Runaway Brides Share The Tales of Their Last-Minute Escapes and Final Straws in this Reddit Thread

"I was 17 at the time, and still in high school."

Sophia

• Published in Interesting
• June 18, 2023

Weddings, the grand celebrations of love and commitment, mark the beginning of a beautiful journey shared by two souls. They are a cherished tradition that brings together families, friends, and communities to witness and honor the union of two individuals.

With their intricate planning, heartfelt vows, and joyous festivities, weddings create memories that last a lifetime. A lot of people, especially girls—young and old—dream of the perfect wedding to signify their love for their significant other.

But what happens when the dream turns into a nightmare, and the fairy tale becomes a tangled mess of doubts and uncertainties? What if you find yourself stuck in an arranged marriage, where love is replaced by obligation and freedom is overshadowed by societal expectations?

While we often see weddings as blissful and romantic, there are those who have experienced the heart-wrenching decision to run away from the altar. Here we have some stories of courageous individuals who dared to defy tradition, trust their instincts, and embrace the unknown in search of a life that truly resonates with their own desires and dreams.

These were shared after someone prompted a question on the Reddit sub-community r/AskReddit: "Runaway brides of Reddit, what’s your story? What was the final straw? How last second did you leave?"

Check out some of the responses below!

Let's dive right into this question and see some of the most interesting responses...

1. On OP's 18th birthday, her boyfriend proposed to her in front of a crowd, pressuring her to say yes despite not feeling ready for marriage.

They agreed to a long engagement, but just three months later, their mothers took it upon themselves to start planning the wedding, buying a dress and involving a florist without OP's input.

Overwhelmed by the sudden wedding preparations while still in university and unsure of her future, panic set in for OP.

Despite expressing her concerns, her fiancé dismissed her worries, secretly booked a venue, and took charge of arranging the entire wedding, expecting her to be grateful.

Recognizing the manipulation at play, OP returned the engagement ring and ended the relationship, facing persistent calls from her ex-fiancé and resorting to changing her phone number.

Unaware of the breakup, her ex-fiancé's mother reached out to OP's family for dress fittings and bridesmaid arrangements, leading to the revelation of the situation.

Despite being informed about the breakup, the ex-fiancé's mother audaciously presented OP's family with a bill for half of the wedding expenses they had incurred.

Confronted with the unexpected request for payment, OP felt a mix of shock and anger, realizing the lack of consideration for her feelings and the unilateral decisions made about the wedding.

2. At 17 years old and infatuated with an alleged Army guy she had met, OP ignored several red flags: he proposed publicly, lacked his own place, and showed no evidence of his military background or family.

After a heated argument stemming from her partner calling out his sister's name during an intimate moment, OP realized the true nature of their relationship. As they planned to move to a Kentucky Army base, with her partner expecting her to be "barefoot and pregnant," OP began questioning her feelings and priorities.

In a sudden realization, the bubble of excitement burst, prompting OP to end the relationship and shed tears just two weeks before her graduation. Despite the breakup, her ex-partner proceeded to marry someone else three weeks later, using the same ring he had given her, leaving OP with a sense of sympathy and a wish to warn the unsuspecting bride-to-be.

3. Not really a direct story, but here's one about a friend of this commenter—she didn't know she was going to be married up until she was already halfway down the aisle!

That must have been so confusing.

Well, thank the heavens for the aunt—that would have been a bigger mess in the long run!

4. This one's from a perspective of someone who dated a runaway bride...

She was a victim of emotional abuse—belittled and degraded by her ex.

Here's where Dairy Queen kind of saves the day. We love the turn of events here!

This is such a wholesome story, though—kudos to the Dad for being a real one, and props to this commenter for being, from the looks of it, a great and respectable ex!

5. This one comes from a sibling of a runaway bride. Her sister broke up with her would-be husband just a few months before their already-planned-out wedding.

The issue? He couldn't handle his alcohol intake.

And well, he was also kind of a manipulator. Oopsies.

Ended the year with a bang, indeed!

Not a lot of people are lucky enough to fall in love once in their life and then go on to marry that person, and it's truly enlightening to hear these stories from strangers on the Internet. This just proves that life is full of unexpected twists and turns!

What are your thoughts on this? Comment it down, or share this article for all your family and friends to see!

Sophia