Reddit Stories - Exited my own marriage ceremony after my PARTNER'S top female companion DISTRIBUTED FABRICATED

Episode Date: July 15, 2025

#redditstories #askreddit #aita #relationships #drama #weddingdrama #marriageissues #friendshipdramaSummary: At my own wedding, I left after my partner's female friend spread lies. Tags: redditstories, askreddit, reddit, aita, tifu, relationships, drama, weddingdrama, marriageissues, friendshipdrama, lies, betrayal, conflict, trustissues, socialdrama, familydrama, emotionalstress, communicationbreakdown, toxicrelationships, personalboundariesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reddit-stories--6237355/support.

I hope you enjoy this story. Exited my own marriage ceremony after my partner's top female companion distributed fabricated images to all attendees, alleging I was unfaithful with him supporting her actions. She was joking. My name is Nancy, 28F. My now ex-fiancee, Jacob, 29M, and I were together for seven years. We were supposed to get married yesterday. Jacob's childhood best friend, Chloe, 29.

has always been a significant presence in his life. In our relationship, her presence was a recurring point of minor friction. Jacob consistently described her behavior as that's just Chloe, and I often felt my concerns were downplayed or dismissed. Our relationship, aside from the issues stemming from Chloe's involvement, had been stable, and we had spent over a year planning our wedding. Over the years, there were numerous instances involving Chloe that I found unsettling. These were not isolated incidents but formed a pattern that, in retrospect, was alarming.

For example, about two years ago, I was preparing for a crucial work presentation. Jacob was meant to help me review my slides the night before. Chloe called Jacob in hysterics, claiming a minor plumbing issue in her apartment was a disaster. Jacob left immediately to assist her, staying for several hours. The disaster was a dripping faucet that a building supernob. could have handled. I ended up prepping alone, feeling secondary. On another occasion, during what was supposed to be a celebratory dinner for our fifth anniversary, Chloe joined us, uninvited. She explained that Jacob had mentioned where we were, and she happened to be in the

area. The dinner shifted from a romantic evening to Jacob and Chloe reminiscing about their childhood, with me as an outsider. Jacob saw no issue with this, stating Chloe was like family. Chloe also had a habit of making comments that seemed designed to subtly undermine me or our relationship. She would frequently praise Jacob's ex-girlfriends in my presence or make jokes about Jacob's wild days before he met me, often winking at him as if sharing a secret. When I expressed discomfort to Jacob, he would usually say Chloe didn't mean anything by it and that I was being too sensitive. He rarely, if ever, addressed her behavior directly. The planning stages of the wedding amplified these issues. Chloe had strong opinions on many aspects, from the venue to the guest list, and Jacob often

seemed to defer to her preferences or press me to accommodate them to keep the peace. She insisted on being heavily involved in tasks traditionally handled by the bridal party or the couple themselves, like accompanying Jacob to a suit fitting, where she apparently vetoed his first choice. Yesterday was the wedding day. I was in the bridal suite with my bridesmaids and my mother, getting ready. an hour before the ceremony was due to start, I received a text message from an unknown number. It contained a series of screenshots depicting a supposed direct message conversation.

In these fabricated messages, I appeared to be confessing to an ongoing affair and expressing doubts about marrying Jacob. The accompanying text from the unknown number read, thought you should see what she's really like. This is being talked about among the guests. My maid of honor, Anne, saw my distress and I showed her the message. She was horrified. A few minutes later, another bridesmaid received a text from her cousin, who was already at the venue, asking if the wedding was still on because somebody named Chloe

started a group chat with a ton of wedding guests and sent them screenshots saying Nancy was cheating on Jacob. It became clear that Chloe was the source and had deliberately spread this information to guests arriving for our wedding. And and my mother were trying to understand what was happening, suggesting we find Jacob immediately. I walked out of the bridal suite, found my brother, and asked him to get Jacob and bring him to a small private room adjacent to the main hall. I didn't want to see anyone else. When Jacob arrived, he looked flustered, probably from being pulled away from greeting guests. I showed him the screenshots on my phone and explained what Chloe had done, that she had sent this to the guests. His initial reaction was

a nervous laugh. He said, come on, Nancy, you know Chloe. She has a weird sense of humor. It's probably just some stupid, elaborate prank. She wouldn't really try to stop the wedding. I stared at him, waiting for more. I asked him if he thought this was a joke. I asked him what he was going to do about it, about Chloe, about the guests who now thought I was unfaithful. He ran a hand through his hair and said, look, we're minutes away from the ceremony. Let's not make a scene. We can talk about it later. It's just Chloe being Chloe, don't let her ruin our day. Just ignore it for now. He made no move to confront Chloe, to address the guests, or to even acknowledge the severity of her actions. His priorities seem to be avoiding embarrassment and proceeding with the ceremony as if nothing

was wrong. The calmness with which he dismissed something so vile, his immediate shielding of Chloe, and his complete disregard for my public humiliation and emotional state in that moment, was a final, clarifying event. I told him that if he believed this was something that could be ignored, or that Chloe's actions were just a joke, then I couldn't marry him. I stated that his refusal to stand up for me, for us, against such a malicious act, spoke volumes. He started to argue, to plead, saying I was overreacting, that we were about to get married. I didn't engage. I didn't engage. I further. I turned, walked out of the room, past my confused and concerned family members and bridesmaids in the hallway. I told my brother I was leaving. He tried to ask what was wrong,

but I just shook my head and kept walking. I exited the venue through a side door, found a taxi, and left. The drive away from the venue was a blur. My phone started ringing almost immediately, Jacob, then my mother, then my father, then Anne. I didn't answer. I couldn't speak. I checked into the first decent hotel I found. Once in the room, I saw the mist calls pile up, dozens from Jacob, many from my parents, siblings, and some from Jacob's parents, and texted me, saying there was chaos at the venue. Jacob was apparently frantic, alternating between trying to find me and trying to manage the guests. Chloe, according to Anne's texts, was telling everyone that I had inexplicably gotten cold feet, that I was unstable, and that I was making up accusations against her to cover

my own reasons for backing out. My parents were trying to get answers from Jacob, who was reportedly overwhelmed. It has been approximately 10 hours since I left the venue. I've spoken briefly to my parents, only to assure them I am physically safe but not ready to talk in detail. The barrage of calls from Jacob has not stopped. His messages alternate between bewildered, where are you? What happened? Accusatory, how could you do this to us? To me? And pleading, please come back, we can fix this. I am currently in a hotel room, trying to process the implosion of what was supposed to be my wedding day. Jacob is continuously trying to contact me. My family is in shock and waiting for a full explanation. I have received messages from friends who were guests, some confused, some already

taking sides based on Chloe's narrative. Chloe is actively painting me as the villain who ruined the wedding out of nowhere. Jacob's failure to defend me, his minimization of Chloe's malicious act, felt like a betrayal, more so than Chloe's actions themselves, which were just a confirmation of her long-standing attitude. So, read it, I'd offer walking out of my own wedding, leaving my fiancé at the altar, because he dismissed his best friends deliberate, public, and false accusation of my infidelity as a joke and expected me to proceed with the ceremony? Update 1, about a week has passed since I posted. I want to thank everyone who commented and sent messages.

Reading through the responses provided a sense of clarity during a very chaotic time. Many of you asked for clarifications, and I'll address some common points. Firstly, to clarify the dissemination of the false information, Chloe didn't just send the fabricated screenshots to a few individuals. She created a large group chat that included a significant portion of the wedding guests, friends and family from both sides, and distributed the messages there. She then followed this up with texts to other individuals who weren't in that initial group. The intent was clearly to cause maximum damage and humiliation just before the ceremony. Secondly, regarding Jacob's reaction, when I confronted him, he didn't just say it was a joke in passing.

He explicitly told me not to make a scene, that I was overreacting, and that we should just go through with the ceremony and sort it out later. He seemed more concerned with the public appearance of the wedding proceeding smoothly than with the accusation itself or my feelings. There was no immediate anger towards Chloe on his part, only a desire to placate me enough to get through the vows. A number of comments questioned why I didn't confront Chloe directly at the venue. In that moment, my focus was entirely on Jacob's reaction. He was the person I was about to marry. His response was, to me, the only one that mattered.

Confronting Chloe would have been a sideshow, the core issue was his lack of support and his immediate defense, however passive, of her actions. The overwhelming sentiment in the comments validated my feeling that Jacob's response was not just inadequate but a significant betrayal. It wasn't merely about Chloe's behavior, which was undeniably malicious, but about Jacob's choice to prioritize her feelings, or perhaps the avoidance of conflict with her, over mine, even in the face of such a damaging public attack. This was the ultimate culmination of years of him minimizing my concerns about her. My decision to walk out was an immediate reaction to that specific moment of him failing to stand by me,

but the weight behind the decision came from that accumulated history. The day after the wedding that wasn't, I turned off my phone for several hours to stop the incessant calls from Jacob. I then called my parents and arranged to go to their house. I needed a safe place, and I knew they would support me, even if they were still trying to understand the full picture. My brother came to pick me up. Before leaving the hotel, I blocked Chloe's number and all her social media profiles.

I have not initiated any contact with Jacob. I have seen numerous missed calls and messages from him and his mother. My father has also fielded calls from Jacob's father. Upon arriving at my parents' house, I sat down with them and my siblings and explained everything in detail, from Chloe's message to Jacob's reaction, and the history leading up to it. My parents did hear snippets about what was happening during the wedding but didn't believe them, then my father was visibly angry, primarily with Jacob. He expressed that Jacob's first and only concern should have been my well-being and defending my reputation. He wanted to call Jacob immediately,

but I asked him not to, at least for now. My mother was quieter initially, then she admitted that Chloe had always made her deeply uneasy. She recounted several instances over the years where she had noticed Chloe subtly trying to sideline me or make herself the center of Jacob's things my mother hadn't mentioned before to avoid interfering. She said she always had a bad feeling about Chloe's attachment to Jacob. Jacob's mother, Karen, left several voicemails on my phone before I turned it off, and then started calling my parents' landline. My mother answered one call. Karen was apparently furious, talking about the embarrassment we had caused, the money wasted, and demanding that I stopped this nonsense and fix the mess I created. My mother told her firmly

that I was the one who had been wronged and that she would not discuss it further with her at that time. Later that evening, my mobile phone, which I had briefly turned back on to check for any critical messages from work or non-wedding-related contacts, rang. It was Jacob. I hesitated, then answered, putting it on speakerphone with my father present in the room. Jacob sounded frantic and desperate. He asked where I was, why I had left like that, and said that Chloe was really upset and felt terrible that I had misunderstood her intentions. He started to say it was all a huge misunderstanding and that Chloe would never deliberately hurt me. I listened, then stated calmly that his response at the venue, his dismissal of my feelings

and his defense of Chloe, was the primary issue, not just Chloe's actions. I told him I couldn't talk any longer and ended the call. He tried calling back several times, but I didn't answer again. In the days that followed, several friends who had been invited to the wedding reached out. Some offered unwavering support, expressing shock at Chloe's actions and Jacob's reported response. Others were more hesitant, clearly having heard Chloe's narrative that I was unstable or had simply bolted for no good reason. Chloe has apparently been very active on social media and in group chats, portraying herself

as the bewildered friend and me as the irrational one who ruined everyone's day. A few of my close friends, who were also acquainted with Chloe through me and Jacob, admitted to me that they had seen signs of Chloe's possessiveness towards Jacob for years. They mentioned occasions where Chloe had monopolized his time or made passive-aggressive comments about me, but they hadn't spoken up forcefully, either because they didn't want to rock the boat in our social circle or because they hadn't fully grasped the extent of her influence until now. Their admissions were painful to hear, but also validating. The venue has been contacted regarding the cancellation. As expected, most of the payments are non-refundable.

The financial aspect is a secondary concern right now, but will need to be addressed. My focus has been on creating distance and processing the immediate events. Update 2, it has been two weeks since my original post, and about three weeks since the day of the non-wedding. The initial wave of chaos has subsided somewhat, but the situation remains complex and deeply painful. Thank you again for the continued messages and perspectives. Many of you asked for more context on why Jacob's actions were the final straw, and I'll try to elaborate. I explained in my previous update that walking away wasn't solely about Chloe's malicious message. It was about Jacob's reaction, which was the culmination of a seven-year pattern where my feelings and concerns, particularly regarding Chloe, were consistently

dismissed or minimized. There were countless smaller incidents. For instance, Jacob shared intimate details of our relationship with Chloe, arguments we'd had, my personal insecurities, even details about our plans for the future that I believed were private. I only discovered this accidentally when Chloe referenced something I had told Jacob in alone. When I confronted Jacob, he defended it by saying Chloe was his best friend and he talked to her about everything, seeing no breach of my trust. On at least two occasions, Chloe coincidentally booked vacations at the same resort or nearby locations when Jacob and I were on anniversary trips. Jacob insisted it was just a funny coincidence and that it would be rude not to spend some time

with her, effectively turning parts of our romantic getaways into group outings. My objections were framed as me being jealous or insecure. There were also birthdays of mine where Jacobs seemed more concerned with Chloe's enjoyment or inclusion in the plans than my own preferences. One year, he invited her to a small, intimate dinner I had specifically requested with just him, stating Chloe would be upset if she was left out. These instances, and many others like them, created a dynamic where I often felt like an accessory to Jacob and Chloe's lifelong friendship, rather than Jacob's primary partner.

His response on the wedding day wasn't an isolated lapse in judgment. It was consistent with his established pattern of prioritizing. Chloe's perceived needs or his comfort in avoiding conflict with her, over my emotional well-being and the security of our relationship. The wedding incident was merely the most public and damaging manifestation of this. My brother, David, and sister, Emily, have been incredibly supportive. They were, and still are, furious on my behalf. After my initial explanation, they took it upon themselves to contact mutual friends and some of our family members who had been at the venue or heard distorted versions of events. They calmly and factually explained what Chloe did,

including sharing screenshots of Chloe's group chat messages which some of my friends had forwarded to me. They also relayed Jacob's reaction as I described it. This has had a mixed but generally positive effect. Several guests who had initially expressed confusion or had believed Chloe's narrative reached out to me or my parents with apologies. One of my aunts, who had initially called my mother quite upset about the scandal, called back to apologize, saying she hadn't understood the full context. However, many of Jacob's family members and some of his friends, remained firmly on his, and Chloe's side, believing I overreacted catastrophically.

Jacob did not stop trying to reach me after that first call I took at my parents' house. He called multiple times a day, every day, for the first week. I did not answer. He then started sending long, rambling emails. These emails were a strange mix of apologies for how things got out of hand. Justifications for his behavior, I was just in shock and didn't know what to say, blaming Chloe. Chloe really messed up, I'm so angry with her, and pleading for me to just talk to him so we could fix this. About 10 days after the event, he showed up unannounced at my parents' house. My father met him at the door. I was upstairs but could hear the exchange.

My father was very firm. He told Jacob that I did not want to see him, that he had deeply hurt me, and that he needed to leave and respect my request for space. Jacob apparently tried to argue, to plead to speak with me directly, but my father did not relent. Jacob eventually left, but not before reiterating that he just wanted to make things right. He also tried to get my siblings to mediate or convince me to speak with him, but they were both refused and told him to respect my wishes. The financial consequences are substantial. The wedding, in total, was budgeted for around $40,000, with contributions from both our families

and our personal savings. As anticipated, most vendor contracts had clauses about cancellations, especially so close to the date, meaning the majority of the money paid is non-refundable. My parents had contributed a significant sum, as had I, Jacob's parents had also paid for several aspects. My parents have been very understanding and have offered to absorb the losses from their contribution and help me cover some of what I personally lost. I have made the decision that I will not be seeking any reimbursement from Jacob or his family for my portion of the expenses or for the deposits I paid for my own funds. The thought of engaging in financial negotiations with him or his family is unbearable. I prefer to take the financial hit and have a cleaner break.

I have started the process of trying to sell my wedding dress through a consignment shop, though I don't expect to recoup much of its value. The rings are another matter, the engagement ring is with me, and I will likely return it to Jacob via my father at some point, though I haven't addressed that yet. The emotional toll of this experience has been immense. Many friends, and indeed many comments on my original post, suggested therapy. I have taken this advice seriously. I spent some time last week researching therapists in my area who specialize in relationship trauma,

emotional abuse, and recovery from significant life upheavals. I have an initial consultation scheduled for next week. I recognize that processing this betrayal and the years leading up to it will be a long journey. Update 3. It's been approximately two months since my last update, which means it's been just over two and a half months since the wedding day that didn't happen. A fair amount has transpired, and I felt it was appropriate to provide a final update, as many of you have followed this story and offered considerable support. After a few weeks at my parents' house, I made the decision to temporarily move in with my close

friend. While my parents were incredibly supportive, being in my childhood home, surrounded by so many memories and in a place where Jacob knew he could easily find me or attempt contact via my family, was becoming stressful. Laura had a spare room and offered it to me without hesitation. Moving there provided a much-needed neutral space, a degree of anonymity, and a chance to have some emotional distance from the immediate epicenter of the fallout. Despite my clear indications that I wanted no contact, Jacob persisted. About three weeks ago, he managed to obtain Laura's phone number through a mutual acquaintance, a person with whom I have since severed ties, as I had

explicitly asked them not to share my new living situation or contact details. He called me on Laura's phone, she passed it to me, looking concerned. His tone was different this time. He said he had done a lot of thinking and that he finally understood the extent of Chloe's manipulation and, more importantly, his own failings in our relationship and on the wedding day. He claimed he had a massive confrontation with Chloe, during which he told her he recognized the toxicity of her behavior and its impact on our relationship. He stated he had cut all ties as supposed proof. He later texted Laura's phone, as I had blocked him on mine, a screenshot that appeared to show Chloe's contact blocked on his phone and a brief, angry text exchange. He pleaded for an

opportunity to meet, to talk in person, to show me he was serious about changing and to see if there was any way to rebuild what was broken. I listened to what Jacob had to say on that call without much interruption. When he finished, I told him that while I acknowledged his apparent realization and his decision regarding Chloe, it didn't change what had happened. I explained that Chloe being out of the picture, even if true and permanent, didn't erase his actions, his words, or the cumulative effect of the preceding seven years where he consistently chose to ignore my feelings regarding her and other matters. I stated that the trust between us was irrevocably shattered and that I could not envision a future where it could be restored to what it once was,

or what it would need to be for a healthy marriage. I told him I did not want to meet. Following that phone call, and after discussing it with Laura and my therapist, I started sessions shortly after my last update, I decided to send Jacob a formal communication. I composed an email with a copy sent to my father for his records, though he was not directly involved in its sending. In the email, I reiterated what I had told him on the phone,

that our relationship was over, and his continued attempts to contact me were causing significant distress and hindering my ability to move forward. I explicitly requested that he cease all forms of communication with me, my family, and my close friends. I stated that any further unsolicited contact would be documented and could be perceived as harassment. A few days after I sent the email, Jacob's aunt, his mother's sister, called my mother. She apparently tried to plead Jacob's case, saying he was heartbroken, remorseful, and that I should find it in my heart to forgive him, especially now that he had gotten rid of Chloe. My mother listened politely for a short while and then told her that this was a matter for me and Jacob to handle, or not handle, as the case may be,

and that my decision was made. She then passed the phone to me, as I was there at the time visiting. I took the phone and spoke to Jacob's aunt. I was polite but very firm. I told her that I appreciate her concern for her nephew, but the situation was deeply personal, my decision was final, and I was not prepared to discuss it further with her or any other member of their family. I then ended the call. I want to thank everyone who has read my posts and offered their perspectives. It was unexpectedly helpful to explain the situation and receive feedback from an impartial audience. This will be my final update on this matter. I am currently focusing on my therapy sessions, which are proving to be challenging but also very necessary. My living situation

with Laura is stable and provides a calm environment. I don't know what the future holds, and there are still practical matters to sort out, like the final disposition of the engagement ring, which my father will be returning to Jacob's family on my behalf next week. However, I know with certainty that my future will not include Jacob.