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Topics: Real Life, Wedding, Sex and Relationships, Money
Rhiannon Ingle
Topics: Real Life, Wedding, Sex and Relationships, Money
It's nothing new that weddings can be pretty expensive.
From travel arrangements and accommodation booking to outfit purchasing mania and gift buying - we all know that even the simplest of wedding ceremonies can set you back a pretty penny.
And that was exactly the case for one woman who was branded as selfish when she asked the bride for the £3,610 present back after her wedding was sadly called off last-minute.
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The woman took to to the 'Am I the A**hole' thread on Reddit to ask if she was in the wrong for asking her mate to return the expensive wedding gift she gave her after she and her fiancé broke up.
She began by explaining: "About three weeks ago, my friend broke up with her fiancé a month before their wedding.
"She found him fooling around with another girl and called off the wedding. It’s a huge mess and I feel awful for her. It truly is a devastating time for her and I’ve been as supportive as possible through it all."
Now, the bride in question is one of the woman's 'closest friends for the past 15ish years' who is 'basically a sister' to her.
"Because of this," the Reddit user continued, "when I found out they were engaged at the beginning of the year, I wanted to give her a truly special wedding gift."
The bride had a bit of a soft spot for interior design and had her eye on a particular lounge chair for a really 'long time'.
After the woman managed to find one for $4,500 (around £3,610), which was apparently a 'good deal', she bought it for her.
She went on: "I'm fortunate to be able to afford this, but it’s still quite a lot. She was ugly crying when I told her about it and she was extremely grateful for it.
"However, now that the wedding is called off, I’m not sure what to do. I could still use that money if I were to get it back…"
The woman then asked the platform: "Is it rude to ask for her to return it or at least pay me back for the chair?
"I feel like I would be such an a**hole for doing so, but some other friends (who aren’t close to her) said she absolutely should at least return it so I can get my money back."
The Redditor concluded: "She’s going through a lot now, so I don’t want to press her too much and honestly if I never see the money again, that’s fine.
"But still, $4.500 is a good amount of change that I would be happy to have if possible."
People couldn't wait to share their verdict on the matter with one Reddit user hitting out: "A gift is a gift. Has nothing to do with your financial situation.
"You should not have spent so much money if you couldn’t afford it. On top of all of her heartbreak, you’re gonna demand the gift back?"
Another echoed: "Just because her relationship didn't work out doesn't mean she can't use the gift herself. She wasn't at fault and just had her heart stomped on. For you to then rescind a fantastic gift that you were comfortable giving beforehand seems cruel."
Others, however, were quick to defend the woman with one highlighting: "It is absolutely standard etiquette that if the wedding is cancelled, then the gifts are returned."
And a final Reddit user added: "I'm probably going to go against the grain here. In general, gifts are gifts.
"Weddings are an exception to this rule (or used to be) - if a wedding is cancelled, the former bride and groom *should* return all gifts to the giver."
The woman has since issued a follow-up, assuring: "Ultimately, I will not ask her to do anything and she can keep the chair, no problem.
"If she does get married again tho… maybe I’ll just buy her some nice chocolate then lol. Thanks everyone!"
Where do you stand on the matter?