A Reddit user has slammed his sister for intentionally leaving his daughter out of her wedding as she claimed no children were attending, despite having other children present on the big day.
The 46-year-old dad, posting as user u/NewAd5624 on May 26, claimed that his younger sister, Tracy, was having a child-free wedding, which meant his 12-year-old daughter, Ella, wasn’t invited.
He explained in the post: “I have a daughter, Ella, and asked Tracy if she could come, but she said sorry, she and her partner were sticking to the rules. I managed to arrange for Ella to stay at a friend’s house for a couple of days, since the wedding was in a different city.”
However, on the day of the celebration, the Reddit poster “saw quite a few older children,” leaving him furious that Ella was singled out. The enraged dad wrote that “it was obvious Tracy lied to me,” about not inviting children as there were “plenty of other kids” present.
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As couples try to make their weddings as perfect and idyllic as they can, the debate over whether to invite children has become incredibly contentious. A YouGov survey conducted in 2021 asked more than 1,200 participants what they thought about the dos and don’ts of weddings.
When respondents were asked what they thought about couples opting for a child-free wedding, 41 percent approved of the idea, and 37 percent disapproved of it.
Although the Redditor thinks Tracy’s decision not to involve Ella isn’t to do with her age, and more to do with her appearance.
After claiming that Tracy cares “more about aesthetics than people,” the poster explained in subsequent comments that Ella “has an amputated arm” as she was in a car accident with her late mom. He feels that “this was most likely the reason” why Tracy didn’t want her in attendance.
The poster demanded an apology from the bride, as well as one for Ella, too. Tracy didn’t agree however, as she felt he “was ambushing her at her own wedding,” and it was their decision to make regarding who was invited.
While no family is perfect, this dynamic certainly seems uneasy, and the poster wants to protect his daughter, who certainly hasn’t had it easy. Psychiatrist Dr. Carole Lieberman shared her thoughts on the difficult situation, as she insists that the aunt should apologize to Ella after “treating her like Cinderella.”
“The poster must stick up for Ella, who will be watching what happens and wondering if the poster is embarrassed by her, too,” Lieberman told Newsweek. “The aunt must apologize and do something to try to make up for it, starting with a letter of apology, a gift, and inviting Ella to the next family event.
“The poster should write a letter to the aunt, explaining how Ella is brave and beautiful just the way she is.”
Although it’s not certain why Tracy didn’t invite Ella, the poster is adamant it’s because of how she looks following the amputation. Lieberman said that “until the aunt acknowledges her lies and her warped sense of beauty, she is not welcome in their lives.”
In the days since the post was shared, it has received more than 16,000 votes and more than 3,100 comments from outraged Reddit users. Most of the responses defiantly support the poster and his handling of the situation.
One person commented: “clearly she targeted your daughter. The question is why? Because your daughter is going to figure it out at some point and realize her aunt specifically did not want her at the wedding.”
Another comment reads: “Singling out one child because she has an amputated arm from a car accident doubles the NTA (Not The A******), and he and his daughter better go no contact with the hateful sister for life.”
Newsweek reached out to u/NewAd5624 via direct message for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
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