Bride-To-Be Pushes Back On In-Law’s Sneaky Ploy To Force Hostile SIL Into Her Bridal Train

“I’m sorry but I do NOT want someone I barely have a relationship with on my train.”

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• December 24, 2023

Our narrator (Original Poster) and her fiancé recently took the plunge. They were set to say “I do” in an official ceremony a few months away.

Preparations were in full swing, with OP meticulously curating her dream bridal squad. Unsurprisingly, her tight-knit family secured prime roles; her sisters were maids of honor, and her brother was an officiant.

OP’s fiancé and his sister didn’t have much of a relationship—she extended the same lack of warmth to OP. In fact, at the initial stages of their courtship, she was downright mean and dismissive. So when OP disclosed his sister wouldn’t be a bridesmaid, her fiancé didn’t bat an eye. 

Soon after their engagement, OP found herself in the hot seat with her mother-in-law—a post-engagement heart-to-heart was in order.

This ‘heart-to-heart’ involved her personal wishlist, which was obviously non-negotiable: a destination wedding was a big no-no, the wedding had to be big to accommodate her lengthy guest list, and her nephew had to be in the wedding party. OP swiftly complied with these and the other complex demands that followed.

Enter the father-in-law, who claimed to be plagued by sleepless nights, headaches, and physical illness. The crux of his distress? His daughter is not being designated as a bridesmaid. 

A battlefield of conflicting desires ensued as OP’s fiancé who was previously indifferent, now suddenly pushed for his father’s wish to be granted. He even played hardball, threatening payback if their desires weren’t met.

But it was OP’s wedding, too, and she wanted only her best girls as bridesmaids—her fiancé’s sister definitely didn’t make the cut. Was there another way out of this?

Let’s dig into the details

A bit of background

OP’s MIL sat her down and listed her “hopes” for their upcoming wedding

OP’s fiancé made a U-turn and started insisting that he wants his sister to be a bridesmaid

OP wasn’t sold on the idea, and all her efforts to reach a compromise with her fiancé failed

Too long, didn’t read

Here’s how the Reddit community reacted to the story:

“Read your last sentence. This is the man that you are marrying. Petty.”

“NTA… Be prepared for some rough years ahead should you choose to go through with this marriage.”

“NTA…You chose your party. He chooses his.“

“NTA…If he is already basically blackmailing you. then you need to reconsider the entire thing.“

“Do NOT marry this man, please! He's a spineless yes-man to BOTH you AND his family.“

“NTA, the family is though, especially FSIL and the FFIL. They're trying to dictate how YOUR wedding is going to go.”

Redditors quickly pointed out that OP had already given in to many of their demands. Surely, she deserves autonomy over her own bridal train, at least?

They also raised alarm at her fiancé’s vow for payback. The community really hoped OP was stepping into this union with her eyes wide open. They basically ganged up on her, and frankly, it wasn’t looking great.

What do you think about this story? Let us know in the comments.

Jesse