Stressed
Out Bride Is Broke and Breaking
Dear
Harlan,
My
friend is engaged to a Marine who is currently serving in
Iraq. They are planning a wedding for May 2007, but because
of financial expenses and the fact that she needs to take
her mother to the hospital a lot for cancer treatment, they
are strapped for cash to pay for the wedding. She is constantly
stressed-out and is wondering whether or not she should continue
her quest for the "Dream Wedding." My question to you is,
as a friend, should I tell her to hold off on the wedding?
If so, how should I do it? Thank you for listening.
Concerned Friend
Dear
Concerned Friend,
It's
not that you don't like the guy, right? You're not jealous,
right?
If
your only motivation is your friend's well-being and you can't
stand to see her so stressed-out about something that should
be so wonderful, tell her exactly how you feel and have it
come from a loving place. Ask her what you can do help make
her happy and relieve the stress? Instead of postponing the
wedding (and the stress until later), a better idea might
be changing her expectations of what a dream wedding should
be. What elements are most important to her? What will still
keep the dream alive and relieve the stress. When the dream
creates debt, stress and problems, it's anything but a dream.
Help your friend shift things around. Really, that's what
good friends are good for - bringing perspective. So friend,
bring it on.
