While many brides and grooms expect their wedding day to be something out of a movie, it might be wise for them to be careful what they wish for. Because not all films have a happy ending…
One bridesmaid recently detailed on Reddit how a former friend’s wedding blew up into a huge disaster on the day of the ceremony. Below, you’ll find the full saga, as well as some of the replies amused readers have shared.
Wedding days don’t always go perfectly according to plan
Image credits: Wavebreakmedia / envato (not the actual photo)
But this bridesmaid never anticipated how much drama would ensue on her former friend’s big day
Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio / pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: LightFieldStudios / envato (not the actual photo)
Image credits: lrhun
Later, the bridesmaid responded to readers and shared even more details about the situation
About one fifth of all engaged couples call off their weddings during the planning process
Many people believe that once they’re engaged, they’ve already committed to their partner for the rest of their life. They may not have had a wedding yet to formalize their dedication in front of friends, family members and the law, but they’ve decided that they’re confident enough in their love to make a lifelong commitment. However, others might see an engagement as an opportunity to finally get serious about their relationship and decide whether or not they can stay together forever.
According to Eventsured, about 20% of all weddings are called off sometime during the engagement period. This may be due to uncertainty about the relationship, pressure to get married, unresolved issues, infidelity, making the decision to get engaged in a rush, difference in opinions on important issues, the couple realizing they don’t know each other as well as they thought they did and more.
There are also some situations when couples probably should call off their weddings. Regain notes on their site that if a couple plans to improve their relationship by getting married, has different views on children, if there’s abuse in the relationship, have different views on managing money, don’t trust one another, or have feelings for anyone else, it’s going to be a mistake to go through with marriage.
Canceling a wedding can be a complicated and expensive process
Image credits: Min An / pexels (not the actual photo)
Calling off a wedding can be a difficult and even embarrassing experience. After announcing to all of your friends and family members that you can’t wait to tie the knot, it can be uncomfortable to backpedal. But it’s still much smarter than going through with a wedding that you know will lead to divorce. The Knot explains on their site that it’s important to let guests know as soon as possible that the wedding has been called off, assuming they make this decision prior to the day of.
It can get tricky deciding who gets to keep the engagement ring, depending on who paid for it, but it’s expected that the couple return all gifts that they’ve received from parties and showers leading up to the big day. Cancelling the venue, honeymoon, and vendors might be a bit more complicated. Flights and accommodation can often be refunded or exchanged if they were booked to be flexible, but it probably won’t be as easy to cancel vendors and the wedding venue.
Depending on what kinds of contracts couples signed and the deposits they put down, they might end up being responsible for the total cost of everything they booked, even if they no longer need the services. One couple even shared with This is Money in 2021 that if they had cancelled their wedding due to the pandemic, they would have lost £84,000 on the entire experience. So it’s understandable why some couples choose to forge ahead even when they know their relationship might be doomed.
Bridesmaids who aren’t enjoying their duties should always know that they can drop out before the big day
Image credits: Emma Bauso / pexels (not the actual photo)
In this specific situation, it appears that the bridesmaids had been having second thoughts about being in their friend’s wedding for months. And while it’s not easy to drop out of something you’ve committed to, WeddingWire notes that there are certainly valid reasons to pull out of being in the bridal party. First of all, if you’re pregnant and due close to the wedding date, it’s probably wise to skip the bridesmaid responsibilities. You never know when the little one will arrive!
It’s also fair to drop out of a wedding if it’s expensive and out of your budget. If it requires traveling to another country, buying an expensive gown, funding an elaborate bachelorette party and more, it’s not worth it to go into debt. A job crisis or family emergency might also throw your schedule out of whack and serve as a perfectly valid reason to give up your bridesmaid duties. And, of course, if the bride is being unreasonable, you are not obligated to put up with her.
It’s not worth it to spend time and money making yourself uncomfortable just to be in a friend’s (or former friend’s) wedding. We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Then, if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article discussing wedding drama, look no further than right here.
Amused readers shared their thoughts on the story, calling out the bride and applauding the bridesmaid for sharing
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