Man Says Groom Asked Him to Be Best Man Six Days Before Wedding. Now He’s Not Sure How to Handle the Last Minute Request

A man says he’s caught in a tough spot after his childhood best friend asked him to be best man at his wedding — with only six days to spare.

Writing on Reddit’s “Am I the A—–” forum, the man explained that the two grew up extremely close. He once saw his friend as a “brother” and part of his “family,” but their relationship changed after the friend moved abroad six years ago.

Although they “drifted apart,” he said they still spoke occasionally. So when his friend recently called and asked him to stand beside him as best man, he felt both honored and conflicted — especially given the timing.

“I couldn’t give him an answer. I am a [12-hour] flight away and the wedding is in 6 days. The ticket prices are peak and I don’t know if I could afford the round trip,” he wrote.

His friend told him that having him there would “mean the world,” which only added to the pressure. “I can’t decide because I feel like I might ruin the day for him by not being there,” he admitted.

He asked other Redditors what they would do, and many felt he wouldn’t be wrong to decline because of the last-minute request.

“If it would mean the world to him then why did he wait until [the] last minute to tell you and not offer to help you arrive?” one commenter asked.

Another advised a straightforward response: “I’m flattered, but there is no way I can do that on such short notice,” adding that if the friend truly wanted him there, he would’ve asked much earlier.

Others echoed the same sentiment, pointing out that sudden travel costs and scheduling issues aren’t something he should be expected to solve overnight. “His lack of planning is not your emergency. IF you can’t afford it — you can’t afford it,” one person wrote.

A longer comment suggested he respond with gratitude but clarity: thank his friend for the honor, explain that with so little notice he can’t get time off work or pay for a last-minute international trip, and emphasize that he wishes he could have been there.

The man later thanked people for their advice and said he was also surprised by the timing. He noted that when he got married, he asked his own best man five months in advance — and even covered his friend’s travel expenses.