I understand completely honouring ones father and mother within reason, and that one is not required to 'honour' them if it requires going againt the Lord. But what about times where a requirement is made (in relation to honouring one's father and mother) that conflicts with another commitment? Here is an example. A friend gets engaged and asks you to be their made of honour (say 6 or 7 months before the wedding). You accept and planning (for three months) begins, including the venue for the day being booked and bride's maid's dresses being bought (by the brides maids/ maid of honour). After the three months your mother/ father comes and tells you to keep x date clear (the date of friends wedding), as there will be a surprise (or not) anniversary celebration for your grandparents (with venue being booked). In relation to honouring our parents, would we be required to forgo the friends wedding? What if that friends wedding was in another country and you could not get a refund on the cost of the trip? Also, what do you believe the purpose of the command to 'honour thy father and mother' is?
JFG

This sounds like a failure to communicate.  Had all parties been on the up-and-up, there wouldn't be so many "surprises".

What Smcisaac said. A situation like this isn't about a commandment so much as keeping a prior commitment. There's nothing wrong or unbiblical about going to the wedding, especially given your role and that you've already paid for everything.