Woman Spends Big On Tickets To Brother’s Wedding Abroad, Is Livid After Learning It’s Child-Free

From the numerous wedding stories that we have told you, we can draw many conclusions, but one comes to mind right away. Any wedding almost always attracts all sorts of trouble, funny moments, and whatnot.

However, in the story that we’ll tell you today, from the user Creamandjamorjamandcream, everything happened long before the wedding. When the guests found out that the event would be child-free after they had already paid for travel and accommodation for their two kids. However, let’s not get ahead of ourselves…

More info: Mumsnet

The author of the post has a brother who is going to tie the knot – and the wedding will take place literally on the other side of the globe

Woman Spends Big On Tickets To Brother's Wedding Abroad, Is Livid After Learning It's Child-Free

Image credits: TranStudios Photography & Video / Pexels (not the actual photo)

The woman is a mom of 2, so she decided to buy tickets and find proper accommodation in advance

Woman Spends Big On Tickets To Brother's Wedding Abroad, Is Livid After Learning It's Child-Free

Image credits: Creamandjamorjamandcream

Woman Spends Big On Tickets To Brother's Wedding Abroad, Is Livid After Learning It's Child-Free

Image credits: Swansway Motor Group / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

But then the official wedding invitation came – and it claimed the event would be child-free

Woman Spends Big On Tickets To Brother's Wedding Abroad, Is Livid After Learning It's Child-Free

Image credits: Creamandjamorjamandcream

Woman Spends Big On Tickets To Brother's Wedding Abroad, Is Livid After Learning It's Child-Free

Image credits: Kimaili pixels / Pexels (not the actual photo)

The groom-to-be said he won’t make any exceptions for his niblings – but that his fiancée knows good babysitters there

Woman Spends Big On Tickets To Brother's Wedding Abroad, Is Livid After Learning It's Child-Free

Image credits: Creamandjamorjamandcream

So now the spouses are in two minds over attending the wedding

So, the Original Poster (OP) is a mom of 2, whose brother (the author initially calls him “a close family member”, but then directly notes that it’s a brother), having lived for a long time literally on the other side of the world, met his future wife there. And now, our heroine has already received an invitation to their wedding.

The author, as we have already said, has two children, a 4-year-old and an 18-month-old, so it has always been difficult to travel with them. Both from a logistical and financial point of view. So the OP and her husband had to work hard to find both suitable tickets and accommodation.

The thing is that, despite the fact that the newlyweds-to-be live in a major city, the wedding itself will take place in a picturesque rural location. Needless to say, this trip cost the spouses a pretty penny.

And so, the time came for the official invitation – and there it was written in black and white that it would be an adults only wedding. Our heroine immediately contacted her brother to clarify whether this condition applied to his niblings, and she was overly disappointed. Yes, the brother said that there would be no exceptions – but that his fiancée knows good babysitters in their city.

And now the original poster and her spouse literally don’t know what to do. They have already spent a lot of money on tickets and accommodation for two adults and two kids, but she’s quite sure that if they had known about the child-free event in advance, they wouldn’t have decided to go.

The couple doesn’t want to leave their tots for a couple of hours in another country with a babysitter, whom they will see for the first time in their entire lives, and they are also not considering the option of just them going and leaving the kids on the other side of the world. So the woman decided to ask netizens for advice – what should she do in this particular case?

Woman Spends Big On Tickets To Brother's Wedding Abroad, Is Livid After Learning It's Child-Free

Image credits: peoplecreations / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Well, even though babysitters can indeed make things a little easier for the guests at the wedding, it is still a minor relief. “In any case, even if the babysitter turns out to be highly professional and easily finds a common language with the children, they cannot completely replace the parents,” says Denis Tsikanovsky, a wedding host whom Bored Panda asked for a comment here.

“I suppose this couple should have checked whether children would be allowed at the wedding before paying for the tickets and accommodation. But either way, given that it’s the groom’s sister and nieces or nephews, it would have been a good idea to give some advance notice.”

“As for this woman and her husband, it seems like the issue has been resolved. They’re unlikely to leave the kids – so I guess the wedding just lost a few guests. Not a good situation, but like I said, one has to think about such sort of things in advance,” Denis summarizes.

People in the comments are also pretty sure the original poster just needed to RSVP ‘No’ here – and that’s all. “I’d cancel entirely,” one of the commenters wrote. “Childfree weddings are not my cup of tea but fair enough if it’s what the couple wants. But banning their own nieces and nephews and being that far away is awful behavior. Utterly unreasonable for them.”

Of course, only the newlyweds can decide what their wedding will be like, but in this particular situation, they acted quite inappropriately, the responders also noted. “Usually, I think a child-free wedding is fine. The choice of bride and groom. However in this scenario, they’re behaving really poorly and like you, I’d be incredibly frustrated,” another person added. And what would you, our dear readers, do in this situation?

People in the comments sided with the woman and urged her to just cut her losses and RSVP ‘No’

Woman Spends Big On Tickets To Brother's Wedding Abroad, Is Livid After Learning It's Child-Free

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After many years of working as sports journalist and trivia game author and host in Ukraine I joined Bored Panda as a content creator. I do love writing stories and I sincerely believe - there's no dull plots at all. Like a great Italian composer Joaquino Rossini once told: "Give me a police protocol - and I'll make an opera out of it!"

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Hi! Nice to meet you~ I'm very passionate about animals, especially cats, photography, small DIY projects, music and so much more! Could say I am the TV show The Office connoisseur since I have seen it at least a dozen times~

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What do you think ?

POST

arthbach 2 months ago

If you are going to have a child-free wedding in a place that requires travel, then let people know as soon as possible! Don't let them book flights and accommodation before they know. It's totally up to the people getting married as to who they want to invite, but don't be an ársehole. Let people know if there children are not invited. Then the guests can make an informed choice. Also be aware that many, many people will not be happy leaving their children with unknown babysitters, especially in a foreign country.

40points

Heather A. Thomas 2 months ago

Personally, I feel this story shows how little the brother knew/cared about the OP's life. Because as you said... the fact you're having a child-free wedding should be communicated early when people are going to need to make travel arrangements. Like, shortly after the moment you decide it's going to be adult only.

2points

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AMaureen Dance 2 months ago

i got the idea they waited "Now, you're stuck flying overseas, so you might as well come to the wedding. And just because you're now stuck with a babysitter bill, on top of the travel, don't forget an expensive present." I once got invited to a wedding, about 2 hours from where I live. Children weren't an issue, but the bride became ill a few weeks before the date, and they had to reschedule. So, the four of us, myself, my daughter and our husbands, all decided to make it a vacation.

0points

Katherine Minchin 2 months ago

This! In spades! I get that for very young children especially weddings can be tedious and they can play up unless thought is given to making sure that they have something fun to do - my cousin organised a children's entertainer for example. But if you don't want that and want a child-free wedding then tell folks. Up front. Not telling people *before* they start booking travel, time off etc. - that's the unreasonable bit. The fact that this is overseas compounds that issue.

0points

Sand Ers 2 months ago

“ I've asked if they can be babysat in the hotel on the wedding site”. That’s where she made her error. Don’t ask. Don’t even tell. The wedding party has exactly zero authority to dictate to the hotel what other paying guests can or cannot do.

16points

Ge Po 2 months ago

I read it the way that the venue does not have babysit options, because the venue does not want children around. maybe I was wrong.

2points

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Fat Harry (Oi / You) 2 months ago

I'd RSVP "no thanks", go on the holiday anyway, and then pop into the wedding to basically say "FU" to the couple.

13points

AMaureen Dance 2 months ago

Stand in the doorway, with the kids. When they come to remind you it was child free, tell them "Oh I wasn't planning on coming in. We just dropped by on our way to (fun activity) to wish you all the happiness you deserve.

1point

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