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Question: We recently held an intimate wedding reception for our daughter in an expensive restaurant. We invited only family members and close friends of the newlyweds. None of my long-time girlfriends was invited, but I informed them all that the party was supposed to be very small and limited mostly to relatives. Regardless of that my friends volunteered a lot of help with the wedding ceremony. Now I feel that they are holding some grudge against me. I don’t want to be ungrateful, but I can’t see any fault of mine here. Should I feel guilty?
Answer: You didn’t refuse your friends help, did ya? Although they knew they were not invited to the wedding reception, they probably counted on some kind of celebration, since you are a long-time friend, and I assume, your daughter is not a stranger to them either. Why don’t you allocate some time in your busy schedule to throw a party just for your girlfriends where the newlyweds would be present. Call it a post-honeymoon reunion party, or anything you wish, but express your gratitude and your appreciation to your friends. That little guilty feeling that nags you now will be gone, I promise.