朋友結婚沒錢怎麼辦——看外國"知心姐姐"支招

Q: I have been invited to what promises to be an incredible wedding by a friend from college.

問題:我大學同學要結婚了,她邀請了我參加她隆重盛大的婚禮。

I’m delighted that she still considers me close enough to be on the guest list and I really want to go. I want to show my appreciation and regard by dressing well and bringing a gift.

我內心很感激她邀請我參加他的婚禮,說明我們的友誼很珍貴.我也想穿着得體的衣服,並帶上禮物去參加她的婚禮,以表達我對她婚禮的重視。

This sounds awful, but I am worried about the expense, as I am skint. Attending involves travel and an overnight stay. I can’t turn up without a present, and the whole thing could come to 500 Euro, but I’m barely scraping by at the moment.

我知道,這聽起來糟透了,但是我現在就是個窮光蛋,我擔心我負擔不了去參加我朋友婚禮的開銷.如果我要參加她的婚禮,我要負擔車旅費以及住宿, 不僅如此,我還需要準備一份禮物.所有費用加起來估計要500歐左右(約人民幣4000元),但我自己現在的生活也很艱難,幾乎是勉強度日。

I’m totally stressed out about this, so should I make an excuse and say I will be away?

這件事讓我很頭痛,我想找個藉口說那天我沒空,不知道這樣做合不合適。

A Never let a lack of funds stop you from living life fully, especially when it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event like this. Maybe you are secretly a little embarrassed and insecure at having an unsettled life, while your friend is embarking on the seeming solidity of marriage with an expensive celebration.

千萬不要因爲囊中羞澀影響了你擁抱生活中的美好事物權利, 特別是在這種生命中極爲珍貴的時刻。你去參加你朋友的婚禮,在你內心深處可能覺得會有些許尷尬,畢竟你自己還在創業,生活並不穩定,而你的朋友走上了婚姻殿堂,正在開始她的幸福人生。

If so, stop feeling sorry for yourself and think of the bride. What’s important to her is you. “These days, weddings are more intimate so people don’t invite you unless they really want you there,” says wedding planner Rosie Meleady. Couples know times are tough and, in Meleady’s experience, many write on their invitation: “Your presence is our present.”

儘管如此,不要爲自己暫時的不得意暗自嘆息。想想你的朋友,在她婚禮上最重要的是什麼?是你的出現啊。婚慶策劃人羅西.米尼迪講過“婚禮是與親朋好友們重溫舊情的日子，如果你被邀請，證明你在男女主角的心裏是有一席之位的”根據羅西女士的從業經驗，新郎新娘們其實明白被邀請的嘉賓裏，不是每個人都事事如意，所以，在準備請帖的時候，有許多準夫妻們會在自己的請帖上註明“您的到來是我們最珍貴的禮物”

The top wedding gift is cash, and your friend won’t register whether you have given a stuffed envelope until after the honeymoon, when she sits down to write thank-you notes. So you can be the first in with a thank-you note to her, describing how wonderful the wedding was and including some photographs you have taken. At the bottom of the note, you can say: “I haven’t got you a present yet, but look forward to a surprise on your first anniversary.”

最好的婚禮禮物是現金，你的朋友不會在婚禮上記住你有沒有給她封紅包，在她婚禮結束後，她可能會在給送過禮物的人寫感謝卡的時候發現你沒有送她禮物。所以，你可以在婚禮結束後及時給她寫上一張感謝卡，告訴她你有多喜歡她的婚禮，並附上你在婚禮時拍的照片，在最後，你可以這樣說“我沒有忘記給你送上一份禮物，準備在你結婚一週年紀念年日上給你一個驚喜。”

For wardrobe solutions, Facebook is your closet. People have dresses and shoes they are happy to lend.

至於參加婚禮的行頭，網絡可以成爲你的衣櫃，很多人願意把自己的衣服和鞋子出租給需要的人。

The simplest dress can be made wedding-ready with borrowed accessories. Connect via Facebook with other invitees and ask for lifts and a space on someone’s floor. You can do all this for little or nothing if you think creatively.

通過網絡，你還可以借到漂亮的首飾來裝扮你自己，讓你看起來更有婚禮貴賓範兒。 聯繫其他被邀請者，看看是否有順風車可以搭，同時，否問問是有機會成爲誰的沙發客。總之只要有想法，你會花很少的錢辦很多事的。