Woman Refuses to Let Sister Borrow Custom Wedding Dress

Whether you try on five or 50 gowns, selecting your wedding dress can be challenging. In addition to determining your preferred color, cut, and style, you need to consider the price, which accessories you might pair with it, and how much it may need to be altered. And regardless of whether you opt for a strapless trumpet gown or a silky slip, you likely want your dress to be uniquely yours. That was the case for one woman, who purchased a custom-made gown for her wedding three years ago. However, much to her frustration, her younger sister now wants to wear that same dress for her own nuptials. 

In a post on Reddit’s “Am I the A______” subreddit, the woman detailed her sister’s unexpected request. “I (27F) got married three years ago in a beautiful ceremony that I spent a lot of time and money planning,” she wrote. “My wedding dress was custom-made, and I fell in love with it the moment I saw the final version. It’s one of those things I still look at and feel proud of—it holds so many special memories for me.” However, recently, her younger sister got engaged and started planning her own big day. While the user wrote that the two of them are close, they have different styles and tastes. “She came over a couple of weeks ago to discuss her wedding plans, and out of nowhere, she asked if she could wear my wedding dress for her big day,” the original poster said. “I was honestly caught off guard because it wasn’t something I ever thought about. I told her I didn’t feel comfortable with that because my wedding dress is incredibly sentimental to me, and I had always planned on preserving it. I even said I’d be more than happy to help her find a dress that suited her style, or I could contribute to the cost of a new one if needed.” 

However, that suggestion didn’t sit well with the Redditor’s younger sister. “She didn’t take it well,” the OP wrote. “She got upset, saying I was being selfish and that since I’m already married, it shouldn’t matter to me anymore. She mentioned that since she’s on a tight budget, wearing my dress would help her save a lot of money. I felt terrible, but I stood my ground and told her I wasn’t willing to give it up.” Yet the younger sister’s frustration only continued. “Now, she’s been cold towards me and has even involved our mom, who thinks I’m being unreasonable,” the older sibling added. While her mother pushed her to let her sister borrow her dress for one day—especially given that she’s family, the Redditor refused. “I don’t know if I’m being overly attached or if my feelings are valid here,” she wrote. “I’ve tried explaining my side, but they don’t seem to get it.”

Even though the user’s family didn’t agree with her perspective, her fellow Redditors did. “You are no longer a child,” one person commented. “You no longer live in your mom’s house. You no longer have to share your clothes. If you bought it with your own money, you get to do with it whatever you want. Your sister and mom are being entitled and selfish to expect a grown adult to hand over something she bought for herself with her own money.” One person was even more direct in his assessment. “It’s your wedding dress, not hers,” he wrote. “If you said no you said no.”