Ever think your mom’s just too into your business? You’re not alone. Redditors are dishing out stories where mom’s ‘helping hand’ turned weddings and marriages from dreamy to dreary real quick.
From walking you down the aisle to walking all over your marriage, these tales dive deep into the emotional whirlwind of having a mom or a mother-in-law who, well, does a bit too much. Buckle up for some wild stories of nuptial nightmares and matrimonial mishaps, courtesy of moms who just can’t let go.
Comments have been edited for clarity and grammar.
A sad woman holding a ring | Source: Shutterstock
1. My Mother Rained On My Big Day
u/big_head_small_face: I got married this past weekend on a rainy fall day, which put a damper on things but wasn’t the end of the world.
My then-fiancée (now-wife) and I got married in a barn’s basement. It was a beautiful area, very rustic. Our wedding day was chaotic, but it was nothing too bad.
While we were standing, ready to walk into the barn right before the ceremony, I kept getting questions like, “What about the ring bearer stuff?” Where are the corsages?”
Those questions were about little things I didn’t need to think about. Soon, we figured everything out, the music began, and we walked down the aisle.
An older woman sitting on a wheelchair | Source: Shutterstock
At that point, I was pushing my mother’s wheelchair since she can’t walk because of multiple sclerosis. I moved her to the front row of seats where she was supposed to be.
However, when I put the wheelchair brakes, my mother angrily yelled, “I NEED TO BE OVER THERE!” In my opinion, she was exactly where she needed to be.
She was worried she would block off the aisle, but I’ve been doing stuff like this for her for 29 years, so I knew where she needed to be.
That moment ruined my mood and got me out of my mindset. Before this, I was in a good mood, ready to see my bride. I had told my now-wife that I would probably cry during the ceremony, but that never happened.
A young woman arguing with an older woman | Source: Shutterstock
Throughout the ceremony, I kept thinking, “This would have been a magical moment if my mom hadn’t ruined my mood.”
I keep thinking about my wedding day, and it reminds me that I had waited my entire life for it, but my mother ruined everything. I always feel like crying whenever I think about it.
2. Boundary-Crossing Ended My Marriage
u/invelvettime: I broke it off with my now ex-husband because of his mother. She was CONSTANTLY invading space and stepping over boundaries in the most horrid ways she knew how.
She used to stop by our place, expecting me to cook full four-course dinners on the spot. She also encouraged my ex to spend our hard-earned money behind my back on things we couldn’t afford. She also barged in on date nights if she saw us eating out in public.
A couple arguing on a dinner date | Source: Shutterstock
My ex neither said anything to his mother nor did anything when I confronted him. We argued about it for almost a decade.
Add that to the combination of our other issues, and I was just done. Let me be honest with you. Sometimes, I think it’s better to end a situation early than to suffer through it repeatedly for the rest of the foreseeable future.
Some days, I feel like a fool for remaining in that relationship as long as I did. Situations like this don’t improve unless your partner puts their foot down and is committed to keeping it that way.
3. The Divorce Papers
u/Pinchaser71: My mother-in-law has hated me since high school, but my father-in-law always loved me. Unfortunately, he passed away. He was the one who used to keep her in check to mind her own business.
A couple talking to each other | Source: Shutterstock
Things started to go downhill during Covid lockdowns. That’s when my wife’s mother started manipulating her, turning her against me behind my back.
My mother-in-law schemed for months. Phone calls that used to be on speaker usually suddenly turned into only being with earbuds in another room or outside.
If I came near my wife when she was talking to her mother on the phone, she used to say, “Hey, I’m on the phone! Do you mind?” Other than that, there were no arguments, and things seemed happy and normal. Even our intimate life was as good as always.
Everything was going well until I was suddenly served with divorce papers. I was seriously caught off guard and even told the server, “I think you have the wrong person!”
Silhouette of a man sitting on a bed | Source: Shutterstock
When I asked my wife, she said, “I’m not talking about it. My mom and attorney said I can’t.” This happened a week after our 28th wedding anniversary that we had celebrated. I had ten days to find an attorney before the court and try to fight something I had no clue about. All the papers said was “irreconcilable differences.”
I tried to get through to her for the next eight days and begged for some explanation, but she only repeated, “My father would be proud of me for standing my ground.”
I was a mess. All I could do was cry. Our kids were so angry at her that they refused to talk to her other than telling her she was wrong.
Soon, I found out her mom was the one saying her dad would be proud. Her father was a religious man who would never be happy about divorce, which proved her mother was manipulating her. She also paid the attorney’s fee.
A gravestone covered in moss | Source: Unsplash
Luckily, the following day was Father’s Day, so we visited my father-in-law’s grave. While we were at the cemetery, my wife cried and said, “I hope you’re proud of me, Dad. I’m standing my ground.”
At that point, my oldest son looked at her and said, “Are you out of your mind? You are so delusional. Do you think Papa would be proud?!! Did you even know this man? Did your mom even know this man?! You couldn’t disappoint him more by giving up on your marriage for no valid reason. He’d be proud of you for getting through your problems and fixing them!”
My wife completely went to pieces right there at his grave, looked at me, and said, “It seems we need to talk.”
I replied, “Sure. When we get home, we will go to our room, grab a pen and paper, and discuss everything to find a solution.” I also asked her to call our attorney and tell him not to interfere in our lives. She agreed.
A woman talking on her phone | Source: Shutterstock
Upon reaching home, we talked, and I listened to her grievances. Honestly, they were just little things that got to her over time. They became significant enough for her to bring up, so they were important enough for me to fix.
After talking to her, I realized her mom was the one who blew everything out of proportion. This happened because my wife shared everything with her mother instead of me. Had she told me these problems initially, I would have fixed them.
The day ended with my wife calling her mother and saying she wouldn’t divorce me. Her mother argued, but my wife told her she was aware of the manipulation.
4. My Wedding: A Day to Forget
u/your-angel-bait: My mother ruined my wedding. When my vehicle arrived at the venue, she opened the door and began screaming at me and all of my bridesmaids about “not being prepared enough.”
A bride crying | Source: Shutterstock
My bridesmaids were very shocked and upset by this. Some context about not being prepared: Our minister had to cancel, but we had everything else planned.
My husband and I decided to proceed with the wedding anyway and have my cousin read the vows, a sort of unofficial but cute ceremony. She knew this was the plan well ahead of time.
Despite that, she screamed in front of everyone about how she was embarrassed and ashamed and that I was a scam artist. She said I only wanted to enjoy the party and take people’s money.
After watching her scream at me, my bridesmaids separated her from me. Then, I went away and began preparing for the ceremony, but she followed me and screamed at me and my bridesmaids again. It was pretty humiliating.
Close up of a bride’s hand | Source: Pexels
Eventually, this turned into a fight, and my mother started crying and ran away. I felt a bit terrible, so I went to find her and told her she could come in if she wanted. Instead of joining me and my bridesmaids, she went to the church and yelled that I was a monster.
She ruined the reception by taking out the sound system and trying to destroy the decorations. Thankfully, my grandparents intervened and told her to go away. She left with her boyfriend and made my sister and her boyfriend leave.
At that point, I felt like crying, but I didn’t want to cry in front of everyone. As a result, I was upset the entire day and couldn’t even eat or drink properly. I was too (silently) distraught.
I was so relieved at the night’s end when people started leaving. I cried all night and for the next two days. It was pretty rough. Nobody knows that I am this bothered by it. I feel sad and angry whenever I think about my wedding day now.
Silhouette of a woman standing near a window | Source: Shutterstock
5. Allergic Reaction and a Slice of Karma
u/[deleted]: My fiancé and I were busy planning our quick winter wedding. We were also getting ready to move to his new military station right after.
To make the most of our remaining time with family, we decided to have a small gathering at our place. It was supposed to be a simple, joyful celebration before the chaos of moving.
My soon-to-be mother-in-law (MIL) wasn’t too pleased with some of our plans, but she wanted to contribute somehow. Knowing I was allergic to cinnamon, she offered to make my favorite pumpkin pie without it.
She even brought the pie to our house two days before the wedding, saying she made it special just for me. Delighted that she was doing something so nice, I took a bite of the pie.
A slice of pumpkin pie served on a plate | Source: Unsplash
Immediately, I felt my throat itch. Any allergic person knows that feeling. Still, I tried to stay calm and took some allergy medicine. My MIL made a fuss about me overreacting, and I knew I had to be wary of her.
In just two days, my fiancé and I would be married, and we would be moving away in a week.
My reaction got worse pretty quickly. I had red dots, and when my breathing got heavy, my fiancé rushed me to the car, so we could go to the ER. Even while trying not to panic due to lack of air, I thought of ways to get revenge on my MIL.
I would have to prove she put cinnamon on purpose in the pie. I don’t know if she thought that would stop me from marrying her son or us from leaving. Either way, I would not let this pass. But karma has its own ideas.
An I.V. in someone’s arm | Source: Unsplash
Just as we were waiting in the ER for my shot to take effect, my father-in-law walked in with my MIL. She had slipped on some ice outside our house and fractured her leg—karmic justice in its most delightful form.
My fiancé was torn between worrying about me and his mom, but we were both fine in the end. She was grumpy through my entire wedding because she had a cast, and I couldn’t stop my little satisfied grin whenever she stood up.
Other than that, our wedding was great. Afterward, my new husband and I moved and decided to keep a distance from my MIL. My ex and I aren’t together anymore for several other reasons, but I heard he’s back in touch with his mom.
I hope she learned her lesson and treats the next person he brings home with more care.
Couple kissing on their wedding celebration | Source: Unsplash
Wrapping up our deep dive into how moms can make or break the big day (and beyond), these stories are a real-talk reminder that even the tightest family bonds can hit a rough patch. Pro tip? Chat it out with your fam before drama takes the driver’s seat. After all, fixing things early beats nursing a heartache later.
