Teen’s Refusal to Attend Sister’s Wedding Due to Strict Dress Code Earns Praise

A Teen’s Stand Against Wedding Dress Code Sparks Social Media Applause

A Reddit user, cheesyfrie, shared that her 21-year-old sister, who has planned her wedding meticulously, showed her and their other sisters the dress she had ordered for them. Although the sisters were not bridesmaids, the bride requested that they wear matching outfits that would complement her gown.

The baby pink dress selected by the bride had one issue, according to cheesyfrie’s post. It was short-sleeved, which posed a problem for the 18-year-old as she has scars on her arms that she did not want to expose at the wedding. She spoke to her sister privately and asked if she could wear a dress with sleeves or sleeve gloves. However, her sister refused and suggested covering up the scars with makeup, which was not possible due to her keloid scars. The bride then went on to say that the 18-year-old shouldn’t attend the wedding if she wouldn’t cooperate.

“She told my family I was being difficult and didn’t want to obey the dress code because I wanted to be ‘different’.”

Cheesyfrie ultimately decided not to attend the wedding, which led to another argument with the bride. However, Reddit users overwhelmingly supported the 18-year-old’s decision and voted her “not the a******” in the situation. One user expressed their frustration with the entitled behavior that often arises in wedding planning, saying, “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.”

Wedding dress codes can be a tricky subject, especially for guests who are left with an expensive and unappealing outfit. According to Zoe Burke, editor of wedding planning website Hitched.co.uk, while it’s perfectly acceptable for couples to set a dress code for their wedding, it’s usually only the wedding party who wear outfits chosen by the couple. Dictating exactly what guests should wear is considered unreasonable and highly unusual, even for close family members. Hosting a wedding should prioritize the comfort and enjoyment of the guests, which should be a key consideration for the couple.

Burke also supported the 18-year-old’s response to her sister, stating that she did the right thing by raising her concerns politely, offering alternatives, and holding her boundary. Burke suggested discussing the issue with the couple first and providing alternatives before declining. Reddit users also criticized the bride’s desire for her sisters to wear the same dress. One user commented that they did not understand the aesthetic of everyone in the family looking identical like they’re in a wedding guest uniform, stating that 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.”