Giving a wedding speech is like walking a minefield. You need to carefully navigate emotions and memories, all while staying true to the couple and their journey.
The right balance between humor and sentiment can be tough to find. But while some miss the mark having only good intentions, others don't seem to be trying at all.
Recently, a person who goes on Reddit by the nickname NiceC8ck submitted a story to the platform's 'Wedding Shaming' community about a ceremony they recently went to where the maid of honor decided to make everything about herself.
This wedding was going great until the maid of honor decided to give a speech
Image credits: Sonyachny (not the actual photo)
And, for some reason, took a stab at the bride
Image credits: o1559kip (not the actual photo)
Image credits: NiceC8ck
Image credits: MART PRODUCTION (not the actual photo)
The term "shotgun wedding" pretty much summarizes how society viewed having a baby out of wedlock in the past
Who knows if the couple decided to marry because of their pregnancy. Nowadays, this isn't always the case.
Christina Gibson-Davis, a sociologist and professor of public policy at Duke University, has seen a steady change in attitudes toward pregnant brides in the US.
"Once, marriage and fertility were basically synonymous," she said. "There was intense societal pressure to make sure the birth happened within the context of the marriage. There's no longer that social pressure or stigma."
Now everything is much more culturally relaxed. With Gen X and Millennials, there's much more creativity and authenticity in many aspects of life, including weddings.
Image credits: Redd F (not the actual photo)
12 weeks is the unofficial benchmark for sharing pregnancy news
Some expectant parents can't wait to let the cat out of the bag (or the ultrasound out of the envelope). If this was a long-tried-for baby, or is a first pregnancy on either side of the family, a right-away announcement could be an amazing way to fill your loved ones' hearts with hope and joy. Plus, it gives everyone plenty of time to pitch in and help you prepare for the baby's arrival.
But the unofficial benchmark is 12 weeks. The risk of miscarriage drops dramatically by this time for all age groups of expectant parents, meaning many moms- and dads-to-be feel more confident they have a viable pregnancy to announce after they cross this threshold.
Whatever the couple's reason was for staying silent about their baby, it should go without saying that you do not announce someone else's news before they do. Especially when it's this big and on such an important day. Plus, the wording makes it kind of obvious that the bride's sister was trying to inflict pain.
Image credits: Al Elmes (not the actual photo)
People had a lot to say about the uncomfortable situation and some also shared their own similar experiences
