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An 18-year-old woman has been applauded on social media for refusing to attend her sister's wedding after an argument about dress codes.
In her Reddit post, user cheesyfrie explained that her 21-year-old sister is getting married soon and "has been dreaming of her wedding all her life and has everything down to a t."
The bride sat down with her sisters, including the poster, to show them the dress she had ordered for them. The sisters are not bridesmaids, but the bride wants them to wear matching outfits that complement her gown.
There is just one problem with the baby pink dress, the Reddit user said. It is short sleeved.
The 18-year-old explained: "I have scars all down my arms and do not want them on show at the wedding. I pulled her aside and asked if I could get a dress with sleeves or if I could wear sleeved gloves."
Her sister replied that she could not have sleeves and asked if the scars could be covered up with makeup.
The poster said: "I have keloid scars and makeup won't cover them at all. She then said if I wasn't going to cooperate I just shouldn't come.
"She told my family I was being difficult and didn't want to obey the dress code because I wanted to be 'different'."
Cheesyfrie decided not to attend the wedding, but this caused another row with the bride.
Reddit was firmly on the 18-year-old's side, voting her "not the a******" in the drama.
One user commented: "Why is it that weddings make perfectly nice people turn into selfish, entitled jerks? I always cringe when I hear 'dream wedding.' It smacks of future Bridezillas."
Strict dress codes for weddings are a difficult topic, especially if you're the guest left with a hefty bill and an undesirable outfit.
Zoe Burke, editor of wedding planning website Hitched.co.uk, told Newsweek: "Whilst it's totally acceptable to set a dress code for your wedding, it's typically only the actual wedding party who wear outfits chosen by the couple.
"It's very unreasonable—and incredibly unusual—for the couple to dictate exactly what the guests should wear, even if they're close family. When you are hosting a wedding, your guests' comfort and enjoyment should be a key consideration."
Burke supported the 18-year-old's response to her sister: "I think the poster here has done exactly the right thing—raised her concerns politely, offered alternatives and also held her boundary. You don't have to be at a wedding just because you're invited and if you feel uncomfortable you're well within your rights to decline.
"I would always suggest discussing it with the couple first and providing alternatives, and if they are so unreasonable as to not consider it or work with you, then it is totally acceptable to say you don't want to attend."
Reddit users also hit out at the bride for wanting all her sisters to wear the same dress. One wrote: "I don't understand this 'aesthetic' of everyone in her family looking identical like they're in some kind of wedding guest uniform. In my opinion group photos look best when people are cohesive, but not exactly the same."
Another commenter offered a suggestion: "If she wanted everything looking uniform all the others could wear long gloves. I doubt they would complain under the circumstances."
Newsweek has reached out to user cheesyfri via Reddit for comment.
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About the writer
Leonie Helm is a Newsweek Life Reporter and is based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on all things ... Read more