…they had set up a “honeymoon registry” and were asking everyone who received a Save the Date to contribute a minimum of $100.
The message literally read: “While we can’t host you all in Vegas, we know you still want to be part of our special day! Please use the link below to fund our dream getaway so we can feel your presence.”
I sat there staring at my phone, completely stunned. It was one thing to downsize a wedding because of financial stress—I truly didn’t mind missing out. But to uninvite your own family and then immediately hit them up to fund the trip? The audacity was off the charts.
I immediately took a screenshot and sent it to my sister. She hadn’t made the 10-person cut either and had received the exact same generic, copy-pasted shakedown. We ended up calling a few other cousins, and it turned out the entire extended family was being treated like walking ATMs for a wedding we weren’t allowed to attend.
A month later, the wedding weekend actually happened. Thanks to social media, we all got a front-row seat to their “tight-budget” Vegas trip. It featured a VIP cabana at a luxury dayclub, a designer gown that definitely didn’t come cheap, and front-row tickets to a premium show.
They had essentially tried to crowdfund a high-end luxury vacation off the backs of the family members they didn’t think were important enough to invite. Needless to say, my wallet stayed firmly shut, my RSVP to their honeymoon fund was a hard pass, and the family group chat has never been the same since.
