything else with my time than that... lol." ~ REDDIT
"NTA- you can change your mind, just say your plus one was your travel buddy and hotel room buddy."
"If they can't come, you can't come."
"At least now you don't need to buy a gift." ~ TickityTickityBoom
"NTA, my sister got married last month, and you also had to RSVP on her wedding website on the knot."
"When we put in my name it came up as our family with mine, my boyfriends, and my 3 kids for me to RSVP for each of us individually, I could not add any other people to our rsvp either."
"If they weren't offering you a plus one they should've turned off the ability to add one." ~ Traditional_Slip750
"She is inviting you two and a half weeks before the wedding because you were a backup."
"She had no intention of inviting you in the first place."
"You should have gotten the invite months ago."
"You truly don't need to feel bad by saying you're unable to make it and wishing them well. NTA." ~ Shakeit126
"NTA - this sounds awful, and the short notice is awful, and not being able to bring a friend is awful." ~ magictubesocksofjoy
Reddit is with you, OP.
First, your friend could've at least apologized for The Knot's mistake and offered a plus one.
Second, with such short notice, plans tend to fall through.
As long as you change your response in enough time for them to adjust their plans, you're good.
You don't owe them anything.















Humiliated Redditor Ditches Friend's Birthday After She Publicly Mocks Them In Front Of Everyone
Fake people tend to show their true colors during pivotal moments, like weddings and major celebrations.
But when they want an audience to hurt someone else, it takes total sense that they would be called out in front of everyone, as agreed by members of the "Am I Overreacting?" (AIO) subreddit.
Redditor HollyyGinger went to their close friend's birthday party, expecting to have a good time and celebrate their loved one's special day.
But when their close friend made several mocking comments about them, and the party laughed along with them, the Original Poster (OP) took that as an indication of the state of their friendship and left the birthday party early.
They asked the sub:
The OP was excited to celebrate their close friend's birthday.
"One of my close friends had a birthday dinner last weekend, and I was genuinely excited to go."
"I helped her organize a few things beforehand, bought her a gift, and even rearranged some plans because I wanted to be there for her."
But the birthday dinner did not go at all how the OP expected.
"During dinner, though, she started making little jokes about me in front of everyone."
"At first, I laughed along because I didn't want to make things awkward on her birthday."
"But she kept going. She joked about dating life, brought up an embarrassing story I had told her privately, and made another comment about how I'm ''way too sensitive' sometimes."
"People were laughing, and I tried to act like it didn't bother me, but honestly, I felt pretty humiliated."
The OP tried to ask their friend to change the direction of the rest of the party.
"I quietly asked her when we were alone if she could stop making me the joke of the evening."
"She rolled her eyes and said I was taking everything too seriously and that everyone knew she was joking."
"I went back to the table for a while because I really didn't want to ruin her birthday."
"But then she made another joke about me, so I decided I'd had enough. I congratulated her again, said goodbye to everyone, and went home without making a scene."
The OP's friend tried to blame them for how the evening turned out.
"The next morning, she texted me, saying she was hurt that I left early and that several people noticed."
"She said that I made her feel like she had done something horrible when she was 'just having fun.' But her having fun was more of a public embarrassment to me."
"Now I feel guilty, because it was her birthday, and maybe I could have just ignored it for another hour or two."
"I wasn't trying to punish her or make the night about me. I just didn't want to sit there smiling while someone I trusted kept embarrassing me after I had specifically asked her to stop."
Fellow Redditors weighed in:
Some reassured the OP that she didn't have to stay at a party where she didn't feel welcome.
"She was having fun. You were not having fun."
"You’re not overreacting. You told her it was hurting you, and she kept doing it because hurting you was entertaining for her. She is not a good friend." - Dunquinn-
"I remember when I was really little, a bunch of adults were laughing at me as I cried."
"I cried to my mom, 'Stop laughing at me,' to which she replied, 'We aren’t laughing at you; we're laughing with you,' while giggling."
"My response was something I stand by to this day: 'Then why am I the only one crying?!'"
"It’s only funny if the person who’s being teased is laughing too. You weren’t laughing. It wasn’t funny; it was cruel. NOR." - XSmartypants
"She’s a bully. It wasn’t 'more like 'it was publicly embarrassing. It WAS publicly embarrassing."
"Then she tells you that SHE is embarrassed because YOU left early. That's bulls**t."
"NOR. Drop her." - WTH_JFG
"NOR. They make jokes about someone's privacy to humiliate that person. Anyone who would use info that was shared in confidence to get a laugh is an abuser. You don't do that, especially to a close friend, without the intent to hurt that person." - BungenessKrabb
"Would it have been fun if you did the same? Start telling her darkest secrets?"
"She made you into a punchline for other people’s entertainment."
"You told her to stop, and she didn’t; now she’s the victim?"
"NOR."
"But also, some people need to feel it to believe it. I hope you go to the next gathering with a few stories of your own and don’t let her rewrite the narrative." - beached_not_broken
"I’ve had it happen by my 'best friend' at the time, only it was in a professional setting event. Very personal details only she knew, all spilled for her amusement, embarrassing me in front of colleagues."
"NOR, OP. As you did, I left the gathering earlier than expected. My 'friend' called the next day asking why I left so early. I told her what she had said and done and how humiliated I felt."
"Her 'apology' was that flippant version that shows no remorse, like, 'Well, I’m sorry you feel that way.'"
"Over the subsequent years, she managed to alienate and burn bridges with most of those same people we were gathered with."
"I’m sorry this happened to you, OP. Anyone who thinks you were 'too sensitive' has no empathy and 'friends' like that don’t deserve your time." - Hungry_Tank9182
"NOR. She was being a jerk to you, and she was expecting you to just take it and not say anything or defend yourself."
"Because they think it's sooo funny to mock others, but I bet if the roles were reversed, she would be offended and upset."
"Honestly, you deserve better friends. I'm sorry you had to deal with this."
"I would've left and blocked her." - Cryslove
Others urged the OP to stop thinking about the event and let that friendship go.
"That was the point of her fun! Humiliating you with an audience!"
"Sharing something deeply personal, told in confidence? Immediate dealbreaker."
"She is not (and likely never was) your friend. Friends do not treat friends with such disrespect. Block her, and go no contact. She brings nothing good to your life, and she’s not worthy of your energy and time."
"NOR." - MizPeachyKeen
"It’s called bullying. She is not your friend. Friends don’t humiliate their true friends, or tell them 'they are too sensitive.'"
"That is what bullies do. She keeps you around to put you down and make herself look or feel better."
"Her actions, attitude, and behavior are those of an immature high schooler. She could actually be jealous of you and not want one or all of the following: you to succeed, have more friends, feel better about yourself, look better, etc."
"Please slowly distance yourself, find new hobbies and activities with more mature, well-rounded, healthy people." - Freeling_Fab_U_lous
"How DARE you spoil her fun; didn't you know that part of your gift was letting her make you the butt of her jokes? (sarcastic comment)"
"What an awful person. No one should need to put others down to raise themselves up. She doesn't deserve the title of friend, to be honest. You showed much more grace than I would have managed." - tphatmcgee
"She was using you as her punching bag to make the others attending laugh. Probably thinking you’d just take it. That’s not a good friend. NOR." - Additional-Start9455
"'Someone I trusted kept embarrassing me after I asked them to stop.' NOR."
"First, you shouldn't have had to ask her to stop because a friend wouldn't have started in the first place. One of her 'jokes' was about you being sensitive, so she knew you didn't like it and did it anyway."
"Second, you asked her privately to stop, because you didn't want to embarrass her. Think about that. You didn't want to embarrass her. But she couldn't show you the same consideration, even after being asked to stop."
"That's not how I treat my friends, and I suspect that's not how you treat your friends, either." - calminthedark
"I would have answered her text that she's a s**tty friend and to f**k off. You have class."
"I probably would have made a comment at dinner that I asked her to stop with the insults."
"NOR. You did everything right." - Particular-King218
The subReddit was disappointed on the OP's behalf that a friendship they were so committed to, they were excited to celebrate their friend's birthday and even helped plan the event, came apart at their expense, and on very public terms.
If the friend didn't want to be "embarrassed," maybe she should have thought about how she was embarrassing others first.