Pregnant bride-to-be does not want any alcohol at bridal party events

Dear Abby: My friend “Nan” is planning her wedding and asked if I, along with our friends, would be bridesmaids. Fast-forward a few months: The brideto-be is now pregnant. We’re having our first gettogether as a bridal party, and she wants us to serve only nonalcoholic “mocktails” for our girls’ night in. I asked the maid of honor if we could have the option of alcohol, and she said no because that’s what the bride wants. Is it rude to drink in front of a pregnant bride? Obviously, I will honor Nan’s wishes, but I’d like a second opinion.

— Perplexed

Bridesmaid

Dear Bridesmaid: The bride would not have specified that she wanted no alcohol served if she was comfortable with her bridal party drinking when she couldn’t join in. Her wishes should take precedence.

Dear Abby: My wife has a terrible habit of always being early. It has reached a point where friends and family no longer tell her the correct time they want us to arrive because they don’t want her there early. Her family started it, and friends are following suit. Now she’s upset because when she arrives she isn’t the first, but everybody else is happy because she’s arriving when she is supposed to.

Abby, most hosts don’t want guests showing up early because they’re still preparing, and early arrivals get in the way.

Please advise my wife to respect that!

— Early Bird Gets

The Scorn

Dear Bird: If, having been given the wrong time to arrive by multiple hosts, it hasn’t dawned on your wife that what she’s doing hasn’t been appreciated, she isn’t going to heed anything that I could write.