Every one or two years, a nightmare scenario lands itself in your email inbox: The date for your next family reunion has been set, and you’ve been invited to attend a weekend away with everyone from your cranky Uncle Bob to your cousin with six monstrously-behaved kids. What’s a woman to do?

Let’s face it — gathering any large group of people together is tough. But with family, long-festering resentments with long-lost relatives resurface, family heads can vie for familial power, and in-laws added to the equation can feel like your own personal kryptonite. “Family itself can be highly stressful, and family reunions have this tendency to simply heighten stress,” commiserates John Duffy, Ph.D., parenting expert and author of The Available Parent. But, you can survive this year’s family reunion with this sage advice — here’s how to make the most of it and come out (mostly) unscathed and in good spirits.

Employ humor liberally.
There’s nothing like a good (or even bad) joke to break the tension in an otherwise awkward family reunion. “Humor is among my favorite stress relievers,” says Duffy. “Keeping things light, and focusing on topics that lack controversy, is my number one recommendation for surviving a family reunion intact.”

See More: The Crazy Ways Mothers-In-Law Ruined Weddings

Contain your expectations of the reunion.
Have hope, but also get real, and get comfortable with the fact that this may not turn out to be the greatest weekend of your life. “It may not mend old fences,” says Duffy. “It may just be a way to gain some closure of old wounds, a way to get some photographs of an entire family together, and hopefully share some new times and old memories.”

Have an escape route.
No one is suggesting you have a Mission Impossible plan to sneak from the reunion unnoticed. In fact, no one is suggesting you leave the reunion at all. “But I do think it’s a good idea to escape to your room when tensions get high, just to take a breather,” says Duffy. “This could make for far healthier, more memorable reunion.”

Manage your alcohol intake
And even more so, says Duffy, encourage others to do the same. “In my experience, nothing ruins a family reunion more than the loose lips that accompany the drunk uncle syndrome,” he warns. “I’m not suggesting stone sobriety necessarily, but be judicious, and encourage your family members to do the same. Limit alcohol-related damage.”

Put old assumptions aside.
As they say: Prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. “People change over time, including family members you may be estranged from, or never have gotten along with,” says Duffy. “Go into the reunion with an open mind, ready to go to joy yourself, and deepen your family connections. Be prepared to be surprised.”

The stars of The Hills are all grown-up! Well, they have been for quite awhile now, obviously. But we still sometimes think of them as the Teen Vogue interns, not new parents with engagement and wedding rings on their fingers! With Heidi Montag, Lauren Conrad, and most recently Whitney Port all having already walked down the aisle, Audrina Patridge is the next former MTV star set to say her “I do’s.” But before taking on her role as bride, she’s got another new job keeping her busy: That of a new mom! Yes, Patridge and her fiancé, Corey Bohan, have welcomed their baby girl into the world! And just wait until her hear her name…

Patridge first announced her pregnancy just a month after her professional BMX-riding beau popped the question. “I finally figured out what to get Corey for Christmas!” Patridge wrote on social media back in December, revealing her positive pregnancy test wrapped in a festive holiday gift box. And after their uber-romantic proposal story (it included a stunning sparkler on a dessert plate and a surprise appearance by the bride-to-be’s entire family for goodness sake!), we couldn’t have been happier for these two cuties. But now, their little family of three is complete with the addition of their first child, whom they’ve decided to name Kirra Max Bohan. Such a cute name — and we bet she has a face to match!

“She’s perfectly healthy and Mom is doing great,” Patridge’s rep shared with People magazine. We would hope so — the lady has a wedding to plan, after all! (And a new human life to take care of too, of course…)

And as for that wedding, it’s supposedly taking place in November, as the new proud parents wanted to hold off on the nuptial craziness until after their little one was born. “I didn’t want to rush getting married, because stress is bad for the baby,” Patridge previously told E! Online. In fact, she hasn’t even been wedding dress shopping yet! “After I have the baby, I have no idea what size my breasts will be or if my hips will go down or get bigger. So for now dress shopping, at least, is on hold,” she said.

What are you even worrying about, Patridge? No doubts here: This new mom and bride-to-be will be gorgeous in her wedding-wear no matter what!

See More: 5 Unique Photos to Take on Your Wedding Day

Like many brides, you may be so focused on your wedding day look that when it comes time to think about what to wear to your rehearsal dinner, it can feel, well, pretty overwhelming! Luckily, Houston-area brides have little to worry about, as the below boutiques offer fun and flattering pieces for a knockout rehearsal dinner ensemble.

Baanou
When you walk into this River Oaks boutique, you’ll be swept away by both the posh interior (think ornate chandeliers and overall grand décor) and unique selection of designers. Owner Maryam Afshari stocks her decadent store with event-perfect dresses from labels Keepsake, Flynn Skye, C/MEO Collective among others. If you’re looking for something you’ve never seen before, Baanou is where you’ll find it.

Tootsies
For a truly upscale experience, browse Tootsies flagship location in Houston. You’ll have over 30,000 square feet of ultra chic designs to choose from in this vast space, including pieces from Alaia, McQueen and Oscar de la Renta. However, if your rehearsal dinner is on the casual side, you can also shop for fun jeans and top combos with a decidedly more relaxed feel. Tootsies is truly a one-stop shop, and thus ideal for brides who want to create their head-to-toe look in one fell swoop.

Willa
Willa was created with the mother-daughter shopping duo in mind, which is often the case when wedding shopping. With various locations around the Houston area, it’s the perfect place to bring your mom to help you find a darling ensemble that’s both cute and budget-friendly. Willa stocks dresses galore, but you may also find yourself warming up to their adorable separates that can be dressed up beautifully for all types of pre-wedding festivities, from an evening barbecue to a formal sit-down dinner.

See More: Don’t Forget Those Thank-You Notes! These Houston Wedding Stationers Have Got You Covered

Chloe Dao
Project Runway fans will be thrilled to know that season 2 winner Chloe Dao has a thriving boutique in Houston that offers a fresh variety of her feminine designs. You’ll discover a welcome mix of elegant, minimal gowns next to more whimsical prints and colors. Her eponymous stores also houses emerging designers, all of which emanate the soft yet sophisticated vibe Chloe is known for.

Elaine Turner
If pink is your power color, then Elaine Turner should be at the top of your list. Every one of their stores welcomes you in with vibrant fuchsia interiors that match the bold personality of Elaine’s designs. She’s particularly known for her handbags and shoes, which are made of unusual—yet totally tasteful—materials like raffia, cork, and python. It’s the ideal place to find that exclamation point to punctuate your fabulous rehearsal dinner look.

Still haven’t found your perfect rehearsal dinner frock? (Or maybe even your dream wedding dress?) Then check out our favorite bridal shops in Houston!

You’ve been so busy focusing on the guest list, design details, and getting that dream bridal body that you’ve completely forgotten about your beautiful skincare! You can’t count on the glowing love you’ll feel walking down the aisle to get that bridal radiance. It’s time to get serious about your skin regime! Follow these easy tips for glowing bridal skin.

1. Vow to work for it. Consult your dermatologist on a 6 month regimen and stick with it! Tackling problems such as acne, melasma, or dry skin requires planning with professional guidance, and diligence on your part to maximize results.

2. Vow to be gentle to your dermis. Never get a facial or use harsh exfoliants the two weeks before your wedding. They can result in potential breakouts or rashes that will be hard to cover up. Instead, prep your face with eye and facial moisturizing masks, along with a non oily SPF cream, the few days leading up to your big day.

3. Vow to look like yourself! Bring your own foundation with you… Makeup artists use great products but may not have every foundation color option in their kit. Use what your skin is used to, and what you wear on a daily bases for a more natural look. Your makeup artist can apply a heavier powder afterwards to get that perfect porcelain skin desired for bridal portraits.

4. Vow to get your beauty rest. Don’t be the last one standing at your rehearsal dinner… Set a curfew and put yourself to bed! You will not only have better energy on your wedding day, but your skin will be able to rejuvenate overnight and give you a refreshing glow.

5. Vow to take it easy on the bubbly… This is absolutely a celebratory time but we all know alcohol dries out the skin. Leading up to your wedding, drink the standard 8oz of water a day, and keep the champagne to a minimum before you walk down the aisle. Once the “I Dos” are exchanged, you’re free to let loose!

6. Vow to show your stripes… not! Post editing in the photo studio can only go so far with with severe tan lines… Stay out of the sun the week of your wedding, and if you prefer yourself with a sun kissed glow, opt for a spray tan a few days before you put on that glorious white dress.

See More: 50 Pre-Wedding Skincare Products For Every Complexion Type

Alexis Eskenazi is the founder of AE&Co., a full-service event design and production company based in Los Angeles, California. She has over 10 years of experience producing elite weddings and celebrations around the globe under notable celebrity wedding planners, and now brings her own unique and fresh perspective to the wedding scene.

Why have an ordinary grand entrance at your wedding reception when you can have an extraordinary one? It is your big day, after all! Whether you’re working with an unlimited budget or you don’t have a ton of money to spare, there are so many ways to arrive at your wedding reception in style that you might as well do something out of the box.

1. Organize a flash mob with your wedding party
What better way to surprise your guests than with a flash mob only your wedding party knows about? Regina Osgood, owner of Meant2Be Events, had a couple that decided to go this route and it was a huge hit. “The bridal party was allowed to enter just as they normally would, but they were in on what happened next,” she tells us. “Once the bride and groom were announced, the DJ changed the song, cuing the full ballroom of guests to come to the dance floor where the flash mob began. Everyone talked about it all night long!”

2. Go big or go home
For brides whose wedding budgets know no bounds, it doesn’t get any grander than showing up at the reception in a helicopter. Wedding and event planner Courtney Hammons of A Magical Affair has literally seen it all. “We recently had a couple that did a kabuki drop for their grand entrance,” she says. But her personal favorite? The couple that arrived via ski boat to their reception.

3. Use a “built in” grand entrance
“Many catering halls have dramatic entrances built in, such as coming up through the floor in a glass elevator or doing a stage curtain entrance,” point out Lynn Jawitz, owner of Florisan Wedding and Event Design in NYC.

See More: Every Formal Portrait You Should Take at Your Wedding

4. Try a rose petal, confetti or balloon drop
All of these things can be done either expensively or inexpensively depending on your approach, notes founder & CEO of Vow To Be Chic, Kelsey Doorey. For example, you can buy a few thousand rose petals online for cheap (less than a hundred dollars) to create a beautiful and fun entrance, she says. “If you want a big bang while saving your bucks, you could run through a paper banner with your new spouse, like the finish line of a race. Decorate the banner with your married name or paint it to match your wedding colors.”

5. Put on a show
Impress your guests with some talents of your own! “Breakdance your way onto the dance floor, sing for the crowd or find yourself a great costume or mask to wear,” recommends Florida-based wedding planner Aviva Samuels of Kiss The Planner. Snow machines, fog machines and confetti cannons will also liven things up a bit.

6. Play with the lights
Key Largo wedding planner Lynn D’Ascanio of D’Asigner Events once worked with a specialty lighting company that projected fireworks and 3D flying dragons onto the ceiling of a tented event for a Chinese wedding as the couple walked in. If your theme lends itself to something cool like this, we say go for it!

7. Get some sparklers
“If your entrance is outside and after dark, super long wedding sparklers can make a really spectacular picture as you dance your way through them to the real dance floor to do your first dance,” says seasoned wedding planner Sandy Malone of Weddings in Vieques.

8. Do a silhouette entrance
According to Stefany Allongo, founder and chief consultant of The Majestic Vision, something different and fun is using a projection screen to create your silhouette for your guests to see. “You can start your first dance behind the screen and then proceed to the dance floor. It makes for a gorgeous photo.” Plus, it’s a total crowd pleaser too!

You’re working your butt off to create an amazing experience for your guests at your wedding. But how often do you ask yourself, “What do I want to remember most about my wedding day?”

Figuring out what you want to remember most about your own wedding day actually helps you, in two different ways. First, it helps you prioritize your time, energy, money and efforts into things that are truly meaningful to you (and give you permission to skip what’s not). And second, it gives you time to create strategies (and practice them) to assist you in remembering your important things.

Your wedding day, as you already know, will be a whirlwind of activity, people, and high emotion — that’s all good. But it will be hard to hone in on that that detail, that song, that moment in your wedding ceremony if you don’t prepare ahead of time.

It’s easier to do than you think. In fact, all it takes is 12 seconds to create a lifelong memory. Yep, just 12 seconds.

Rick Hanson, neuroscientist and author of Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence, writes that if you want to deeply, authentically remember something, you must deliberately internalize the positive experience into your implicit memory.

How do you do that? Step 1: Notice you’re having a positive experience — when you’re in that precious moment of your ceremony that you really want to remember, notice that it’s occurring right there and then. Get fully present. Step 2: Open yourself to the good feelings you’re having, really enjoy the experience as it’s happening. Step 3: Be conscious of how this experience is sinking into you, as you sink into it. Don’t just let the experience happen and move on. Instead, be aware of the experience becoming an event in your life history.

Done. Happiness hardwired, your special memory saved in your memory bank. All completed by being fully, fully present for just 12 straight seconds. (For a lot more detail, check out his book.)

Will your wedding day be a buzz of activity? You bet. Can you find 12 seconds to genuinely focus on what’s important to you, as it’s happening? Please do, so your memories can be vivid, fresh, and alive within you forever.

See More: 5 Things You Must Remember When Reciting Your Own Wedding Vows

Allison Moir-Smith is a bridal counselor and an expert in cold feet and engagement anxiety.

Brides-to-be dreaming of a destination wedding that is equal parts eco-friendly, exotic, and relatively close to home, look no further than Costa Rica. Readily accessible by direct flights from major cities across the U.S., this Central American country is known for its beautiful beaches, jungles, mountains, and incredible biodiversity.

“Nature is up close and personal here in Costa Rica,” says Larissa Banting, President of Weddings Costa Rica, citing dolphins, monkeys, sloths, and parrots as some of the usual suspects visitors encounter. “Also, it’s so varied — drive one hour and the landscape changes.”

Located just nine degrees north of the equator, Costa Rica’s weather cycles are similar to that of the Caribbean, with a dry season (December through April/May) and a green season (May through November). Being a tropical climate, it’s not uncommon to have a passing rain shower or two even on sunny days, although September and October generally see the heaviest rains.

Planning a destination wedding is all about location, says Banting. It’s a combination of finding the right fit for the couple’s vision and also for the guests: “A good host and hostess are always trying to make their guests feel comfortable,” says Banting.

Accessibility, climate, and choice wedding sites are three reasons why Costa Rica’s northwestern province, Guanacaste, is one of country’s most popular destinations for weddings and vacations in general. International flights land directly in its capital, Liberia, which is just a short drive from the resort enclave that surrounds the Gulf of Papagayo. Beachy surf towns, and resorts with a decidedly laid-back lifestyle, characterize the region’s Pacific coastline, which extends south into the Nicoya Peninsula.

For ultra high-end, the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo and neighboring Andaz Peninsula Papagayo are two of the country’s most luxe offerings. On the opposite side of Culebra Bay, eco-chic El Mangroove offers brides fully customizable wedding packages on a beachfront property that has been awarded the highest possible rank by the country’s rigorous Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) program.

For a more bespoke affair, Guanacaste’s coastal region is home to a number of “villa-style” hotels that can be rented out in entirety, such as the 8-bedroom Villa Buena Onda, which comes with a dedicated support team that includes a wedding planner and event staff to attend to every last detail of the big day, and the Villa de la Luna, an all-inclusive retreat that can host up to 28 guests. Wedding packages include all meals, open bar, private transportation, butler and maid service as well as concierge services for activity planning.

For resorts with a more remote, beachy vibe, look towards Tamarindo, a popular surf town, where you’ll discover low-key gems such as Cala Luna Luxury Hotel & Villas and Florblanca Resort, two boutique hotels that are well equipped to host intimate affairs on the beach and on their grounds.

While options in Costa Rica’s Guanacaste province abound, one thing’s for certain — when the big day arrives you’ll be imbued with pura vida — that quintessential, joyful Costa Rican attitude towards life.

“Costa Rica is all about pura vida,” says Banting, an expat herself that fell in love with the country almost two decades ago. “When you come here, everything slows down and you live in the moment, really taking the time to enjoy everything around you.”

For a celebration as monumental as this one, that sounds just right.

See More: 10 Things to Know Before Planning a Destination Wedding

It’s not the most romantic place in the world, but this sweet couple proves that you can find love anywhere — even on Wall Street. Though they met in 2006, Rochelle and Shelley were friends for six years before their friendship turned to romance, while both were enrolled at Columbia Business School in 2012. They dated for two years before Shelley popped the question (after having spent months planning the proposal!). “Shelley was coming home from a trip to Germany, so I spent the evening making him a surprise dinner,” says Rochelle. But little did she know, he had a surprise up his sleeve, too, popping the question in their home before celebrating with a champagne toast. “Dom Perignon never tasted so good!” says the bride.

Deciding where to get married was easy: Shelley’s family’s home on Martha’s Vineyard was the clear choice. “It felt so natural and right,” says Rochelle. They planned a September 19, 2015, ceremony on the lawn, followed by a reception at the nearby Farm Neck Golf Club, with stunning ocean views and plenty of space for an airy, vintage fête with unmistakable Vineyard vibes. With a gold, ivory, blush, and navy color scheme, we’d say they captured it perfectly! Take a peek inside the elegant waterfront bash, photographed by Lauren Methia Photography, and get ready to book a ferry ticket of your own!

When Rochelle couldn’t decide between two Berta and Reem Acra wedding dresses, she decided to go the custom route and incorporate elements of both into her bridal look. She worked with Mika Inatome to create a beige gown with an ivory overlay, combining hand-embroidered accents, Alencon lace, and a fit-and-flare silhouette. “I had a good idea of what I wanted, and Mika created the most beautiful wedding dress. It was the perfect combination of classic and sexy, the lace was to die for, and the embroidery… I was near tears every time I tried it on!” says the bride.

She paired the gown with her stunning solitaire engagement ring and a hint of sparkle, courtesy of strappy Badgley Mischka sandals.

The 10 (yes, 10!) bridesmaids wore blush Jenny Yoo gowns with convertible straps and flowing skirts.

Rochelle carried an all-white bouquet of roses and dusty miller, while bridesmaids carried smaller versions accented with gold-painted leaves.

The bride’s bouquet was wrapped with the same lace used on her wedding dress, and finished with two pins: a pearl pin from her grandmother and a brooch that belonged to her god-parents’ grandmother.

“We got ready at the house next door to Shelley’s parents’,” says Rochelle. “It’s actually the first home where Shelley spent summers on the Vineyard, which made it extra special!”

With the ocean in the background, the ceremony took place beneath a birch altar draped in white fabric and decorated with roses and greenery. Shelley, in a blue Bonobos tuxedo, waited at the altar to see his bride for the first time. “I got so emotional when I first saw him, but I did my best to keep it together,” Rochelle remembers.

The pair exchanged traditional vows, with the groom’s uncle and the bride’s brother doing readings.

Shelley’s father is from New Orleans, and he came up with the idea to surprise guests with a post-ceremony Second Line parade! Says Rochelle, “My mother-in-law ordered flip flops for the ladies to wear for the walk. I’m still in awe of how some of our ideas came together so perfectly!”

The newlyweds led the group on golf carts, but hopped off toward the end to circle back and dance with their guests.

“Martha’s Vineyard is like a second home to Shelley, where so many of his closest friendships and most lasting memories began,” says Rochelle.

We can’t get over all of the details of Rochelle’s dress, from the two types of lace to the delicately scalloped fishtail skirt.

Guests’ table assignments were displayed on a vintage mirror, with table names in gold calligraphy and affixed to cards with ornate silhouettes.

Beneath the sailcloth tent, a combination of round and rectangular tables surrounded the dance floor. “I wanted the whole evening to be lit by bistro lights and candles to create a more romantic and soft ambiance,” explains Rochelle. A mix of gold and glass vases held anemones, sweet peas, roses, and soft greenery, with pops of brighter pink to add extra drama.

In lieu of menus, each guest’s seat was marked with a personalized place card and a letter from the bride and groom to their guests.

To encourage people to get to know one another throughout the evening, Shelley and Rochelle chose a family-style dinner service. “We wanted it to feel like a dinner party,” she says. “We also kept the food a surprise to build anticipation as each course came out!” They offered a salad, two pasta courses, and entrés of fish and lamb, all ending with a dessert buffet and a coffee bar stocked with Kahlua and Bailey’s.

Instead of numbers, each table was named after a place on Martha’s Vineyard, from Narragansett to Vineyard Avenue.

Rochelle collected all of the vases herself, scouring shops to create the perfect combination of styles and sizes. “Our caterer wanted to keep them at the end of the night!” she laughs.

The first dance was to John Legend’s “All of Me,” but not the traditional version. “I surprised Shelley and recorded me singing the lyrics, instead!” says the bride. The DJ went straight into “The Wobble,” then mixed Notorious B.I.G. and Ginuwine with oldies that guests loved so much they almost forgot to eat dessert! When the evening wrapped up, everyone headed to Martha’s Vineyard Chowder Co. to keep the party going.

“If you can, take a break from planning,” says Rochelle. “Shelley and I went to Paris two weeks before the wedding. I was worried because I had so much left to do, but I managed to let go and enjoy the trip. It was so nice to have a few days off and relax!”

Ceremony Venue: Private residence || Reception Venue & Catering: Farm Neck Golf Club || Wedding Coordinator: Heather Dawn Events || Bride’s Wedding Dress: Mika Inatome || Shoes: Badgley Mischka || Makeup: Sea Spa Salon || Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jenny Yoo || Groom’s Attire: Bonobos || Engagement Ring & Wedding Bands: Tomas Edipson New York || Florist: Island Ambiance || Invitations & Paper Goods: Wedding Paper Divas || Music: DJ B-Hen || Cake & Dessert: The Black Dog Bakery & Café; Murdick’s Fudge; Back Door Donuts || Rentals: Big Sky Tent & Party Rentals || After Party: Martha’s Vineyard Chowder Co. || Photographer: Lauren Methia Photography

Did you love this couple’s beautiful celebration? Then check out another couple’s vintage-inspired wedding in the video below.

While most guests nowadays choose to buy wedding gifts online and ship them directly to the couple, there are still a few holdouts who would rather bring the gift in person, especially if it’s cash or a check. Collecting these gifts on your wedding day can be a hassle but, while having a cards and gifts table definitely makes it a little easier, it also takes up space (and means you have to rent an extra table and linen!). So do you actually have to have a designated table to collect gifts guests bring with them to your wedding? Our experts weigh in.

There are definitely good reasons to have a specific place where guests can put cards and gifts. It will keep items from getting lost, it allows guests to put the bag or box they’re carrying down instead of trying to tuck it under their table at dinner, and it makes for easy packing at the end of the night. But if you’re short on space or simply don’t think many guests will be bringing anything with them on your wedding day, you can definitely skip the table. However, you should have a backup plan.

The best way to accept gifts and cards on your wedding day without setting up a table is to let your wedding planner and the venue staff know, and ask them to collect gifts from your guests. They can put everything in a safe place for you during the reception, and then can help coordinate delivering the gifts to your hotel room (or loading them into your car) at the end of the night. Let your wedding party know about the plan so they can spread the word, especially if they spot a guest holding a beautifully wrapped box, looking for somewhere to put it!

See more: The Etiquette of Destination Wedding Gifts

One of the most agonized over things in wedding planning? The wedding dress and the bridesmaid dresses. The bride wants to feel like, well, a bride — she wants a gown that’s not just beautiful, but makes her feel beautiful. She wants her future husband to love it, her mom to love it, and she wants to wow her wedding guests. And the bridesmaid dresses? That’s a sticky situation too. The bride wants to pick pretty bridesmaid dresses, in her color scheme, that flatter each ‘maids’ figure — and, of course, the bridesmaids want this too! Price can also be a big issue when it comes to these gowns, as most ‘maids are hoping their to-be-wed friend will choose affordable bridesmaid dresses — and the bride doesn’t want her friends going broke over her wedding! But, er, one real bridesmaid’s recent tale tells a totally different kind of story, and it’s taking the Internet by storm.

The anonymous bridesmaid, who detailed her experience on Mamamia.com, confessed that she was initially “overjoyed” when her engaged friend Caroline asked her to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. As most bridesmaids usually are! However, this bridesmaid’s “joy quickly turned to utter despair” when Caroline turned into a total bridezilla over every aspect of her wedding — and we mean EVERY aspect. Need proof? One day, she asked this anonymous bridesmaid to make an Excel document of wedding cake baker suggestions, including the pricing, contact info, flavors and “prestige” level — oh, and she wanted it that same day, just to make matters worse, according to Yahoo. Sounds like this bride was in serious need of a wedding planner, vendor listings, and a chill pill.

The bride also insisted that the seven bridesmaids accompany her on shopping trips to find a wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses…three weekends in a row. The bridesmaid dresses ended up being $550 each. We love ourselves some gorgeous designer bridesmaid dresses, but even we have to admit that that is A LOT to ask of your ‘maids.

But, alas, that’s not even the worst part.

See more: How to Pull Off Mismatched Bridesmaids, According to Real Weddings

The bride (who apparently has very expensive taste) fell for a wedding dress priced at $10,500, which happened to be twice the amount allotted in her wedding budget for a dress. Her seven bridesmaids rooted her along, telling her to “totally splurge” on her big day. So she did.

Then she requested her bridesmaids “pitch in” for her “dream dress.” Huh?!

The bride’s reasoning? It would be a sentimental treasure that all the bridesmaids would have a part in if they paid for it.

The anonymous bridesmaid was, rightfully so, outraged by the Caroline’s request to contribute around $150 each for her gown. This was in addition to those over-half-a-grand bridesmaid dresses, the bachelorette party, bridal shower and three spa days she wanted the bridesmaids to plan prior to the wedding. Basically, that’s a lot to ask of your bridesmaids.

While three of the bridesmaids replied saying they’d love to pitch in for the dress, the anonymous bridesmaid who authored the post is not so quick to give in to Caroline’s request. In fact, she’s thinking about ditching: “I’m starting to think I might have to bail on this wedding, and friendship,” she wrote.

What would you do if a bride put you in this position? Sound off on Facebook!