In a recent turn of events, a groomsman found himself facing a challenging predicament. He is now seeking advice from Reddit users on how to navigate a delicate situation with his best friend. The issue at hand is that he can only afford to attend his upcoming destination wedding in Costa Rica if certain conditions are met.

Navigating the Fine Line Between Friendship and Finances at a Destination Wedding

Section 1: The Financial Calculation

The groomsman did the math and was shocked by the figures. The flight and hotel costs alone would amount to around $3,800. With the all-inclusive resort chosen by the bride and groom costing $1,200 per night for a couple and guests expected to stay at least three nights, along with average round-trip flights from New Jersey at about $700 per person, the total expense became overwhelming. This doesn't even include additional potential costs like luggage fees, transportation to and from the airport, and the price of his tuxedo. It became clear that the financial burden was significant.Even with one hotel night covered by the bride and groom, the combined flight and hotel charges still reached an astonishing $3,800. This made him question the fairness of the situation. The "all-inclusive" aspect of the resort didn't seem to apply to him and his wife as she has celiac disease and he doesn't drink alcohol. This further added to his dilemma.

Section 2: The Mandatory Event Fees

The wedding website mentioned that if guests didn't stay at the resort, they would have to pay an event fee of $200 per person per event. For him and his wife to attend the welcome party, ceremony, and reception, this would come to $600. This mandatory fee seemed unjust to him as he believed that the bride and groom should cover their own wedding costs. He felt resentful that the financial burden was being pushed onto the guests.He appreciated that the couple skipped having an engagement party, bridal shower, and bachelor/bachelorette trips to save money. But he assumed that a destination wedding already involved significant expenses like paid time off (PTO), flights, and lodging, not the additional cost of contributing to food and beverage.

Section 3: The Dilemma and the Approach

Despite being genuinely excited to celebrate this big moment with his friend and fiancée, the groomsman has decided to attend the wedding but refuses to stay at the resort or pay the event fees. He wants to find a way to approach his friend in a way that is honest but still supportive. He doesn't want to dampen the mood by bringing up financial concerns but also wants to be clear about his boundaries.Redditors in the comments section agreed that the cost to attend the wedding was a "crazy amount of money" to impose on guests. One person wrote that it was beyond selfish to ask guests to stay at a $1,200 per night resort. Another added that it seemed like guests would be paying a huge part of the wedding and it was a bit sneaky.The groomsman is now looking for a solution that respects his friend's choices while also allowing him to manage his own budget. He hopes to find a way to make this difficult situation more bearable for both parties.