Do you know why the ancient Romans loved gladiator fights so much? No, not because they were so bloodthirsty – at least not more than you and me. Betting is what really attracted the gambling Romans to fights, and some brave bookmakers even took bets on the emperor’s reaction to the fate of the losing fighter…

Why am I telling you all this, you may ask? Here’s why – even ancient bookmakers don’t look as cynical as the relatives of the user u/effie389, the author of our story today. The thing is that these people staged a real sweepstake about how soon the author’s marriage would end in divorce…

More info: Reddit

The author of the post was planning a large-scale wedding with many guests, but changed her mind literally on the spot

Image credits: Kayla Renee (not the actual photo)

The reason for such a decision was that many future guests took bets on the newlyweds’ upcoming divorce

Image credits: effie389

So the woman decided she now wanted only a small courtside wedding with no guests at all

Image credits: Pavel Danilyuk (not the actual photo)

Image credits: effie389

The groom-to-be sided with his fiancee, claiming that he respects her choice

Yes, it was exactly like that – the Original Poster (OP) planned to have a large-scale wedding in a beautiful venue with the invitation of many guests both from her side and from the groom’s, but at one point her cousin let it slip that her relatives had begun to make bets about how long this marriage will actually last.

According to the relatives, the author and her fiance are a complete mismatch. The groom-to-be, as the people who know him believe, needs a ‘good little wife,’ and it’s difficult, according to the same people, to find a person less suitable for this definition than the original poster…

Well, the bride really showed her character here. Having learned about this behavior from her guests-to-be, she instantly changed her mind – no, she didn’t call off the nuptials overall, but decided to replace them with a simple courtside wedding. With a minimum of relatives, no guests at all. Only newlyweds and those closest to them.

And the OP was not ready to change her decision, even under pressure from her parents, who, as usual, were concerned about what her relatives would think of her. The same ones, by the way, making bets on when her husband would leave her! Well, as happens with any important decision, the main thing is to stand to the end and not make concessions, isn’t it?

Image credits: Jonathan Borba (not the actual photo)

“The behavior of the guests in this situation is completely inappropriate. Well, everyone is free to think whatever they want – but betting on an upcoming divorce seems the height of cynicism,” says Irina Matveeva, a psychologist and certified NLP specialist, with whom Bored Panda got in touch for a comment here. “It’s nice to smile in the faces of the newlyweds at the reception, and behind their backs to wish them a breakup? Well, that won’t do.”

“In general, taking into account this behavior, the bride’s decision seems quite reasonable. The main thing is that the groom supports her and does not ‘stand up’ for his relatives, as, alas, quite often happens… If everything is done with mutual support, then the chances of having a strong, happy marriage is really high,” Irina ponders.

By the way, according to the original poster herself in the comments, her fiance, having learned about what happened, really supported this decision, saying that he respected her choice. “He said it’s my choice and the wedding was always more for me and our families than for him,” the OP wrote in the comments. Damn, are the relatives really that sure that this guy just needs ‘a good little wife?’

Commenters also cited more than one similar story from their own experience, when ‘benevolent’ relatives vying with each other prophesied the future spouses’ parting of ways. “We said, screw them and got married at town hall without telling anyone,” some of the commenters added. “We’ve been married for 15 years.”

Well, even the very idea to elope at a distant venue, unfortunately, does not always work. The best proof is perhaps this post of ours, about the bride’s family who made a real forced march across America to break into a secret wedding at some distant resort in Colorado. By the way, have you ever witnessed anything like this at other weddings?

It turns out that such a situation isn’t that uncommon, since the commenters told more than one similar story too

Image credits: Terje Sollie (not the actual photo)

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