Father of the groom sparks controversy after early exit from son’s wedding

Mar 20, 2024
The Reddit post quickly became a focal point of criticism, with users condemning the father's actions as "shameful behaviour" and a "disgusting lack of love and respect." Source: Getty Images.

In a tale that has ignited fierce condemnation online, a father of a groom is facing intense backlash after admitting to leaving his son’s wedding early.

The incident, shared by the father himself on Reddit, quickly sparked outrage from users worldwide.

The father, whose identity remains anonymous, opened up about his decision to depart from the wedding celebration of his son, Alan, and his new wife, Helen. He candidly revealed his aversion to large gatherings and parties, emphasising his discomfort with social situations.

“It was kind of a downer when I heard that Alan and Helen were going to have a wedding with around 150 people. I told Alan ahead of time that I would probably leave early and that me and the rest of our family would take two cars so that they could stay if they wanted to,” he explained.

“He looked like he didn’t mind at the time. So at the wedding itself, after the ceremony I basically told him that I was glad and it looked great but I was going to go home. He asked if I was going to at least stay for cake or for food but the food didn’t look all that appetizing to me so I told him I was just going to leave.

“He said ‘alright whatever just go’ and I went back to my table to get my stuff. I told my wife and she said she didn’t feel comfortable driving back alone (the venue was very far from us and the roads there were not great). I said in that case she should come with me and after some hemming and hawing she agreed. So we left.

“Then two days later Alan’s new wife bombarded me and my wife with messages that she was disgusted with us, saying horrible things about us and insulting us as people and as parents. Really just sickening. I told her off and asked why she thought it was okay to talk to her in laws like that and she said that us leaving ‘ruined’ the wedding for Alan and that he was very upset for the rest of the night. She continued to berate us. I politely told her to leave us alone and called Alan, mainly to inform him that his wife had a temper that he should know about.

“When we talked about it he basically started berating me too and said things like ‘you always do this’ and ‘just leave me alone’ before hanging up. I feel like I’m justified since I told him ahead of time that I wasn’t going to stay.”

The Reddit post quickly became a focal point of criticism, with users condemning the father’s actions as “shameful behaviour” and a “disgusting lack of love and respect.” Many questioned his priorities and commitment to his son’s special day, highlighting the significance of parental presence and support.

“You didn’t even stay for the meal that they’d paid for. What an absolutely disgusting lack of love and respect from you as a parent. You also strong armed your wife into leaving too so your son had no parents present at his reception,” one wrote.

“It’s your son’s wedding and no matter how uncomfortable you feel, it’s your duty as a father to be there. It’s one evening. Suck it up man.”

“Not only did you crush your son on his wedding day, it was probably humiliating to be asked over and over where his parents were,” commented another.

“You REALLY couldn’t be pleasant and just be there for your son for a couple of hours? So the food didn’t look good to you – so what! It’s ONE day and you couldn’t manage it.”

“Super shameful behaviour.”

In the aftermath of the Reddit post, the controversy surrounding the father’s early departure from his son’s wedding continues to unfold, prompting reflection on the responsibilities of parenthood and the significance of familial support during milestone moments.

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