A couple proclaiming their vows in front of loved ones is the ultimate affirmation of love.
So when the day of the wedding finally arrives for a couple after months of planning, there's a lot of pressure for things to go smoothly.
And while for the most part, the joyous day of celebration culminates in plenty of emotions and tears that is remembered and reminisced about.
Unless it wasn't the perfect wedding day ever. Because sometimes, things just don't go as planned due to various unforeseen circumstances.
Kind of like the ones strangers online shared when Redditor nonoriginalname42 asked:
"What's the worst thing you've seen happen at a wedding?"
Choose members of your wedding party wisely.
Otherwise, the following might happen.
Not The Best Man For The Job
"Best man starts off speech with, 'I've seen *the groom* with a lot of girls over the years...'. You know the cliché speech where it goes on to say but you're the best for him, etc. etc. Turns out the bride and groom were dating long before the best man even became a friend. Essentially outed him as a degenerate cheater. She was super pissed."
– Wallace2727
Oops
"The best man giving the toast at the reception and saying the groom’s first wife’s name instead of the current one."
– pharmhound
Downhill After The Upchuck
"Matron of honor throwing up just as the officiant was asking if anyone objected."
– Amiiboid
"My brother was in a wedding where as the bride said I do, the groom threw up all over her due to the bachelor party the night before."
– ParsonJackRussell
Unfortunately, you can't expect family to all be on their best behavior in these unfortunate situations.
Rehearsal Dinner Disaster
"Bride and groom got in a huge drunken fight after the rehearsal dinner, it escalated to include shouting and name-calling between both families, then the wedding got cancelled the day of."
– jkvincent
Drunk Dad-In-Law
"It started super late, it was super hot out, the future father-in-law was wasted and left before it started. He then showed back up in a red bath robe and his gun. Cops got called. It was a whole thing."
"Oh, and then after the reception we were all trying to convince one of our friends not to drive. He insisted he was fine... Drove his truck into the river."
– MLaw2008
Because Priorities
"I was at a wedding in rural Wisconsin and both the bride and groom were members of the local all-volunteer fire department. Almost everyone at the wedding proceeded to get quite drunk, except the bride, who doesn't drink. At some point, there was an emergency call to the fire department (not a fire, but a medical call). The wedding was not far from the fire station, so the bride rushed over and, along with one other volunteer who was on call, drove an ambulance to an emergency call."
"In her wedding dress."
– GingerStu
The bride and groom aren't always the most exemplary role models.
Ghosting The Guests
"I went to a friend of mines Aunts wedding. It was a second marriage for both of them so they wanted something 'relaxed.'”
"They threw it on one of the family members property and had all the guest do grueling manual labor to get the property ready for the wedding. We were literally landscaping in the Texas summer."
"I was climbing trees to hang lights, we laid sod, we laid down stone for a walk way, my friends mom cooked food for days and made all of the floral arrangements. We were setting up tables and chairs, you name it. We worked from 6am until almost midnight for 3 days."
"Finally the wedding happens and it’s beautiful. I was actually really proud of what we had done. It looked professional."
"We go to cut the cake and the couple is no where to be found. They just left without telling anyone and went back to their hotel. I was offended by that because we had worked SO HARD for them and they didn’t even stay for the entire wedding."
"We never got a thank you or any appreciation for it. Other people were upset too and took their gifts back before leaving."
– littlemybb
Going Nowhere Fast
"Groom wanted cigarettes so he snuck out and tried to drive to a convenience store a minute away. Drove straight into a telephone pole and was arrested for DUI and spent the night in jail."
– mdreb18
Weddings have an element of surprise because no matter how well things are planned, anything can happen.
Hey Mr. DJ
"My brother's second wedding. For the first dance, the DJ played the wrong song for half a second before stopping, and starting the right song. The Bride disappeared for 2 hours afterwards because 'the wedding was ruined.'"
– Upper-Job5130
"I wonder if he’ll hire the same DJ for his third wedding."
– the_beat_labratory
"Oh God I can't deal with people like that. I have a family member who does this. The tiniest little thing goes a touch awry, moment of awkwardness maybe, then back on track for a great day. But then they go and ACTUALLY ruin the day but throwing a tantrum...."
– CowsArouse
When Duty Calls
"I was supposed to be best man at a friend's wedding. At 7:30 AM, the morning of the wedding the groom called and said the wedding was off. It wasn't going to happen. I never talked to or saw the guy again. He signed up for the army and within a few days he was just gone."
– fredzout
There's so much pressure built-up from the anticipation before couples say, "I do."
So, it's not surprising that we all hope things go without a hitch before couples get hitched.
But don't count on it.
Unless you plan a small, casual wedding or reception with only your closest friends and family following a City Hall ceremony.
That's how my husband and I got married.
There can be perfection in simplicity, and that's how we roll.
