Bride's friend declined a last-minute pre-wedding brunch that would cost her $470 extra — then the groom's sister's Instagram story took an ugly turn
Attending a friend's wedding can involve more than just celebrating their big day. Between travel expenses, time off work, and all the events packed into a wedding weekend, being there for every little celebration isn't always easy. One woman found herself in an awkward spot when her college friends added a last-minute brunch to their wedding plans, and attending it would mean spending hundreds more. On Friday, October 16, 2026, the wedding guest, who goes by u/Liviasmiithh on Reddit, shared the dilemma, which took an uglier turn when the groom's sister posted a pointed message on Instagram.
AITA for not changing my flights to arrive a day early for a brunch the couple added last minute?
by u/Liviasmiithh in aitaweddings
The woman had booked her $420 flights months ago, when the wedding plans only included a Saturday ceremony and Sunday breakfast. But a last-minute Friday brunch meant she'd have to pay another $470 to change her flight and cover an extra hotel night, not to mention take another day off work she couldn't spare. She told the bride, Jasmine, she couldn't make the brunch but would be there for the rest of the wedding weekend. Jasmine replied with a simple "okay," but the woman later heard that the bride had complained about people not caring enough to attend. Things got more awkward when the groom's sister posted a story on Instagram, writing, "Real ones are coming Thursday." It caught the woman off guard and made her feel like she was being called out for sticking to her original plans.
The woman also mentioned that she wasn't the only guest dealing with the last-minute change. Three other people were in the same position and had booked their travel around the original schedule. According to her, it was not fair for the couple to expect everyone to spend extra money and take more time off work just to attend an event that hadn't been part of the plan.
She turned to Reddit to ask if she was wrong for sticking to her original travel arrangements. Many readers sided with her. u/Bunny_Pitts wrote, "Brides expect everyone to jump every time they get a new idea in their head...usually for Instagram." Another user, u/Repulsive_Park6457, noted, "People go crazy when weddings are happening, common sense goes out the window." Meanwhile, u/Pink-Carat bluntly said, "Your friend is unreasonable."
Wedding celebrations can put a strain on friendships when one person’s plans come at the expense of everyone else’s budget. A maid of honor faced a similar issue when her friend insisted on an international bachelorette trip, even after several bridesmaids said they couldn't afford it. She offered to plan something local instead, but the bride refused. What hurt even more was remembering that the same friend hadn't planned a bachelorette party for her when their roles were reversed. Though she wasn't ready to give up their eight-year friendship, the whole situation left her questioning how much her friend considered others' needs.
For more stories, you can follow u/Liviasmiithh on Reddit.