A wayward or meanspirited comment can really put a downer on any celebration. And even though what truly matters is that the hosts are happy with what they’re doing, it’s still annoying to know that someone’s judging you on all of your organizational decisions.
Redditor u/Propane_Powered_Bees recently shared how his coworker tried to shame him for the food that the OP had planned for his wedding. The colleague’s comments were very insulting and showed that some people have a very narrow understanding of what weddings can be like. It’s not all about delicate finger food and tiny dinner portions, people! Read on for the full story, and to see what the internet had to say about the situation.
There's no single 'right' way to throw a wedding. The marrying couple needs to be honest with themselves about what they truly want
Image credits: Jonathan Borba (not the actual photo)
A man shared how his colleague tried to shame him for having a different approach to the wedding menu
Image credits: photovs (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Propane_Powered_Bees
Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual photo)
It's best to ignore critical comments if they're not coming from a place of love or support
When you start organizing your wedding, a lot of social pressure appears out of the woodwork. Everyone from your parents, distant relatives, and friends to your colleagues and even casual acquaintances will have an opinion about what you should (not) do.
It would be exhausting to argue with everyone about how you’re genuinely content with your choices. So it’s best to either politely smile and nod along, use a bit of humor to defuse the tension, or simply ignore the comments.
Some of these people will actually think that they’re being helpful and doing you a favor. They might not be aware that what they’re saying is rude. Others, however, want to show that they have better taste than you. They’re trying to make themselves feel better by putting you down. If you stay calm, cool, and collected, you’re denying them what they want—an emotional reaction.
“If someone is providing criticism just to do it, not because they want to help you, just brush it off,” PMA Photography suggests not reacting to comments made by people who just want to hurt you.
Instead, it’s far better to focus on the people who support you and your decisions. If you’re second-guessing every tiny little detail because of a random comment, you’ll end up burned out in no time. Whether you want a backyard wedding or to feel like a princess out of your favorite fairytale, stick to your vision.
Image credits: Amar Preciado (not the actual photo)
Focusing on what you want, instead of impressing everyone else, can save you a ton of money
The groom wrote on r/weddingshaming that he was incredibly satisfied with how his wedding turned out, as were his nearest and dearest. Not only that, but by making it a more intimate ceremony and reception, the couple was able to save a lot of money in the process.
The entirety of their Big Day cost them $6,000. This just goes to show that when you organize things the way that makes you happy, instead of stressing out about leaving a fab impression on your social circle, you can work with a far smaller budget.
In the United States, in 2023, the average wedding costs around $29,000. However, they get far more expensive in some parts of the country, like in New York City. According to a report by the online wedding planning site Zola, an average wedding there will set you back a jaw-dropping $43,536.
Meanwhile, the average number of guests attending these weddings falls between 130 to 150 people. And that’s a lot of folks with different tastes to cater to. The OP had 32 guests at his wedding, so it was far easier to manage.
Image credits: Hernán Toro (not the actual photo)
So long as the guests are enjoying the food, it doesn't matter how (in)expensive it is
Of course, treating your guests well is important. But you’ll impress them far more with how happy you two are, not with fancy food. So long as there’s something delicious to munch in between the dancing, whether it’s pigs in blankets or graceful finger food, we know we’d be content. Yummy food doesn’t have to break the bank.
If your wedding budget is tight, or you and your social circle have culinary backgrounds, you could always ask your guests to bring a dish to the reception, instead of a gift. The Inspired Bride notes that potluck wedding receptions can be “a wonderful way” to bring the family together.
However, this idea only works if all or most of your guests are local and are likely to enjoy the idea of cooking and transporting the food. Alternatively, you can provide all of the food, and embrace
The readers were very supportive of the groom. Here's what they said
A few people shared the 'untraditional' food that they served at their own weddings. Their choices were real hits
