Surely nothing predicts a divorce more than a dysfunctional marriage but according to some, the warning signs are visible as early as the wedding day.
Thousands of wedding guests have taken to Reddit to share the relationship red flags they witnessed when the bride and groom were busy saying their “I dos”.
The awkward kiss.
One guest said the “you may now kiss the bride” moment was a clear indicator if an impending divorce.
“She flinched when he turned to kiss her. They were divorced within six months.”
The bride comes clean.
“The day of her wedding, I asked my sister-in-law if she was enjoying her day and all she said was ‘It’s a fucking nightmare. This is the worst day of my life.'” (Post continues after gallery.)
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A mother always knows.
“At the rehearsal dinner, the groom’s mum is in tears, because ‘he looks miserable’ and he was, we all knew it. During the vows they had written for each other, the bride starts with, ‘I know I can be a pretty terrible person, and I don’t know why you’ve stuck around, but that’s all going to change starting today. They were divorced a year later.”
The doomed groom.
“The groom said in his speech ‘when I joined a dating agency I never thought I’d be so lucky as to find my own personal cook, dishwasher, and washing machine.’ Not only is that a shitty way to describe ANYONE, he’s in for a nasty surprise when he realises his wife will expect him to do all those things for her! Bad relationship all round.”
The settlement.
“Sister’s wedding: Husband ends speech saying, ‘Thanks for settling for me.’ 18 months later they agree to divorce.”
It was all in the guest list.
One guest said trouble was already brewing due to the groom inviting his ex to his big day.
"My cousin's wedding. The groom invited his ex, who was also the mother of his one-year-old son (he and my cousin had been dating for longer than two years), and my cousin (who was then very pregnant herself) got into a loud screaming match with him over it in a bathroom. They eventually came out and got married, my cousin with puffy red eyes from crying that you can see in every wedding photo that was taken," the user explained.
Trouble in paradise.
"We knew the couple was in trouble when they frowned during most of the ceremony and later didn't go on a honeymoon because they couldn't agree on a destination. They had plenty of money - just no desire to compromise."
Divine Intervention.
"During the ceremony when the priest started asking the bride, 'Do you take this man to be your...', she started laughing uncontrollably and couldn't stop. It was cute for about 10 seconds and then things got real uncomfortable. They lasted a year."
Even the Mamamia team have confessed to their biggest wedding day regrets. (Post continues after video.)
Love notes a no-no.
"The bride came creeping up to my brother and handed him a note detailing how much she loved him and if he wanted her all he had to do was object when the time came. He handed the note off to the the groom's sister and we left before the ceremony began. My Facebook says they did end up getting married, haven't seen them since then though."
Unhappy tears.
"The groom would not stop crying. He cried through the entire ceremony and most of the reception."
A drunken groom.
"The groom got so drunk at the reception he passed out in the honeymoon suite by himself, but not before he latched the door so it couldn't be unlocked from the outside. Seeing the bride kicking the door and hollering at the top of her lungs to be let in at three am was not encouraging," one user said.
"They divorced like two years later."
Have you witnessed any of these signs at a wedding?
Top Comments
I was bridesmaid for a friend who spent her wedding day being a spoilt brat. She ended up in an argument with her husband and storming out of her reception, to go to bed by herself.... she didn't like his friends or family, or anything he did really! They didn't make 2 years - and after 15 years for friendship I saw the light too!!
When my sister got married, I had an uneasy feeling. During the ceremony I said to myself "I give it 2 years". It was over in 3 months. Yes, 3 months.
During my step sister's first wedding, it was a lavish fanfare. Twelve bridesmaids. Twelve groomsmen. Gorgeous cake. Lots and lots of money spent. I looked at the groom and all his buddies and compared them to the bride and the bridesmaids and again said to myself "I give it 2 years". Finished in 6 months.
What I am getting at here is I think some people (men and women) see their wedding day as a chance to have all the attention focused on them for once in their life. They never stop and think about it lasting. They want to be married and this is the chance to make that dream come true without even considering that there are others out there that are far better than what is in front of you. When your focus of a wedding is to be the center of attention, it's doomed.
I just got married for the first time on Friday (I'm 49). It took this long to find a perfect match but I wouldn't settle on anyone just so I could be married. It means much more than that to me.
My advice, if you are thinking of getting married, do it because you can't see yourself without the person in front of you. Weigh the pros and cons of that person and of being with that person. Love is doing for someone else just because and asking for nothing in return or expecting it (although it is appreciated).
Congratulations on your marriage! I am a bit younger than you, and still single, so maybe there is hope for me too!