Family events like weddings are meant to bring loved ones together, but sometimes, they do the exact opposite—especially when expectations don’t match reality.
That’s exactly what happened to a 19-year-old woman who found herself uninvited to her own sister’s wedding… yet was still expected to send a gift.
No Invitation, But Still Expected to Celebrate
The young woman, who appears to be from the US, took to Reddit to vent her frustration.
She explained how her half-sister had decided to have a “childfree” wedding—except her definition of “childfree” didn’t mean no toddlers or noisy kids.
It meant no one under 21.
That put the teen, despite being a legal adult, on the “not welcome” list.
But the situation took an even stranger turn.
Even though she wasn’t invited, her sister still sent her a link to the wedding registry, expecting her to buy a gift.
Confused and a little hurt, the 19-year-old asked why she was expected to give a present if she wasn’t even going.
Her sister’s reply?
“It’s super common for people who can’t attend to send a small gift anyway.”
A Conversation That Only Got More Awkward
Trying to clarify things, the younger sibling pointed out that she could attend the wedding—but she simply wasn’t invited.
She considered herself a “fully grown adult” and couldn’t understand why she was being excluded.
Her sister responded sharply, stating that being under 21 meant she didn’t qualify as an adult for this event.
The 19-year-old wasn’t buying it, especially since the wedding was alcohol-free.
“You’re having a dry wedding, so why does my age matter?” she replied.
But her sister wasn’t budging.
She claimed her teenage sibling was “too immature” to be at an “adult event” or “exist in adult spaces.” Ouch.
Reddit Users Don’t Hold Back
The 19-year-old shared screenshots of the conversation in the popular “Wedding Shaming” subreddit, and the post exploded.
It gained more than 92,000 upvotes and thousands of comments, with users rallying around the teen and slamming the bride’s behavior.
Many Redditors quickly labeled the bride as “entitled,” “hypocritical,” and a textbook example of a “bridezilla.”
One person wrote, “She called OP a child—okay, then why is she asking a ‘child’ to buy her a gift?”
Others pointed out the obvious contradiction: if the bride truly believed her sister was too young to be at the wedding, then she should also believe she’s too young to contribute financially to it.
The Internet Comes Through with Sass and Logic
Several users offered biting suggestions for how the teen could respond.
One said, “Just tell her that Reddit agrees children aren’t expected to give wedding gifts. That’s the parents’ job. So either you’re a child or you’re not—pick one.”
Someone else chimed in with personal experience: “Two of my cousins had childfree weddings, and I was invited at 16 and 17. ‘Childfree’ usually means no little kids, not young adults who pay rent and do their own taxes.”
Another user summed up the situation perfectly: “She’s excluding a 19-year-old from a dry wedding because she’s not 21? That’s not about alcohol or maturity. That’s just being petty.”
So… What Happens Now?
It’s unclear whether the younger sister ever sent a gift or if the family relationship can recover from this wedding snub.
But one thing is certain—Reddit had her back.
And when it comes to social etiquette, especially around weddings, many people agree: if you don’t invite someone to your big day, don’t expect them to fund it.