Perfect Woman
Tim was finally with the woman of his dreams. Sarah was perfect. She was smart, sweet, and beautiful, according to Tim. He was madly in love with her, so it came as no surprise when he asked Sarah to marry him.
Sarah said yes, she dreamed of settling down with a good man and starting a family. But she was hiding something that would completely change the future that Tim had imagined for them.
Close Family
During the holidays, Tim took Sarah with him to visit his family. He had three sisters that he loved and adored. He came from a large family and he understood the importance of family and having everyone accept Sarah for who she was.
He couldn't wait for Sarah to meet his Grandma, Jill. She was his best friend and they spoke almost every day. Grandma Jill was excited for Tim, she was so grateful that he found a good woman to love. At least, that's what they all thought.
Meeting Her
Grandma Jill and the rest of his family were overjoyed to welcome Sarah into their family. They greeted her with warm hearts and love. They were impressed that she managed to make workaholic Tim slow down and settle down. They never thought it was possible.
They could see why Tim loved her so much. They ould see how sweet, caring, beautiful and classy she was. But they never could have guessed what monstrosity of a journey she would embark on their lives.
Overwhelmed
Although they were all happy to meet her, she still felt overwhelmed by everything. Sarah came from a small family, and she never really got to know her grandparents, which meant that family wasn't as important t her as it was to Tim.
But she knew how much it meant to Tim, so she decided to embrace Grandma Jilla and pretend that she was overjoyed to meet everyone. She knew that she only had to play nice until their wedding.
Family Ring
Grandma Jill was ecstatic when she learned that her only grandson would be getting married. She had been waiting for this day for years now. She knew that Tim would make the perfect husband and that his future wife would be lucky to have him.
She had always wanted to pass her family ring down to him. It was a ring given to her by her mother. Grandma Jill had lost her husband just four years before Tim proposed to Sarah. Their engagement made her feel nostalgic about the marriage she had with her husband, it was something she yearned for. She loved weddings and she couldn't wait to attend theirs.
Happiest Bride
A lot of marriage therapists seem to think that marriage begins with wedding preparations. They believe that if a couple can't agree on sentimental things, their marriage is doomed.
But Tim and Sarah had no problems when it came to that because he said yes to everything she wanted. Tim was set on making her the happiest woman in the world, no matter what.
Planning Everything
She wanted a fairytale wedding and she wanted it to be perfect. She lived by: go big or go home. She wanted everything to run smoothly on the day of their wedding, the venue, the décor, the outfits, everything.
She had dreamt of this day since she was a little girl, she knew exactly what she wanted. She even knew what she wanted Tim's tuxedo to look like. Most people would find that controlling, but Tim thought it was thoughtful.
Bridezilla
Sarah had a long list of demands, from basic to outrageous. She even asked Tim's parents to wear specific clothes. Tim's older sister was worried that Sarah was turning into a 'Bridezilla'.
But Tim defended her by explaining that she liked things organized a certain way. He explained that she was passionate about the things she cared about. But his sister still wasn't impressed and warned Tim to look out.
Guest Lists
Tim was popular in his workplace, but he didn't have nearly as many friends as Sarah had. The majority of his guest list was taken up by his family members.
He knew it was important to have family bear witness to his matrimonial ceremony, so he asked them all to be there. Sarah was annoyed by this. She wanted more friends and less family at the wedding. It was like she wanted it to be one big party.
No Kids
Sarah insisted that no children were allowed at her wedding because she wanted a huge party with adults dancing and an open bar.
Tim was upset that he had to uninvite all his friends’ kids and all his underage cousins - who had always been a huge part of his life. Then, Sarah made another demand that made Tim’s jaw drop.
Bridezilla Nightmare
As they were finalizing the guest list, Sarah asked for the one thing that changed the trajectory of things. She told Tim that she felt that Grandma Jill should skip the reception and only attend the ceremony, that way she can go home and rest, while they carried on celebrating and having a good time.
Tim’s face dropped, he could believe the words that just came out of Sarah’s mouth, and it felt like he was in a bad dream.
Grandma’s Best Interest
Sarah explained that the reason she said that was because she was only concerned about Grandma Jill’s comfort. She wanted the reception to be a big party where she could get hammered and go crazy. And the last thing she wanted was to be worried about how loud the music would be for grandma.
She said she was not prepared to take care of her at her reception, she wanted the day to be fun and Grandma-free. She just didn’t want to deal with any “Grandma drama.”
Cross Roads
Tim found Sarah’s explanation outrageous and finally put his foot down. I mean grandma was not even that old and could take care of herself! She still enjoyed a glass of whisky now and then and also knew her way around the dance floor.
Tim even went as far as to ask Grandma Jill how she felt about the loud music, and she couldn’t wait to dance with Tim. So once again, Tim felt confused by this odd new behavior. Things just didn’t feel right.
Love and War
Sarah was not budging on this request. If she had it her way, the entire elderly family clan would attend the ceremony only and go to sleep after. Sarah wanted to let loose and get drunk with her girls and felt like Grandma was going to kill her vibe and be a giant inconvenience.
Sarah really felt strongly about this, and poor Grandma felt like she was in the middle of a war she had not intended starting or engaging in.
Taking It To Reddit
Sarah was so sure she was the one in the right that she took her story to Reddit’s AITA thread. This Reddit thread is for people to post about their personal conflicts and get judged if they are in the wrong by other, objective users.
Sarah felt so entitled that she obviously expected everyone to side with her on the isue, but she was in for a big shock.
The Controversial Post
“We've agreed to not have kids at our wedding, as we want the reception to be a huge party for your adult friends and family with dancing, loud music and an open bar,” Sarah wrote.
“However, for precisely the same reasons that we don't want kids there, I don't want his elderly grandmother at our wedding either.”
“I Am The Bride”
“She and he both insist that she will be fine and wants to go to the party. But I just know it will inevitably lead to us dealing with her and taking care of her, and I just want to get drunk and let loose with my friends,” Sarah’s post continued.
“She's now really upset and won't talk to me, and my fiance is also angry. I think I am within my right to make this request, I am the bride after all.” But Sarah didn’t expect the responses she got.
Lambasted Online
Sarah’s post stirred up a storm on Reddit. Within no time, it had garnered more than two thousand comments.
The people who read it were absolutely disgusted that this bridezilla wanted to ban her fiance’s grandmother from her own grandson’s wedding! The outraged replies poured in, and they just kept coming.
An Immature, Self-Centered Bride
“You really need to grow up yourself or there will be at least one child at that ceremony. Not only is your ageism gross and your self-centered focus on partying gauche and boorish, but the fact that you have completely dismissed a very reasonable request from the supposed love of your life … you could literally hold the reception in a tent made from a red flag that size,” another user wrote.
“I hope you realize you are not ready to be married. You should cancel the ceremony, cut your fiancée free of you, and spend a few more years getting your fill of the party scene because you are not yet capable of prioritizing the needs and wishes of others over your own desires.”
Basic Consideration
“Most old folks these days just want to be included. We so often forget they are still people too and more often than not the elderly go for weeks without any sort of interaction or communication with another person,” one user wrote.
“The (baby) bride needs to be less tone-deaf and more considerate. One day she may be that uninvited grandma.” And Grandma Jill? What did she think?
Broken-Hearted Grandma
Grandma hated the thought of them fighting over her, and she hated how sad this was making Tim. All she ever dreamed about was seeing him get married, but now that reality was seeming less possible.
Tim had bent over backward for Sarah, so he could not understand why she wouldn’t compromise on this one thing and allow him this one request. This entire fight left a bitter taste in his mouth and made him finally see the red flags waving right in front of him.
I Do?!
The night before the wedding, as everyone gathered around the dinner table, Tim stood up and made a not-so-shocking announcement. He decided to ‘pause’ the wedding until he and Sarah worked things out.
Tim finally took off his rose-colored glasses. But Tim’s parents were upset about all that food, deposits, and planning going to waste - they had been the ones who were going to pay for it all. Then, Grandma Jill made a suggestion.
There Would Be A Wedding
Because the venue, flowers, decorators, and caterers had all already been booked and paid for, Grandma Jill suggested that Tim’s parents take everything over from Sarah and Tim and renew their own vows instead. She even offered to pay them back for the entire thing!
Tim’s mom was ecstatic - they hadn’t been able to afford a proper wedding all those years ago. At least, this way, nothing would go to waste.
Couple’s Therapy
Although Tim was still angry about the way Sarah had behaved, he wasn’t ready to give up just yet. He gave her an ultimatum: they had to go to couple’s counseling to try and work things out.
Sarah, sensing that he meant it, agreed. But, because they were still together, Grandma Jill got her revenge.
Renewing Their Vows
Tim’s parents had a beautiful ceremony at Sarah’s dream venue. They were served the food Sarah had insisted on, cut her cake, and even re- invited all of Tim’s extended family - including the children and older relatives.
Sarah could only sit and watch and try not to let her jealousy show, but Grandma Jill knew she was getting exactly what she deserved.
Life Of The Party
At the reception, Grandma Jill delivered a heartwarming speech to Tim’s parents - full of humor and wisdom, it was undoubtedly the best speech that night.
And, to Sarah’s annoyed surprise, she turned out to be the life of the party. She organized games for the kids before hitting the dancefloor - and then she outdanced everyone there!
Reconsidering The Relationship
Tim was hurt that Sarah had been so self-centered and had refused to consider what mattered to him, but he hoped that she’d realize the error of her ways.
But his friends and family told him that the way she had behaved was a huge red flag. If she didn’t care about his family now, were they really even compatible?
Bridezilla Syndrome
Unfortunately, Sarah’s behavior before her wedding is not uncommon. The “Bridezilla” phenomenon is well-documented among brides-to-be, and there’s a reason for it.
The emotional pressure of starting a new life and planning a wedding can make even the most mild-mannered woman become a monster overnight. This is usually due to unreal expectations.
Pre-Wedding Anxiety
Brides usually feel anxious about the things they will have to manage in married life - like moving in with their husband, sharing a home, and taking on more responsibilities.
And, on top of all these pressure points, a bride also has to deal with the expectations of her parents and in-laws and their demands as well. Was this the case with Sarah?
True Colors
Sarah’s in-laws made no demands about her wedding, and Tim only wanted the people he loved - specifically his grandmother - to share in his big day. It was not an unreasonable request.
Sarah had effectively tried to ban grandma from the wedding because she selfishly felt that Grandma Jill would become a burden and ruin her special day. Do you think her feelings were justified?