A US woman was unceremoniously sacked as a bridesmaid via email - and asked to mail her wedding outfit to her replacement.
Courtney Duffy posted a screenshot of the email to Twitter in an attempt to have her flights refunded by airline JetBlue, and ended up outraging thousands.
A business student at Ivy League school Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, Ms Duffy was supposed to be a member of the bridal party for a friend known only as Alexandra.
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But after she'd gone to the trouble of booking flights to attend the wedding, she received an email from the bride-to-be letting her know she had been cut from the ceremony.
"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," Alexandra wrote.
It seems as though Ms Duffy's study schedule would have prevented her from attending some of the events expected of her as a member of the bridal party.
"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," Alexandra wrote.
"The whirlwind nature of what your travel has become just won't work with the duties as a party member."
She apologised to Ms Duffy and said she understood that she needed to prioritise her studies.
"Please don't feel you're letting me down," she wrote.
To make matters more awkward, Alexandra told her that she "might be able to have someone else step into the role and assume the duties" - and asked her to mail back the jumpsuit she'd bought for the wedding. She did at least offer to refund the cost of the outfit and postage.
Ms Duffy was told she was still welcome to attend the event, but she wrote on Twitter that she "must avoid this wedding at all costs".
The airline refunded her flights, and more than 10,000 people 'liked' her tweet - although some people didn't seem to think Alexandra's behaviour was a big deal.
"There must be some back story that I'm missing because the email request seems reasonable and considerate to me," wrote one user.
Some explained that an email seemed a "cowardly" way to fire someone from a bridal party, while others said that being a bridesmaid was "an honour not a summons - God forbid life duties could take precedence".
Ms Duffy later tweeted that she publicised the email to make people think twice about being demanding when planning their nuptials.
"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."
Newshub.
