A bride's email asking her friend to give up her duties as bridesmaid has sparked backlash on Twitter. (iStock)
A bridesmaid has asked JetBlue to refund her ticket after being fired from her role as bridesmaid in her friend’s upcoming wedding.
Courtney Duffy, an MBA student at Ivy League Dartmouth College, took to Twitter to vent her frustrations after her friend and bride-to-be Alex sent her an email asking Duffy to “relinquish” her “duties as a bridesmaid.”
“SOS @JetBlue! Booked my X-C [cross-country] flights for a wedding, then was asked ‘to relinquish’ my ‘duties as a bridesmaid’ & mail my bridesmaid outfit X-C so another girl could fill in and wear it (Happy bday to me!) I am laughing & crying & must avoid this wedding at all costs. Pls help?” Duffy wrote on Twitter, which has since been made private, Daily Mail reported.
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The email sent to Duffy, shared by Marie Claire, starts out praising Duffy for her efforts to be there on Alex’s special day – before asking her to step down from being a bridesmaid.
“I'm so glad to hear you booked flights! I'm sorry classes are taking such a long time to sort out. I know how hard you're working to be here for the wedding and it means so much to us!” Alex writes in the email, Marie Claire reported. “I have a massive favor to ask you, though - and this is one of the hardest things I've ever had to ask anyone - but I need to ask you to relinquish your duties as a bridesmaid.”
"Could you please mail the jumpsuit to me? I'll Venmo you the postage and the cost of the jumpsuit - just let me know the total."
“Come to the wedding, have a fabulous time, and travel in the time you need to without stressing about anything else!” the letter continued. “When I asked you, I was really hoping that you could be a part of this whole thing - the bachelorette trip, at least the weekend, prep and the full night of the event (a Sunday night flight means you won't even be able to be there for the whole wedding)... the whirlwind nature of what your travel has become just won't work with the duties as a party member. I'm so, so sorry!!”
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Alex assures Duffy, “please don't feel you're letting me down, I am asking you to do this. I love you and value your friendship so much and I fully understand the need for you to prioritize school! I want you to be able to focus on that without also worrying about any extra wedding worries.”
However, then she goes on to request that the graduate student send back her wedding outfit.
“And I know this is incredibly awkward, but there is a possibility that I might be able to have someone else step into the role and assume the duties. Could you please mail the jumpsuit to me? I'll Venmo you the postage and the cost of the jumpsuit - just let me know the total,” Alex wrote before signing off, “and if you'd like to chat on the phone, let me know! I promise we're totally cool!”
The email has divided Twitter – many have branded the bride a “bridezilla,” while others agree that bridesmaids should be expected to donate a lot of time to a wedding.
JetBlue took a more diplomatic approach, after agreeing to refund the ticket, by tweeting that they would be happy to help the two friends “patch things up” with a free girls’ weekend whenever the pair are ready.
Though several anti-Alex Twitter users were unhappy with the carrier’s response.
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After Duffy’s tweet went viral, she went back to Twitter to issue a statement thanking JetBlue.
“Wow, did not expect this response - clearly the situation resonated. Thanks @jetblue for providing the refund I was hoping for, and thanks to everyone for chiming in with well wishes, humor, and even devil’s advocacy,” she wrote, Daily Mail reported. “Weddings have gotten totally out of control - this is about more than just an email. I’m hoping this thread reminds future lovebirds and bridal parties to keep their feet on the ground :)”