Bride praised for not waiting on mom who was late to the wedding

A bride has found overwhelming support online for her decision to start her wedding ceremony on time, even though her mother was not present.

The incident was shared by Reddit user u/HunterQueen23 on the popular thread “Am I The A******?”, where her post quickly garnered 14,000 upvotes.

In her post, the bride described the situation: “The invitation says ceremony at 2, as per usual we were a little late starting but nothing crazy. Next thing I know I’m walking myself down the aisle with no mom, grandma, or family friend in sight. The ceremony continues and it’s over before we know it.”

The bride explained that she had been almost ready by noon and her mom had left to return to the hotel, which was 20 minutes away, to get changed, and would return with her grandmother and a family friend.

However, it wasn’t until 45 minutes after the ceremony ended that the family finally showed up.

When the bride informed them they had missed the wedding, her mother reacted angrily, blaming everything from the bakery not having buns ready to being stopped by a train.

“My personal favourite was ‘It’s your fault you didn’t call or text to see where we are’,” she added.

The OP explained she felt guilty for not having texted her mom, who had traveled 20 hours to be there for her wedding.

Later, the bride discovered that the true cause of the delay was her mother not having finished getting ready. This led her to question if she was wrong for not holding up the ceremony.

Expert Insights

Rachel Marmor, a mental health counselor and chief wellness officer at PAIRS Foundation, from Miami, Florida, explained that this situation highlights the complex emotions and expectations that can arise during significant family events like weddings.

“For the bride, this was her day, a moment she had likely dreamed of for years. When those closest to her were not present, it might have felt like a betrayal, a rejection, or simply a painful absence. These feelings are valid and deserve to be acknowledged,” she told Newsweek.

It’s important to understand that her mother’s tardiness wasn’t necessarily a reflection of her love but possibly her struggle with the day’s emotions and tasks.

Marmor suggested that moving forward, the bride could approach her mother with curiosity and compassion to open a dialogue about their feelings on the day, allowing them to better understand each other and strengthen their relationship.

“The bride was within her rights to start the ceremony when she did, but the opportunity now lies in using this experience to deepen her connection with her mother,” she added.

Reddit Reacts

The Reddit community rallied behind the bride, with many users asserting that she was not at fault for starting her ceremony on time.

One user, sapient-meerkat, pointed out the inconsistency in the mother’s actions, noting: “Definitely NTA [not the a*****]. If she could receive a text, she could send a text. It’s not up to the bride or groom to keep track of family on their wedding day.”

Another user highlighted the importance of punctuality at weddings, saying: “The time on a wedding invitation is not like the time for a party… if a wedding is at 2, that’s the time the bride walks down the aisle, so guests need to plan to arrive half an hour before.”

One commenter shared a similar experience, warning the bride to be prepared for ongoing resentment from her mother. “Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but your mom will blame you for her missing your wedding for the rest of her life”

The user revealed his mom planned a vacation for two days post-wedding after she got the date the ceremony was being held on.

User Louisianacat1 added: “NTA – they had time to stop at a bakery?? They had no intention of being on time… and are mad to see that they aren’t as important in real life as their own mind.”

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