Getting married is meant to be one of the most joyous occasions in our lives. While people often live together before they say “I do”, a wedding is seen as a right of passage into adulthood and has the power to join families together.
The lead-up to weddings though is often expensive, and stressful and can sometimes reveal the fractures or red flags in relationships, both within the couple and between their parents which was certainly the case with one bride who shared her story on Reddit’s ‘AITA’ thread.
The woman explained she has been in a relationship with her fiancé for six years, engaged for one, and expected to get married in her mother’s wedding dress.
“My mother’s wedding dress has been passed down for generations and I remember being a little girl dreaming of walking down the aisle in it,” she began.
Unfortunately, her in-laws had other plans.
While dining with her partner’s family, her sister-in-law (SIL) gave the woman her old wedding dress, stuffed in a plastic bag.
While everyone seemed excited, the bride felt confused.
As the woman tried to explain how she wanted to wear her mother’s dress, her SIL began crying and her in-laws tore into her.
The woman then ran outside and burst into tears.
Her fiancé eventually came outside and yelled at her to get in the car, where he admonished her for “causing a big scene” and “embarrassing” him in front of his family.
Reddit responders swiftly rallied to her side, with many urging her to “run.” Others suggested that while it might not seem apparent now, the situation was likely a blessing in disguise, providing her with valuable insight into the true nature of her potential in-laws and husband.
“NTA. You be thankful that he is showing you who he really is before you marry him. You have just had a glimpse of what your future is going to look like if you go through with your wedding,” one wrote.
“Ma’am you need to leave that whole family behind including your fiancé Definitely NTA. You just had a peak into your future if you carry on with this relationship,” another responded.
Another responder mentioned that he was not the right partner for the bride.
“NTA you have dodged a bullet. Tell the fiancé you can’t believe you considered marrying such an unsupportive a**hole.”
Although the woman appreciated the support from readers, she said she was going ahead with the impending nuptials.
As this story shows, a bride’s wedding gown is one of the most meaningful (and expensive!) dresses they’ll ever own and there are plenty of ways to enjoy those dresses for years to come.
Dozens of women in the Facebook group ‘Mums Who Cook, Clean and Organise’ recently shared photos and stories of what they did with their dresses after their wedding day and they range from beautiful to bizarre.
“Made it into a christening gown for our fourth child then had it altered for our fifth child for another christening gown.” – Lynda Wilson.
“I kept mine for about 15 years, then sent it to Angel Gowns, they make outfits for premie babies that aren’t lucky enough to survive. I liked the idea that it was going to bring a little bit of joy for someone in a very sad time.” – Deirdre Clark.
“My dad made this dress box for me. It now hangs on my wall. – Emily Rawlner.
“I wear mine every anniversary. It’s so fun!!” – Shelby Edwards.
“My MIL [mother-in-law] talked me into selling mine to a rental place. So sorry I did, and so was my daughter. She said she wished I had kept it.” – Maev Froggy.