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Your wedding is supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life, but what do you do if you get news the next day that calls everything into question?
What, aside from cheating or being a total fraud, could even make you question your wedding day so soon?
How about finding out you're related to your new spouse?
That's the situation one Reddit user has found himself in, and honestly Reddit's response to his story is ... well ... Reddit-esque. Let's start with his story, shall we? Keep in mind English is not their first language, so some edits for clarity have been made.
In the beginning it starts like any love story - boy meets girl, girl kicks boy's butt in games by being a totally ruthless player, boy falls in love...
It' a tale as old as time:
"I met the love of my life in 2013 at a board game evening with some friends from university. We first operated greatly together while playing Risk – until she betrayed me in the worst possible moment. After that, she successfully argued to get me killed in Werewolves three times in a row! I just knew that she is the right one. After finishing our studies, we moved in together and decided to get married last year."
So far so good.
We're gaming, we're in love, let's see where this goes...
"Now it's important to note that I'm from the upper north of our country while she is from the south. Also, both families are kinda shattered between several federal states so occasions to meet each others extended family are few and far between and our parents only met each other 2 times before our wedding."
Okay, we've read enough Reddit posts to know that when someone says "it's important to note" things are about to get interesting.
This post was no different in that regard.
"The wedding itself took place on Friday: The formalities at the registry office, followed by a reception, dinner and party afterwards. We placed our grandmothers – 2 lovely, widowed ladies in their mid 80's - together at a table and they apparently kinda hit it off. They were chatting and laughing the whole time. However, at some point we realized that they were getting more serious and started to send us worried looks – but honestly, at our wedding we were to busy to really care about."
"The party continued, we had a blast and got blasted, probably entertained the whole neighborhood with our wedding night and met the remaining guests for a late breakfast yesterday – all in all a great wedding. Until our mothers set us both down in private for the probably most awkward conversation in my life."
Oh here we go.
Most awkward conversation ever?
Both mothers involved?
The day after the wedding?
Go on...
"During the dinner, our grandmothers came to an... unexpected finding: They are cousins. Which means I married my own distant cousin."
"Apparently, our grandmas fathers (our great-grandfathers) were brothers but estranged themselves over a failed business and political views shortly after WWII. Both had very few other relatives and with a few moves and general post-war chaos, the contact was basically cut off. Both married, founded families which grew and grew and had no idea about the relatives from the other side of the country. Until Friday."
"They realized when they found out that they grew up in the same city and the other woman has the name of the once loved but long-lost cousin. If I calculated correctly, my wife and I are 12,5% blood-related. Sadly, we are still not royalty." - Personal-Raccoon
To recap, the guy met his dream girl. Fell in love. Got married. At the reception, his grandmother and his bride's grandmother were seated together and got to talking, only to realize "Hey we're related!"
Obviously, if Grandma and Grandma are related that means the bride and groom are relatives as well. Rather than say anything at the wedding, the grandmothers waited and had some talks with the couple's mothers.
The next day, after the wedding, reception, and any other wedding night festivities were all complete, the couple's mothers sat them down privately and dropped a knowledge bomb. "Hey, you married your cousin."
Typically, you'd expect Reddit to be full of jokes - and it was - but it was also surprisingly full of knowledge on basic genetics and a factually-supported dose of "I wouldn't worry about it."
"This is such a non-thing that they wouldn't even bother making porn about it." - Davisyoung
"You did not calculate correctly. First cousins share 12.5% of their DNA. Your wife is your third cousin, and you share less than 1% of your DNA. I wouldn't think twice about it." - bowyer_betty
"Your Grandmothers are cousins? You two are almost unrelated - your nearest common parent is their grandparent! Way less than 1/8. More like 1/128. I don't think you have much of anything to worry about if you have kids. Enjoy teh secks!" - GrauGeist8888
"Wow, what a nasty post-nuptial surprise! I wouldn't worry about it too much once the initial shock wears off—you are pretty distant genetically and it's not like you had a pre-romance family relationship. Y'all might consider getting some counseling to process this though." - blackcatsattack
"A bit awkward, but genetically it's perfectly fine. You're basically not even related. It might be a tiny issue, but only if you have a daughter and son who have kids with each other and those kids have kids with each other and so forth. So, just keep your kids from committing incest and you'll be good." - ZoraksGirlfriend
"Since first cousins are genetically diverse enough to have child without many more problems than random strangers, there should be no problem.Now, as for being in the same general 'family' you are much farther than first cousins, you were not raised together, you didn't know, AND you are/were happy with each other, then chill the f!ck out and enjoy life.Congrats on marrying the love of your life and getting an interesting story out of it." - 79Freedomreader
The children of your parent's 1st cousin are your 2nd cousins.
Having grandparents who are 1st cousins makes you 3rd cousins.
"Removed" refers to cousins in two different generations, such as your relationship to your parent's 1st cousin is 1st cousin, once removed.
Unfortunately for the original poster and his now wife, that knowledge of the distance of the genetic relationship isn't shared by their families.
"Right now the biggest problem seems to be that our parents seem to come to the conclusion that we should probably divorce. Of course not their point to decide, but still... unfortunate." - Personal-Raccoon
"My great grandfather and mother are full cousins. Was really common a few generations ago. You are like 1/128 related. Not a big deal at all."
"Saw in a comment your parents want you to get divorced now. Tell them it's not a problem at all. They should mind their own business. If they insist send them an article about the facts once and tell them to drop it. Just keep repeating that if they are really persistent." - NewKittyHugger
Would you stay married?