Weddings should be magical days for all involved. Whether you’re tying the knot yourself or watching one of your loved ones make that lifelong commitment, the whole occasion should be heartwarming. But unfortunately for one teen who was planning on attending her father’s wedding, the happy couple decided at the last minute that no one under 18 would be welcome.
Below, you’ll find the full story that this teen recently shared on the “Am I the [Jerk]?” subreddit, detailing how she was uninvited from her dad’s special day, as well as what she decided to do in response.
This teen was excited to celebrate her father and new stepmother at their wedding
Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)
But after she was uninvited from the “childfree” occasion, she decided to spread the word on social media
Image credits: Dimitri Kuliuk (not the actual photo)
Image credits: light_blue000
Childfree weddings have become more popular in recent years
When you’re planning a wedding, the most important factors to consider are what you and your partner want. It’s your special day, so it’s up to you what kind of food to serve, whether or not you’ll have alcohol available, what kind of music you want playing and, of course, whether or not little ones will be welcome at the event. Traditionally in some cultures, children are an active part of weddings, as the flower girl and ring bearer tend to be tiny friends or family members of the bride and groom. But nowadays, the idea of having a childfree wedding is becoming more and more common.
Some of the reasons couples might opt for a childfree event are to ensure there are no poorly behaved/crying kids putting a damper on the occasion, weddings are often less fun for kids than for adults, it allows everyone a night off from parenting, no one has to filter their language or behavior without kids around, guests can be more present when they’re not occupied with their little ones, guests can stay longer when they don’t need to get their kids to bed, and weddings are incredibly expensive. So there’s no need to pay for extra food or drinks that children will only pick at or risk that a child will start throwing a tantrum at some point during the event. It’s perfectly understandable for a happy couple to keep their event adults-only.
But some guests still find them controversial
However, there are still some people who take issue with the idea of a childfree wedding. According to one UK survey, a quarter of people believe that all wedding guests should be able to bring their children along with them. And apparently, many brides and grooms who inform their guests that little ones can’t tag along receive immediate backlash. “I have family members that stopped speaking to me due to this decision,” one bride told Newsweek. “I considered them very important people in my life and would see them quite often as my family likes having family gatherings.” Another bride who had a childfree wedding told Glamour, “You wouldn’t believe the amount of people who are acting like I requested they throw their kids off a bridge or put them up for adoption,” in reference to alerting guests that they couldn’t bring their children.
When it comes to the downsides of deciding to throw a childfree wedding, Bride & Groom Direct explains that this can lead to offending guests, receiving more declined invitations, having more no-shows and possibly being judged as “selfish” by guests. Still, however, this trend is increasing in popularity. Sarah Wintersteen, a Dallas-based wedding planner, even told Glamour that about 60% of the couples she works with nowadays opt for childfree or child-limited weddings to ensure that the adults can have as much fun as possible. “Nobody wants to start dropping it low on a dance floor next to a four-year-old.” Wintersteen says. “Kids should not be at the wedding.”
Exceptions can always be made for family members, and many kids actually want to be involved in their parent’s special day
In this particular case on Reddit, however, the decision to make the event 100% childfree was probably not necessary. All of the guests would likely understand that one person under the age of 18, the groom’s daughter, is a fair exception to make. In fact, Sandy Malone, owner of Sandy Malone Weddings & Events, recommends that when kids are old enough to be involved with their parents’ wedding, they should have an important role. She says teens might enjoy choosing the music, being involved in the actual ceremony and inviting some of their friends to celebrate the day with.
“Remember, you’re not just getting married and perhaps gaining some new children in the process or bringing a new spouse into your life,” Malone writes. “Your children are gaining a whole new family through your marriage. Making them feel like they’re part of the decision-making process as well as the formalization of the bond is a great way to start things off on the right foot.”
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!
Readers assured the teen that she had done nothing wrong, while many called out her father for excluding her
The post Teen Calls Out Her Dad For Uninviting Her From His “Childfree” Wedding Right Before She Turned 18 first appeared on Bored Panda.
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