Weddings are meant to be a celebration of love, but sometimes they rip open old wounds, and everything gets hairy. What should have been a fun evening for her turned into a slap in the face when her dad used his big day to take cheap shots at her mom.
She listened as her dad praised his new wife by trashing his old one. It wasn’t funny to her; it was hurtful, especially because her mom has been such a light in her life. So when a groom says cruel things about his former bride, are you supposed to sit there quietly or take a stand?
Back when this 24-year-old girl was 15, her mom and dad got divorced. While the split was somewhat amicable, it broke her heart, especially since her dad wasted no time finding someone new.
Barely a year after the divorce, her dad began dating a woman named Sarah, whom he recently married. As for her mom, she wasn’t interested in finding love; she put all of her time, energy, and attention into being a mom.
Over the weekend, her dad tied the knot with Sarah, and she was invited to be there. The ceremony went off without a hitch, but things got ugly when the reception rolled around.
“During his speech, my dad made a joke that completely blindsided me. He said something along the lines of, Well, I finally found someone who knows how to make a marriage work,” she explained.
“A lot of people laughed, but I just froze. It felt like a direct insult to my mom, the woman who did everything for us growing up. I tried to shake it off, but later, I overheard him telling one of his friends that Sarah was the best decision he ever made and that his only regret was wasting so many years with the wrong person.”
“That stung. My mom may not be perfect, but she’s been nothing but respectful toward him, even after everything.”
She ducked outside, hoping the fresh air would help her remain calm, but it did just the opposite. Her anger welled up inside her as she tried to get a grip on her emotions.
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Finally, she made the decision to walk out of her dad’s wedding without so much as saying congratulations or goodbye to him. She just Irish exited and went home.
A couple of hours later, her dad phoned her up in a fury, accusing her of destroying his wedding day by leaving in such a rude way.
“Sarah also messaged me, saying I embarrassed them in front of their guests and should apologize. I told them I wasn’t apologizing for protecting my mom’s dignity, but now my dad isn’t speaking to me, and even my sister thinks I overreacted,” she continued.
“Am I wrong for walking out? Should I have just swallowed my feelings for the sake of the day?”
Sitting there and pretending to be happy while her dad rewrote the past with a punchline would’ve meant co-signing the public erasure of the woman who raised her.
Any man who needs to humiliate his ex to validate his new wife isn’t celebrating love; he’s performing for applause. Her leaving is the most honest thing anyone did all night, and she doesn’t owe anyone an apology.
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By Bre Avery Zacharski
Hi, I'm Bre, Chip Chick's CEO! I have a degree in Textile/Surface Design from The Fashion Institute of Technology, and... More about Bre Avery Zacharski
