My friend is getting married in a month, what if I can't go?

If you can’t go…you just can’t. If this is a true friend, she’ll understand.

Send a nice gift with your regrets.

Tell her you can’t go, and you’re terribly sorry, and you’d love to take the newlyweds out to dinner after their honeymoon to celebrate their nuptials – you expect to see wedding pictures! :) That way, it’s clear that you really can’t go, but you’d totally love to if you could.

Jobs are too hard to come by today, especially good jobs. Your friend will understand or her friendship would be questionable.

Keep your good job.

It happens, it’s not the end of the world. If she is a real friend, she’ll understand.

If she’s a good enough friend, she’ll completely understand and appreciate that you tried.

Another vote for just being honest and saying your job doesn’t have coverage to allow you to go. If you’re worried she’ll be a little jealous that you already have time taken off in Sept. then that’s natural but her friendship with you and reasoning should weigh heavier and understand you made other plans for time off before learning of her wedding.

She said she may get married in October. Perhaps she’ll choose a different date.
I like @Aethelflaed‘s answer.

If your friend is a good friend, she will totally understand. I think you’ve got yourself all worked up into a tizzy for nothing. You have an important and responsible job. Taking care of animals is one of the most noble jobs a human being can do. They need you.

Send her a nice gift, preferably something from the heart, that you know will be really special to her, rather than just something from the gift registry. Are you artistic in any way? If so, paint something for her, take an awesome photo and have it matted and framed. Write her a fantastic love letter to her and her new husband.

If this friend gets upset (other than to be a little sad and disappointed that you won’t be there) or gets angry or irritated, then she isn’t a good friend.

You could also do something fun by getting a xeroxed blow up of your face and then paste it onto a piece of cardboard with a stick attached to it and have one of the other girls take you to the wedding with them.

If she was your best best friend, you would have known earlier about the date and could have planned it better. Bottom line is… if you can’t go, you can’t go.