Reddit Stories - My GUARDIANS INSTRUCTED me to call off my marriage CELEBRATION just a week

Episode Date: November 24, 2025

#redditstories #askreddit #aita #relationships #family #weddingdrama #marriageadvice #guardianinterventionSummary: My GUARDIANS INSTRUCTED me to call off my marriage CELEBRATION just a week before the big day. Conflicted and confused, I sought advice from friends and ultimately made a difficult decision that left me questioning my future.Tags: redditstories, askreddit, reddit, aita, tifu, relationships, family, weddingdrama, marriageadvice, guardianintervention, decisionmaking, personalgrowth, difficultchoices, futureuncertain, conflictedfeelings, seekingadvice, questioningchoices, marriagecelebration, bigday, conflicteddecisionsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reddit-stories--6237355/support.

I hope you enjoy this story. My guardians instructed me to call off my marriage celebration just a week before the event and transfer all arrangements, including the location, food provider, and bridal gown, to my elder sibling, as she is expecting a baby, and deserves to be married first. I am getting married in just a week to my wonderful partner, Henry, and I couldn't be more excited. When Henry and I got engaged, we initially agreed on having a simple court wedding. Both of us thought it made the most sense financially and emotionally. We didn't see the point in spending thousands of dollars on a single day,

even if it was such a significant one. For us, what truly mattered was our commitment to each other, not a lavish event filled with all the traditional bells and whistles. It seemed extravagant to spend so much money on inviting a large number of people and feeding them just to keep up with societal expectations. We both felt it was a waste of resources that could instead be invested in building our life together whether it was for our future home, travel, or savings. However, things changed once our families found out about our engagement. They were thrilled for us, of course, but they

didn't take too kindly to the idea of a quiet, private court wedding. In fact, they outright insisted that we have a grand wedding. My parents were particularly vocal about this. They explained that, since I was first of their children to get married, it was important to them to celebrate the occasion properly. It was something they had dreamed of for years, and they didn't want to let it pass by without the kind of celebration they believed it deserved. You see, my older sister, Christina, is still unmarried. As the younger sibling, I hadn't expected to be the first to tie the knot, but that's how things worked out, I guess. I imagine this made my parents even more eager to pull out all the stops for my wedding. They probably saw it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

at least until Christina had her moment. While it wasn't what Henry and I originally had in mind, seeing how much this wedding meant to our loved ones made us change our minds. In the end, we changed our minds just to appease them. Both of our parents sat down with us and contributed some money toward the celebration, while Henry and I covered the rest of the expenses.

Over the past few months, I've poured countless hours and an enormous amount of energy into planning this wedding. Every detail has been a labor of work. love. One of the highlights of this process was working closely with my future mother-in-law. She and I spent week scouting various locations and visiting multiple venues until we finally found the perfect one. It's a beautiful spot that feels just right for our special day, and finalizing it was a moment of triumph for both of us. We've also locked in a great caterer

and nailed down so many other key details, from the flowers to the decor. Every step has brought us closer to seeing our vision come to life. Just last week, I went wedding dress shopping. My mom and mother-in-law joined me during this. It was surreal trying on gowns and picturing myself walking down the aisle in front of our loved ones. During all this, my sister, Christina, wasn't able to join us. I had really hoped she'd be there to share that moment with me, but she told me she had some other plans. I was disappointed, but I didn't press her for a reason. At the time, I assumed she really had her own commitments or just didn't feel up to it, so I didn't give it much thought.

That is, until today. This morning, I got a call from my parents asking me to come over to their house urgently. They sounded unusually cheerful and told me they had something important to share. Curious, I made my way over, and when I arrived, I could immediately tell something was up. Both of them were practically glowing with excitement. my mom wasted no time in delivering the news, Christina is pregnant. To say I was shocked would be an understatement. I hadn't heard even a whisper about Christina dating anyone seriously,

so this came completely out of the blue. Mom was absolutely ecstatic as she shared the news about my sister's pregnancy, calling it a miracle and a blessing for our family. She explained that Christina hadn't even been trying to conceive, which made the pregnancy feel all the more unexpected and special in her eyes. While my mom gushed over how wonderful this surprise was, my mind couldn't stop racing. I couldn't help but ask the obvious question, who is Christina even dating? I genuinely had no idea about this mystery man she was supposedly seeing.

For context, my older sister, Christina, and I have never been particularly close. Growing up, there was always a sense of distance between us. She seldom shows interest in my life or reaches out to call me, which can't even can be hurtful at times. I've long suspected that it stems from the fact that she is academically more gifted. She considers herself as more superior to me, a notion she made clear with her words. I still remember her taunting me with that exact term a few years ago, making it obvious that she looked down on me as a person. Unlike her, I've always been more of a dreamer, someone who has thrived in creative, artsy spaces. My head was often in the clouds, as she put it.

I didn't attend a prestigious university or pursue a high-powered career like her, and you know, I am okay with my decisions. I've always been content with what I have and what I've built for myself, even if it doesn't fit her definition of success. But for Christina, this seemed to be a point of contention for her to look down on me. When I met Henry and our relationship started getting serious, Christina was never supportive. She would constantly warn me that Henry would break my heart if I gave too much of myself to him, and she always urged me to focus on building a career instead of falling in love.

Her comments were dismissive and undermine my happiness, as though my relationship wasn't worth investing in. Even when Henry and I got engaged, she couldn't muster much enthusiasm. All I received was a simple congratulatory text no phone call, no flower, no meaningful conversation, nothing. Despite the lack of warmth or support from her throughout my life, I still wanted to include her in my wedding as she is important to me. I thought my wedding might be an opportunity to bridge some of the distance between us,

so I had even asked her to be one of my bridesmaids. To my disappointment, she had declined, saying she didn't want to have any prominent role in the wedding and that she would be happy being just a guest. Even though her words stung, I didn't push her on it. Throughout the wedding planning process, her disinterest has been glaringly obvious. Whenever I've sought her opinion on something, she's either brushed me off or ignored me altogether. The few times I've tried to include her in meaningful moments, like inviting her to join me for wedding dress shopping, she hasn't shown up. And now I was getting to hear from my parents that my

sister was pregnant out of nowhere. My parents went on to gush about how Christina had met someone a few months ago, and how happy she seemed with this man. Despite my complicated feelings toward Christina, I genuinely felt happy for her. A baby is a blessing, and if she had indeed found someone who made her happy, that was worth celebrating. I told my mom I would call Christina later to congratulate her on the pregnancy. It seemed like the right thing to do, and I wanted to show her my support in this big moment. But then, my parents told me that they were not finished. My dad told me there was something else they needed to discuss with me. He hesitated for a moment, which made me nervous, and then he said it.

Christina was planning to marry the father of her child. This made sense, of course, she would want to marry the person she's in love with and having a child with. But then my dad added that they wanted me to give up my wedding to Christina. I stared at him, utterly confused. What do you mean, give up my wedding? I asked, though, I could feel the answer hanging in the air. My dad went on to explain that since they had already contributed money to my

wedding plans, they couldn't afford to pay for Christina's wedding as well. Hence, his solution was for me to turn my own wedding into Christina's wedding and let my sister take over. My mom chimed in, saying that I should do this for my sister as her wedding gift and that I could always have another wedding later on. Mom even pointed out that since Henry and I originally wanted a court wedding, maybe I could just go back to that plan and get married quietly now. This way, Christina could have the big celebration my parents felt she deserved, especially with her pregnancy and a new man. My mouth was wide open hearing their suggestions. I looked at both of them for a minute as I sat there digesting this information. Were my parents seriously

asking me to give up my wedding to my sister? What in the world was going on? All the hours I had spent planning, the excitement I had built up for this day, the compromises Henry and I had made to accommodate everyone's wishes it was like none of it mattered. When I finally found my voice, I asked them, have you lost your minds? I reminded them that my wedding was literally a week away. This wasn't some casual plan that could easily be tossed aside. I had spent months of my life meticulously planning every detail of my wedding. I had poured my time, energy, and emotions into making this day special, not just for Henry and me but for them too for our families. I asked them, can you even ask me such a thing? Do you have any idea about all the money, time, and effort I've put

into this? The invitations have been sent out already. The caterers have been hired. The venue is booked. My dress is bought. What am I supposed to do now? Throw all of that away for my sister. My words came out sharper than I intended, but I didn't care. I was completely floored by their audacity. My mom, unfazed by my reaction, immediately countered with her reasoning, Christina is pregnant. She needs to get married first. Your wedding can wait. My dad chimed in to back her up, saying they would never have made such a request if it weren't really urgent. He even tried to reassure me, saying it wouldn't take much time to rescind my wedding invites and adjust all the wedding arrangements for Christina. To make matters worse, my mom then said,

your wedding dress won't go to waste. You can just give it to Christina instead. It was as if she thought that handing over the dress I had chosen for one of the most important days of my life to my sister would magically make me even more okay with this outrageous plan. My parents' complete lack of understanding or willingness to understand was infuriating. I took a deep breath, trying to keep my composure, and firmly told them that I was not going to give up my wedding. My wedding venue, my dress, the months of planning, the countless hours I had poured into making this day special it was all staying exactly as it was. My wedding was happening as planned. Hearing this, my dad's face darkened with anger. He stood up and practically yelled,

it's our money that you used for this wedding. You have no right to go against us. If we're paying, we decide how the money is spent. His voice echoed through the room. My dad continued, Christina getting married is more important than you getting married. She's giving us our first grandchild, and that baby deserves to have a happy and stable family. This is bigger than you. My mom quickly jumped in, her tone more insistent than pleading now. You're not even pregnant. And you've always said you didn't care about having a grand wedding in the first place. You thought it was a waste of money, remember? So now you can just let Christina have it. She deserves to be celebrated for bringing our first grandchild into the family.

My chest tightened as their words sank in. My marriage, my happiness, my hard work it was all irrelevant to them because I wasn't giving them a grandchild. My parents, the people who were supposed to support me unconditionally, were making it clear that Christina and her unborn baby were their priority before me. I reminded them how they had been the one to insist on me to have a grand celebration in the first place and now just a week before my wedding, they were demanding me to give it up for my sister as if I am nothing. And another thing, I continued, glaring at both of them, you keep talking about how you paid for the wedding. Yes, you gave me money, but let's get one thing straight you explicitly told me it was a gift. Not alone, not a way for you to control

me, but a wedding gift. You weren't the only ones who contributed. Henry and I paid for this wedding too. and so did his parents. Do you think they're just going to sit back and let you hijack this entire event? My mom opened her mouth to respond, but I cut her off. Let me be very clear, I said, my voice steady now. This wedding is happening. My wedding. If you can't support that, then don't come.

But don't think for one second that I'm going to cancel my wedding to appease you or Christina. I won't let you take this away from me. Hearing this, my parents yelled that I was being selfish and greedy for denying them their request. My dad, still trying to make his case, said, even if the money we gave was a gift, we still have every right to ask you this. Your sister should be getting married before you. We wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. His tone was condescending, as if he was explaining something to a stubborn child rather than addressing me as an adult. My mom jumped in next, her voice syrupy sweet but loaded with guilt-tripping undertones.

You could just talk to Henry and your in-laws about paying them back. I'm sure they'd understand, and they'd be willing to wait for you to save up in the future and repay them. The audacity of them to suggest that I should absorb the financial and emotional burden of canceling the wedding for something that wasn't even my responsibility was mind-boggling. Did they truly not see how outrageous they were being? Or did they simply not care? Then my mom dropped the ultimate guilt line.

Anyone in your place would agree to this because christens is your family and she comes first. At this point, I was so livid I could barely see straight. The anger, the hurt, the sheer disbelief at how unreasonable they were being it was overwhelming. I stood up, gathering my things, and stared at them both. Listen, I said, my voice trembling with controlled fury. My wedding is happening in a week. Everything you say or do is going to change that. I am happy for Christina truly, I am.

But I'm not going to give up on my wedding, not for anyone. Ever since then, my parents have been hounding me with messages and calls calling me names and trying to bully me into giving into their demand. I am honestly at a loss of words. So, Reddit IDA for not giving up my wedding for my pregnant sister? Update 1. My parents have always shown favoritism toward my sister, Christina, and while it's the only thing I've ever done, I've never thought it would reach this level. Sure, there were moments in our childhood when it was clear she was their favorite

like the extra praise for her accomplishments. The way they'd dismiss my interests is less important but this? Asking me to give up my wedding so she could have it instead? It's absolutely ridiculous. I didn't think they were capable of something so blatantly cruel. Their entitlement and the sudden shift in their behavior has left me shaken. They gave me money for my wedding, yes, but they presented it as a gift something freely given out of love and support. And now, just because they gave me that money, they think they have the right to dictate what I do with it. To the extent of demanding that I cancel my wedding for Christina. How is that even remotely fair? How do they not see how hurtful and unreasonable their being? For those of you asking if I've

reached out to Christina, yes, I did. I called her after the conversation with my parents, hoping to congratulate her on her pregnancy and talk to her about what's been happening. But she hasn't returned my calls yet. I don't know if she's avoiding me, if she's overwhelmed with her own life right now, or if she even knows what our parents have asked of me. I'm left in the dark, which only adds to the frustration and confusion I'm feeling. When I got home after that awful conversation with my parents, I sat down with Henry and told him everything.

He listened as I poured out the entire story, every word, every emotion. By the time I finished, he was furious. He couldn't believe my parents would even think to ask me something like that. He's seen how much effort I've put into planning this wedding, and he knows how much it means to me. The fact that they would try to take all of that away and give it to Christina left him as shocked and angry as I was. Henry loves me deeply, and seeing me so shaken up after the way my parents treated me broke his heart. He immediately wanted to confront them, to tell them how wrong they were and stand up for me. But I asked him not to. As much as I appreciated his support and his protective instincts, I didn't want things

to escalate further. The last thing I needed was for this already painful situation to spiral into a full-blown family feud. Instead, Henry and I talked things over, and we came to a decision. Even though the money my parents gave us was a wedding gift something they gave willingly and without any conditions attached we've decided to return it to them. Legally, we don't have any obligation to do this. A gift is a gift. But morally, we don't want their money hanging over us like this. We don't want to feel indebted to them or give them any leverage to try and manipulate

us in the future. Returning the money feels like the only way to reclaim our autonomy and put some distance between us and their unreasonable demands. This decision wasn't an easy one. We'll have to dip into our savings to cover the amount, and it means tightening our budget for a while. But Henry and I agree that it's still worth it. We want to start our married life without this toxic cloud hanging over us. My parents' actions have been incredibly hurtful, but Henry's unwavering support reminds me that I have someone who truly values and respects me. At the end of the

day, that's what matters the most. We'll be returning their money as soon as possible, and once it's done, sense of relief knowing that our wedding will be funded entirely by us and Henry's parents. It may not erase the hurt my parents have caused, but it will give us a clean slate and allow us to move forward without any lingering ties to their demands. Update 2, I talked with Christina and now everything makes sense. It turns out that the entire situation was instigated by her. My sister, the one who has always seemed indifferent to my life and my plans, was the one who asked my parents to make me give up my wedding for hers. I was in complete disbelief when

she told me. She didn't even try to hide it. Christina was unapologetic. She told me, almost matter-of-factly, that as the oldest child, she didn't think it was unreasonable for our parents to ask me for such a huge favor for her. She actually seemed to think I should be honored by the request, as if it was some great act of generosity on her part that I should feel privileged to accommodate. When I pressed her further, she told me the reasoning behind her request. Apparently, when she knew that our parents had given me wedding money. Then, when she got pregnant and wanted to get married, it sparked an idea in her head. She figured that since I had the money and the wedding plans already in place, it wouldn't hurt me to let her use

everything I had set up. In her eyes, it was the most logical and convenient solution to her situation. Her argument was that it would take her too much time to plan everything herself finding a new venue, booking a caterer, organizing the details. It would be time-consuming, she said. Meanwhile, my wedding plans were already set in motion, and if I just stepped aside, she could take advantage of the hard work I'd already put into everything. The venue, the caterers, the dress, the flowers, all of it could be hers, saving her so much effort and stress. It was as though she believed that my wedding should be a mere afterthought because she was dealing with what she perceived as a more urgent situation, her pregnancy. I was speechless at first,

trying to make sense of her words. What struck me most was her sense of entitlement, how she assumed that I would just bend to her well because she was the oldest, as if that automatically made her needs more important than mine. I told her how selfish and rude it was for her to just assume that I would give up my wedding for her, without even having the decency to discuss it with me first. Christina went on to argue that unlike me, she has a proper career and hence she is too busy in her life to worry about a silly wedding. She went on to explain that if she hadn't gotten pregnant, she wouldn't even be getting married in the first place. I told her that Henry and I were already planning to return the wedding money to our parents, and I suggested that she could

probably ask them for the money instead. I told her she could use it for her own wedding if she wanted. In my mind, this was the most reasonable suggestion. After all, it was their money, and if they were so willing to support her, then that was the best way to go about it. Christina then had the nerve to ask if I would at least help her plan her wedding. She argued that since I was not letting her have my wedding, should at least help her out by planning one for her. Apparently, in her eyes, I was more into such things, so I would be perfect for the job. Without hesitating, I coldly told her no. The entitlement, the lack of gratitude it was too much.

I told her that if she needed help with planning her wedding, she could ask our parents. I had enough of this whole situation, and I wasn't going to be dragged further into her drama. At that point, I also uninvited Christina for my wedding. I didn't want her there, especially after everything she'd said and done. My sister did not even care about me uninviting her as she told me that she had already made up her mind to not attend my wedding. Okay, so Henry and I have returned my parents' money by now. We knew it was the right thing to do, especially after the way my parents had acted. To make things work, we did have to take a small loan from Henry's parents.

They were more than happy to help us out, and we are incredibly grateful to them. We've agreed to pay them back monthly, and it's a relief to know that we have their support during this difficult time. When we returned my parents' money, they were far from pleased. This time, Henry came with me, and he took charge of the conversation. He started by first scolding my parents for trying to pressure me into giving up our wedding. He told them how wrong it was for them to manipulate me and make me feel like I should sacrifice my own happiness for my sisters.

After making it clear how hurtful and unfair their behavior was, Henry told them that even he didn't want them at our wedding. Until this point, my parents still hoped that my earlier decision to un-invite them was just a joke. However, after we returned their money and Henry directly told them the truth, they were stunned. My parents tried to argue, tried to defend themselves, but Henry stood his ground. He told them that they had already caused enough drama and tension. We didn't want that kind of negativity on what was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives.

He made it clear that since we had returned their money, they had no reason to continue trying to control us or manipulate the situation. This is when my mom threatened that if we uninvited them from the wedding then they would just cut me off from their lives. She accused her. She accused Henry and me of intentionally humiliating them by not allowing them to attend our wedding. In response, I told my mom she was right I did want to humiliate her and dad, to make them understand just how absurd it was for them to demand that I give up my own wedding. However, I added that if they felt the need to cut me off because of this, I would accept their decision. Then, in a moment of strength and clarity, Henry said something that really

struck me. He told my parents that one day, we were going to have children of our own, but we would make sure that our future children would never be introduced to them. He explained that our kids didn't deserve to have such selfish, manipulative grandparents in their lives. My parents didn't know how to respond. They were angry and embarrassed, but there was nothing more they could do. It's hard to put into words how thankful I am to have Henry by my side. I don't know how I would have handled my parents' drama without him. With his unwavering support, I couldn't have asked for a better partner. Update 4. This week, Henry and I finally got married, and fortunately, everything went smoothly. Despite all the drama and tension leading up to the big day, the wedding itself was

everything we had hoped for. We had the day to ourselves, surrounded by people who truly cared about us and supported us, without the toxic cloud that my parents and Christina would have undoubtedly brought. For everyone asking, no, my parents and Christina didn't show up. I had uninvited them and as painful as it was to make that decision, I think it was the right one. There was a lot of emotional weight behind that choice, but on the day of the wedding, it was clear to me that it was the best decision for us. I won't lie there were moments when I missed them, or at least wished things had been different. But not having them there allowed us to truly enjoy the day without worrying about any potential drama or hurtful comments. It was a day that was about

Henry and me, and the love and commitment we share. My friends, Henry's family, and our other loved ones made the day perfect, and in the end, that's what mattered most.