A wedding guest has described being left soaking wet after a bride insisted her outdoor ceremony go ahead during a thunderstorm, with no tents or cover provided. The guest, who shared her experience on Reddit, also criticised strict dress code rules, travel demands, and a lack of thank-you cards.
Strict dress code and travel demands
The guest explained that she attended the couple's bridal shower in April, which required an hour's drive, and that the bride had asked guests to contribute to their wedding fund. The wedding took place the following month, with the bride setting strict rules for guest attire.
She said: "The bride set strict rules for guest attire. Not only were the ladies to be wearing formal long gowns but we had to be in all black long gowns. No other colours within that black gown, just plain black.
"I live in the south so it is extremely warm in May. Plus, I don't know about you but I don't have a long black gown just hanging in my closet. So, out I went to purchase the gown and shoes for the wedding."
The wedding venue was an hour-and-a-half drive away.
Ceremony in the rain
While the guests acknowledged that nobody could predict the weather, she felt the couple could have included a backup plan for heavy rain.
She added: "Wedding day arrives and it is hot and raining thunderstorms. The bride insisted that she still wanted the ceremony outside. There were chairs set up in a grassy field. No tents - no cover whatsoever.
"The chairs were literally puddles of water because they had a scooped bottom.
"Here we all are in the thunderstorm - sitting with our brand new gowns/tuxes for this ceremony in the puddle chairs. I was soaking wet, like I had jumped into the nearby lake."
No way to dry off
Miserable after being left drenched, the guest said there was nowhere to dry off during the reception, meaning everyone spent the day wet, cold and in a bad mood.
She added: "The reception was at the same venue so there was no way to dry off for the entire night. At least the reception was under cover.
"The bride and groom requested that all guests gift them money for their honeymoon to Europe. To add insult to injury. I have never received a thank you card for the bridal shower gift nor for the wedding gift."
Reddit users react
Her experience prompted other Reddit users to share their thoughts on how expensive and demanding weddings have become.
One user said: "Black tie on a farm is such a specific kind of delusion, did yours at least spring for a tent or were you also sat in a soup bowl of rainwater?
"The all black thing kills me too, she basically dressed everyone for her own funeral and then stood in a field during a thunderstorm."
Another added: "I don't know when weddings became so crazy and unreasonable. Black attire and gown, travel, cash for honeymoon.
"The days of showing up to a wedding in clothing you owned and giving a gift and receiving a thank you notes are long gone."
A third user said: "I've been filling out thank you cards from my wedding. I have been sadly surprised at how many people are like 'oh no I never did that'.
"I'm not the most formal person but like, people forked out a lot of time and money for me! I'm going to send a thank you!"
