I’m a 29-year-old (F) who got married three weeks ago to the love of my life. My husband, Derek, and I had decided to have a small intimate wedding between close friends and family members because we wanted to save costs while having that lavish fairy tale wedding. This is a day I have been dreaming of since I was a little girl and I wanted nothing more!
My grandmother, who I am very close to, decided to gift me her wedding dress to wear on my wedding day and I was very excited and honoured for the opportunity since her dress was the most beautiful fairytale gown. Even though it was an off-white dress, it was priceless!
Growing up, I spent a lot of time at my grandmother’s house with my sister, Stella. Let me just say that my grandmother’s dress inspired my wedding. Growing up, I would always admire her dress and sometimes she would let me carefully wear it.
Over the years, my sister and I grew apart. She went off to the big city to study when she turned 18 and she stayed there. I, on the other hand, stayed in our small town and took care of our family while opening a flower shop with my now-husband.
My parents thought that my sister was more cut off for college, so they gave all their savings to her right before she went off to study.
Nevertheless, I stayed positive, even though my parents always let my sister have the first pick in everything. And I mean everything.
I remember growing up, my parents would even allow my sister to blow out half of the candles from my birthday cake; if not, she would get angry and throw a tantrum and my parents did not want that. They thought there was no harm in sharing my birthday cake since she is my sister. Despite the favouritism towards my sister, I never held any resentment towards her. I understood that my parents simply wanted to keep the peace.
But as I got older, I realised my sister was always a brat and my parents always gave her what she wanted. The favouritism began to bother me more and more, as it seemed unfair that my sister always got her way. It made me question why my parents didn’t hold her accountable for her behaviour. So I distanced myself from my sister after she left for college and I never really spoke to her again.
She would come home sometimes for the holidays but she and I never spent any time together, even though she stayed with us.
It became obvious that I distanced myself from her and I made it clear to my parents why I cut ties with her but they said that I was “overreacting” and I “should just get over it.”
Anyway, fast forward to a few days before my wedding! I was out at work but when I got home, I found my sister in my room with my parents and aunties and she was trying on my wedding dress.
I was mortified! My mother explained that my sister arrived a few hours ago and that she was here for my wedding, which I had not invited her to in the first place.
I pulled my parents aside with my sister and shared how upset I was to see my sister in my wedding dress. My mother said that there was no need for any drama and that it was my grandmother’s dress to begin with, not technically mine, and there was no harm in my sister wanting to try on our grandmother’s dress.
I explained (yelled emotionally) that my sister is 2 sizes larger than me and that the dress was altered to fit me perfectly. My sister got offended that I commented on her weight but after she removed the dress, it was slightly torn on both sides. I had to get it redone. My sister even said that the dress was not her style and she only wanted to try it on because it belongs to our grandma.
I was furious and ranted annoyingly for the next two days angrily at my parents but they took my sister’s side and even asked me to apologise for making her feel bad about her weight. I refused!
In my opinion, the dress belonged to me and she had no right to touch it without my permission. Especially since she and I are not on good terms with each other. She could’ve at least asked.
Things escalated in the house and my sister decided to move to a hotel instead. My parents were very upset about this and my mother even cried.
On the day of my wedding, I was annoyed but I decided to set the past in the past and enjoy my special day.
As I was walking down the aisle to my future husband, I noticed my sister standing in the front seat beside my mother, and she had on A WHITE DRESS!
My smile instantly disappeared. My parents had invited my sister, against my will, to my wedding and let her wear a white dress.
Nevertheless, I kept my smile and ignored my sister and my parents. At the reception, my bridesmaids and maid of honour were very supportive of me because they witnessed, on many occasions, my sister’s behaviour.
My maid of honour was more than willing to ask my sister on my behalf to leave the wedding and when asked, my sister threw a fit.
My mother cried and my father decided to take them both home. While it was sad that my parents weren’t there to celebrate the night with me, I was relieved and did not even notice their absence because my friends and other family members made it a night to remember for me.
I had since cut ties with my parents and sister completely. My parents had kept calling me since then and leaving voicemails but I told them that I was done with them and my sister. And I did not regret the decision.