Congratulations, whoever you are.

We are invited to a wedding. This is the play-by-play of me opening the lovely invite:

Me: What? Who are these people?
Aaron: It's (his Brother's) friend So-&-So.
Me: Oh, you've got to be kidding. We don't even know them!

Surely this has happened to you as well. The guy of the couple was Brother's roommate in college and has stayed buddies. In fact, Brother is the best man.

The couple HAS been to our house a couple times, and we did go out for dinner with them once, with Brother & SIL. But still. When I opened the invitation, I didn't recognize any last names, so clearly I didn't feel any "connection" that warranted sharing that vital info.

Brother gave the invite to Aaron last night, along with this honest assessment of the situation: "They're just inviting you because they don't think you'll go but they want a gift."

Oh, that steams me. So we may just go. I mean, Aaron and I like to dance and don't usually get a chance. It's in town here, so no traveling would be necessary. And we do know a few others who will be there, just because they are also Brother's friends.

Even if it wasn't a deliberate ploy for a gift, if you invite someone to your wedding, you should be prepared for them to attend, especially if they live in the same town. And we'll bring a nice enough gift, I guess...but these folks are quite a ways down on our gift scale, behind Siblings, Nieces/Nephews, Cousins, Bestish Friends, Friends We Really Like But Don't Know All That Well, Neighbors, and then, maybe....Friends of our Siblings.

Oh, but there's also a category even below that one that we got a wedding invite to last summer: Former Friends of Siblings.

This girl sent me an invitation to her wedding, and the last time I have seen her was....I honestly don't remember. Because she's not my friend. She WAS my younger sister's friend...back in fourth grade. Her mom and mine are cousins and good friends, but really - that's expanding the invitation circle pretty far, in my opinion. AND the wedding was a good 10 hour drive away.

So, NO, I don't think I'll be attending. But congratulations anyway. And I'm honestly sorry I forgot to send a card.