I don't know if anyone else is in the same boat, but I thought I'd put it out there because I see a lot of "if they care about you, they will come" responses on here.
One of my good friends who RSPV'd yes with his other half a while ago, and has been nothing but excited since we got engaged, sent me a message saying that due to Cost Of Living they simply can no longer afford to come.
I'm very upset, because not only will I be missing a dear friend on the day, but we're past our deadlines and unlikely to be able to invite others at this stage so will be out of pocket for two spots that will be quite noticeable because our guest list is small already.
Obviously, this is hurtful for me as a bride, but I thought I'd share on here because emotions run high with wedding planning and I've also read that a lot of people have lost friends in the process. I so nearly sent a message saying how hurt I was that they had declined after saying yes and that it was inconsiderate to do so when it was too late notice for us to invite others, but then stepped back, took a few deep breaths and thought about it from their perspective.
Weddings are expensive as a guest - unless you're local to the venue - you often have to pay for travel, accommodation for one or two nights, and taxis to and from the venue to your accommodation. Many households are really struggling at the moment as costs continue to go up and up and up. It sucks to get a decline, it can make you feel all sorts of horrid emotions (hurt, angry, embarassed, anxious...) but it doesn't necessarily mean that friend doesn't care about you.
