Bridesmaid walks out after bride-to-be's unreal wedding rules turn engagement plans into nightmare

Being a bridesmaid is a delightful honor, but for a 23-year-old (u/wickeddreamsofleavin), it turned into a never-ending nightmare. Well, it all began when Emily, the bride-to-be, asked the author to be her bridesmaid. Although the bond between the two had faded over the years, the author agreed, honoring the deep bond they once shared as kids. Everything was okay until the poster saw Emily's list of "do's and don'ts," specially designed for her "Engagement Party Planning Picnic." Overwhelmed by the responsibilities, the author decided to back out almost immediately, ultimately leading to a fallout with Emily, her childhood bestie. The latest update on the story was shared on April 24, and the post has received 35,000 upvotes on Reddit.

The do's and the don'ts

The author was juggling too many duties at once. She was already working a full-time job, and on top of that, she was also taking care of her young niece and newborn nephew. Besides, she was preparing for medical school, which just made it impossible for her to take on any further responsibilities. Initially, the author perhaps agreed to bridesmaid responsibilities, assuming it wouldn't take much of her time, but Emily's unreal list left her feeling overwhelmed. The bride-to-be had already arranged four Zoom meetings even before the planning party. And at the picnic, she handed each of the bridesmaids a long list of things supposed to be done for her engagement. Emily wanted a picture-perfect ceremony on social media and had instructed the bridesmaid to post her pictures, using her engagement hashtag, Jemily (Jacob plus Emily). She had also shared a specific font and a detailed "reveal timeline" to post her pictures online. Moreover, she warned her bridesmaids strictly against mentioning "Abigail," because they were not on talking terms.

Emily's outburst

The Reddit post went viral, and when Emily saw it, she blocked the author on all social media platforms. Besides, the bride-to-be sent her a handwritten note with flowers, threatening her. "I can't believe you would post what you did and embarrass me with your toxic lies. Never speak to me or anyone I know again. And just FYI, as unhinged and rude as you are, you can't take away from #jemily's potential. Don't be nervous," the note mentioned. Abigail, who was banned from the wedding, also reached out to the author and shared how things went downhill between her and Emily. "She said she might share her side of the story soon, but was also considering letting sleeping dogs lie," the author added.

A common story

Stories of brides forcing bridesmaids into doing unreal things for their weddings aren't uncommon. While some push the bridesmaids into wearing weird outfits, others compel them to overspend at the weddings. A Lending Tree survey revealed that more than half (56%) of respondents were pressured to spend more than they could afford, and 42% said the pressure came directly from the bride. Moreover, the survey revealed that half of the respondents who have handled wedding bridal parties went into debt due to wedding-related expenses.  

People in the comments noted how the 'Engagement Party Planning Picnic' was already too much, and the bride hadn't even started with the actual wedding planning. For instance, u/quick-possession-245 wrote, "Oh my God. Branding instructions? Engagement party planning picnic? If you have to plan a party to plan a party, this is going to get out of hand really fast. Run!" u/mixprotocol added, "There's honestly no way that this post doesn't become the prime result for searches for #jemily and similar terms. As soon as the female portion of #jemily finds out, I think OP won't have to worry about being a bridesmaid."

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