'AITA for leaving my best friend’s wedding reception early because they seated me at the kids' table at 31 years old?'
"AITA for leaving my best friend’s wedding reception early because they seated me at the kids' table at 31 years old?"
Okay so I already know this is going to be divisive so just hear me out before you come for me. My best friend of 15 years got married last weekend. I was so happy for her. I bought a new outfit, I got her a genuinely thoughtful gift, I traveled four hours to be there. I was fully invested in this day.
Then I found my name card.
Table 11. In the corner.
With six children between the ages of 5 and 10.
I’m 31.
I sat down thinking maybe it was a mistake. Looked around. Definitely not a mistake. There were crayons on the table. Not like decorative artsy crayons. Activity sheet crayons. The centerpiece had balloons.
I stuck it out through the starter. I made conversation with a lovely 7-year-old named Marcus who told me extensively about his Pokémon card collection and ,honestly, Marcus was great. Marcus was the highlight.
But by the time the main course came out and the table next to me was doing speeches and laughing and having the actual wedding experience I drove four hours for, I just felt so embarrassed and honestly pretty hurt.
I found the bride between courses. I told her the food was amazing and she looked beautiful which was completely true. I hugged her and quietly slipped out. She called me the next morning furious. She said I ruined her wedding by leaving early. She said people noticed. She said I was being dramatic over a seating arrangement.
Maybe she’s right. Maybe I should’ve just sucked it up and stayed for Marcus and the Pokémon cards. But I drove four hours. I’m 31. And there were crayons.
AITA?
Here’s what people had to say to OP:
You were the unpaid untold babysitter.
Seating a 31-year-old adult at a kids' table with activity sheets is honestly insulting and bizarre. It’s a major social blunder on the bride's part, not yours. You handled it quietly and politely, which is more than she deserved after treating you like a babysitter instead of a guest.
NTA. You were the babysitter for those children but no one felt the need to inform you of that, let alone ASK prior to the wedding.
Tell her she disrespected you. You drove 4 hours to sit at a kids table ? Really ? If that's the best, she could do she should have told you in advance and could have just sent a card with best wishes and not spent 8 hours on the road to meet kids and learn about pokey mon.
Instead of talking to another adult. Wedding are so boring anyway. Why do brides make such a big deal about them. You could just catch her at her next one. LOL.
Most brides would have their best friend be their MOH or a member of the bridesmaid party and not relegate them to being the wedding babysitter....
You're not the jerk. You were 31 years old, seated at a table with 5 year olds and crayons. That's not a seating chart error. That's a statement.
She says people noticed you left early. Of course they did. They also noticed you were at the kids table. Funny how that part doesn't come up.
Girl she made you the babysitter which is insulting but also that’s why she got upset lol I mean wow she actually didn’t even consider you to be a good enough friend to be with the regular party. Psh the parents of the kids should be looking after their kid s lol.
Nah, I don’t think you’re the jerk. 31 at the kids' table? That’s peak awkward. I probably would’ve ghosted too.
NTA. But was it an open bar? I would have stayed and drank on their dime and danced the night away! And you're obviously NOT her best friend. Or you would have been in the wedding party and seated at the head table. And you weren't.
NTA - I would have been super pissed. You didn't bring a plus 1??????
I’m sure she over dramatized it, I don’t think anything was ruined nor did she or anyone really notice. It’s the regular complaining about how you were the “selfish one”. Give me a break you had a right to be upset and embarrassed that you were thought so little of.
You were Voluntold you were babysitting. NTA. Your "friend" sure is though.
You were so important to her and the wedding that you leaving ruined her day but not important enough to sit at any table with adults? You were the babysitter, you didn’t know, but you were and they thought you’d sit quietly and keep the kids table under control. She’s really not your friend. You are not the jerk!
NTA your not as close a friend as you thought and I would pull back. The bride is TA here humiliating you like that!
So the bride and groom made you the default babysitter that is the only reason people noticed you weren't there, they had to watch their own children.
No, she's probably annoyed that the guests asked her why you were seated at the children's table or what happened to the babysitter. NTA.
NTA she’s not really a friend, she put you there for unpaid childcare. Go LC, not worth the effort. People change in the way that you least expected.