she made it clear that she didn't want my dad's three daughters

involved in the wedding at all.

We weren't bridesmaids, weren't included in any planning, and she

even personally reached out to tell us that we were not invited to the

rehearsal dinner." The funny part, my dad had no idea she had done that.

Oh, okay.

My aunts, uncles, and cousins were all invited to the rehearsal

dinner, just not his own.

So the night before she just, like, calls and was like, "By the way,

don't come to the rehearsal. I'll see you tomorrow at the wedding."

Oh my God.

weird.

That's crazy.

Hi, Kath.

Thank you for being here.

Hello.

Hi, thank you for having me.

I'm so excited to chat with you.

I kind of just wanna jump right in.

Your story went viral- Yes … because, about a week before your wedding, you

and your groom broke up, presumably, and you ended up having your wedding

as a day to, like, celebrate and hang out with your friends and your family.

anyway, which turned into, like, this amazing viral moment that I feel

like has inspired so many people.

Mm-hmm.

So jumping right in, can you talk a little bit more about what happened and,

just sharing your, part of the story?

Yeah, of course.

So I had been with my ex-partner for six and a half years.

We got engaged after five years.

So we began planning the wedding af- relatively quickly after the engagement.

and, you know, it was all exciting times, I suppose.

We had a bit of a rocky patch in December last year, so December 2025, because

I had hit burnout in terms of work.

So I run three businesses.

Wow.

And so I was just very, very burnt out, and I was working too

much, and I was very stressed.

But also, a lot of things happened in terms of, people had stolen money from me.

I had a fraudulent investor try and come on board.

And so there was just a lot of things that happened, consecutively that really

made me quite miserable, to be honest.

Mm-hmm.

And I think that during that period of me being that way-

it became rocky between us.

Mm-hmm.

And so we had a serious conversation in December last year, and I was just

like, "I feel like I'm not supported, and I feel like, we're not, the way

we once were, like very in love, very looking out for one another,

and I feel like I'm alone basically."

Mm-hmm.

And he basically agreed and said, like, "You know, I do feel the same.

I feel like we've lost our connection a little bit.

however, obviously we're getting married in seven months, so

let's get this back on track.

Let's spend more time together.

let's work on ourselves and each other and put effort into, coming back together."

And so that's what we did.

We literally, we went on so many vacations.

we went to Spain.

We went to Italy.

We went wine tasting.

We obviously went looking at venues.

and we really spent more time together and put a lot more effort in with one another.

Mm-hmm.

And so in my opinion, and genuinely he'd never said another thing about

it and neither had I- Everything was back on track and fine.

So obviously to hear seven days before the wedding day that actually

he didn't feel the same as I did.

Mm-hmm.

And he felt like … He basically said that he just felt like since

that conversation in December, things hadn't improved much, while as I

felt like it had improved massively.

He didn't feel that way.

And obviously my question was, "Why did you never think to raise this

before seven days before our wedding?"

Yeah.

Yeah.

So basically what happened was we were completely fine.

He went on his stag do or bachelor, whatever you wanna call and that

was in early July, and we were getting married on the 31st of July.

And when he came back from that, he was just a little bit cold towards me.

Mm-hmm.

And I just put it down to nerves.

I just thought, you know, 'Cause he's quite shy really, I thought he

doesn't wanna be center of attention.

Like, it is kind of a big deal.

It's approaching thick and fast.

And also he's drunk a lot, so he's probably a bit, anxious

you've drunk too much, et cetera.

Mm-hmm.

So I just put it down to that.

but he was definitely a bit cold to me.

Then I went on a retreat, and the retreat was to try and lose a bit of

weight and also just to get a bit more zen in my own head before the wedding.

Yeah.

When I came back from the retreat, he just, like, very coldly took my luggage

from me and was like, "I'm going to bed.

I'm tired." And I was like, "What's wrong?

Are you okay?" And he was like, "I'm just tired." And there was no, like, greeting.

How are you?

How was it?

Missed you, et cetera.

So I could sense obviously something was wrong, but he

wouldn't tell me, and I asked.

And then the next day he was up and out for work really early.

He didn't get home from work until very late.

Mm.

And so when he came home, I asked him outright, I said,

"Tell me now, what's going on?

What's wrong?" And he was like, "I just don't think we should get

married." so he just said, I just don't think we should get married."

And I was like, "What do you mean?

We're getting married in seven days.

You're surely not saying this." And he was like, "Yeah, I just

I feel like, you know, since December we haven't been completely happy.

There's still more to work on.

and I, just don't think we should get married." And I was like, " Do you realize

that 50 people have flights booked, have booked holidays from work? Like, do you

realize how much money we've spent on this wedding? surely you're not being serious."

And then he just couldn't even look at me.

Like, as he was having this conversation, he was avoiding my eye contact.

Every question I asked, he just dodged.

He wasn't answering.

Obviously, I started asking the usual questions such

as, " Are you having an affair?"

Have you cheated on me?

what has happened here?" And he was just like, "No, no, it's not that.

It's not that." So he's denied that and he still does deny that.

I don't know for sure, but I do know that after that stag do he was definitely cold.

So whether it's a case of- he's done something or, wanted to do

something and felt guilty and realized that marriage wasn't right.

I'm not entirely sure because even to this day, I don't really

have any answers because he didn't really ever provide answers.

And it's funny now because on social media, you know, uh, I've got my

following now is like 96% women.

Mm-hmm.

So most of them are very nice.

But you know, the odd man who comes on says, "What's his side of the story?"

And I'm like, he hasn't even told me his side of the story, so I

don't think he's gonna tell you."

Right.

I don't think he's interested in telling you, you know- Yeah … Tom from Timbuktu-

Right … what his side of the story is if he's not even gonna tell me what

his- Right … side of the story is.

So we don't know what his side of the story is to even give,

so yeah, you just get my side.

Mm-hmm.

That's what we get.

Yeah.

And so, like, what was… I'm sure so many things were going through your mind

in that moment, like, especially when you think about, yeah, all the planning that

went into it and, the money you've spent.

So was your initial reaction like, "Oh my gosh, we have to cancel this

wedding," or like, "What are we gonna do?

What are our next steps?" what do you even do at that point?

I don't think there was ever a moment that I thought about canceling it.

I think because I, obviously I'd put all this effort in, I knew exactly what was

happening, and I knew exactly that every penny had been spent, and we were not

gonna get anything back at this stage because, you know, it's seven days before.

Every vendor's been paid.

The venue's been paid.

the likelihood of us getting money back was next to nothing.

Mm-hmm.

So I don't really think there was a moment in time where I

even thought about canceling it.

I thought, " We'll go ahead with this without you." and that was

an almost an immediate thought.

obviously that comes, by the way, after like the devastation,

the rolling around crying.

I genuinely considered begging him.

Like, I did consider that.

Mm-hmm.

Because I thought, "I can probably persuade him if we sit down, have a

big conversation, like cry, whatever, I can probably persuade him."

But throughout that evening, I just thought to myself, I'm not gonna even beg.

I'm not gonna ask.

I'm not." Because the fact is, I would be walking down that aisle

on what should be the happiest day of my life feeling like a fraud.

Mm-hmm.

And that's just not me.

It's not me to do that.

I couldn't have held it in.

I would have told someone or something and, it only would

have led to divorce anyway.

So by the time I'd tossed and turned in bed all night, I was

very kind of set that, like, this wedding isn't happening, end of.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

So by the time the morning came around, I'd made the decision anyway that was it.

And he actually said to me, 'cause he was going to work away, he

works away quite often, and he said to me, I'm going to work away.

let's not make any decisions until I'm back." So he was going for

three days, so I thought, "What?

You want me to sit here with this information on my own doing nothing

with it until you return and you decide what you want to do?"

And I thought, "Absolutely not, no." So I said, "No way." I said,

"I'll be telling my mom right now." And anyway, that's what I did.

And one of those things, like no matter what your age is, like

the minute you tell your mom it's kind of like that's it, isn't it?

You just- She's already messed

up.

Yeah

… yeah, yeah.

That's, that's it.

You can't come back from that, can you, once you've told your mom?

Mm-hmm.

So anyway, I phoned my mom and I told her, and she came round, and

she came round with my sister.

And obviously I was just crying and just explaining what had happened, and they

were just shocked, like so shell-shocked.

We all were.

Everyone was just, like, completely- taken aback.

and so once I told them, I said, like, "We're still going ahead with the wedding.

it's just gonna not be a wedding, but it's gonna be a party," I

said, "because everyone can't lose the money on the flights.

They can't lose the time that they've booked off.

and I also, we're not getting any money back anyway, so we're doing it." And

they were just like, "Okay, if you're sure, then absolutely." And so really

while I was kind of sat there on a couch crying, they were the ones who

actually picked up the phone and phoned everyone and explained everything and

made all the changes that were necessary.

and they were the ones who handled that while I was obviously very

distraught, and I just spent the week pulling myself together really,

and just being like, " Let's cry out all the tears that we can now.

Ready to just get out…" I just knew as well, once I was out the

country, I was gonna feel better-

Mm-hmm

to be, like, removed from him.

and so yeah, that's what we did.

We worked on what we were gonna do, and then we just reset

it from a wedding to a party.

I love that.

So, what were the biggest, like, changes that, like, when they called

and made some changes, or called, like, the venue, I presume, like,

what kind of changes did they make to kind of make it big party celebration?

To be honest, there was not many changes made apart from, the ceremony itself.

Obviously, we no longer needed to have a ceremony, so we

no longer needed the church.

We no longer needed, anyone to host the ceremony.

But most other things, 'cause it was, like, a welcome

dinner, that remained the same.

It was just a case of changing the playlist.

So instead of, like, romantic love songs, we had party vibe songs.

the plans for that night remained exactly the same.

Even the next day for the wedding day, we all got ready as a

family, like me and my sisters, my auntie, my mom, we all got ready.

We still got our makeup done, our hair done.

We still got pictures.

Everything kind of remained as normal.

The only difference was I didn't wear my wedding dress, even though

people thought that the dress I had on was my wedding dress.

Yeah.

I would either change into that in the night if I was too hot, or

I was gonna wear it the next day.

But it wasn't my wedding dress.

But I was like, " I'm not gonna let all these nice outfits

go to waste because of you.

Like, I'm already not wearing my wedding dress.

That's bad enough." Mm-hmm.

So the rest of the white outfits that I have, you know, I'm still wearing them.

to be honest, everything was as it should've been minus the ceremony.

That was it.

Yeah.

I love that.

And what were, like, if you wanna share, what were, like, the reactions of people,

like, that they call, And did most everyone that was going to come still

come to the ceremony or to the party?

Yeah.

So everyone… the people that were uninvited was his side.

Mm-hmm.

So his family and his friends.

So there was originally gonna be 50 people, but there ended up being

30 people, because again, there was really nothing against them.

It was just a case of why would I want to be reminded of him by having them there.

Yeah.

So they were not invited, while as my side, my friends, my family,

basically everyone still came.

I think there was maybe one or two people who didn't come anymore, and

that was for other reasons because they had other stuff going on.

But generally, like everyone was like, "Yeah, we're still coming."

Everyone was shocked, of course.

Everyone was shocked.

And I think it was a case of they really didn't know how to handle me,

but my sister and my mom had spoken to them and said, " Look, if you can

just not talk about, him, and you could just not talk about the situation,

and you could just do whatever you can to speak about other stuff and make

her laugh and talk about memories, or just do what you're doing, but just

try your best to avoid that topic."

And everyone did a great job of doing that.

And the topic was, you know, it was barely touched upon, to be honest with you.

that's very much down to my friends and family.

Yeah.

And, like, looking at the videos, the vibes looked immaculate.

It looked like it was just- Yeah … like such a good time, and that, like- Yeah

were surrounded by so many people that just, like, supported you and just wanted

to celebrate- Yeah … and hang out.

Yeah.

Have a good, like, vacation, like, party.

Yeah.

was that.

And I think, you know, everyone really put the best foot forward

probably because of the situation.

But everyone was so up for, fun, so up for a party and it was just… a great night.

That's amazing.

And it was in Italy, correct?

Yeah.

Tuscany.

Tuscany.

And had you been there before?

That was your first time, or?

Yeah.

No, I've been a few times, 'cause from England, Italy is only two hours away.

So I've been to Italy many, many, many times.

but Tuscany I've been a few times.

And particularly when we were looking at wedding venues, we did, like, a

huge tour of Tuscany, going around visiting different places in the car.

So yeah, I know it, and I love it very much.

Oh, that's awesome.

so for the day itself, I know you, like, you had many moments that, ended

up going viral just 'cause it was, a shocking moment to a lot of people.

Yeah.

So what was, like, one moment that, like, you're able to just, like, core

memory or just, like, remember, you felt, like, empowered in the day?

I think probably actually creating the content because- I knew it anyway,

but I know now more than ever, having spoken to all these thousands of women

literally across the whole wide world, that this is more common than we think.

Mm-hmm.

Like, but it's just not spoken about because people feel embarrassed-

Yeah … and people feel shame.

And whether it's being jilted, whether it's being left, whether it's just

being cheated on the day after your wedding or finding out at the wedding

that someone's having an affair or… the amount of crazy stories that

I've been told now, it's very clear that women stay silent and they carry

their shame, to the death, basically.

Mm-hmm.

Whereas for me, as I was creating this content, I was laughing at myself.

Like, I was able to go, " Wow, this situation only happens in movies,

but somehow it's happened to me."

Mm-hmm.

And so to be able to be with my friends, coming up with ideas like, " What if we

do it to this song?" Or, what about that scene from The Kardashians? What if we

recreate that?" Talking about that and laughing about it and just being able

to laugh at myself was actually very liberating and it felt like empowered.

And so I wasn't upset.

Like, when I was creating the content, I wasn't upset at all during that period.

We really, really had a laugh.

It's the other times, it's like the times when everyone goes

home and you're left on your own.

these are the times where you feel the sadness and the upset.

But during those moments, it was genuine laughter, to be quite honest.

I

love that.

And it probably helped so many people, too, 'cause like you said, it's a

situation where I feel like a lot of people are left feeling like, not ashamed,

but like, yeah, like embarrassed or like, "Oh, I'm not gonna talk about it.

Okay, let's just quietly cancel it and have to call everybody." But you kind

of took the power back and you were like, "Heck no, I'm not gonna cancel it.

It's gonna be an awesome day and I'm surrounded by all my favorite

people, that I know." and that was like so cool to see, is like "No,

I'm not letting it go to waste.

Like, this is my life, too.

I'm gonna enjoy it."

Yeah, exactly.

why ruin it for everyone else as well when I know that I have the power to

let everyone still come and have a great time knowing what we're in for?

So yeah, there was never a moment I was gonna cancel.

Yeah.

and so what's kind of like the… I know you said like your following has grown,

like you've got like 96%- Women that, which I'm not surprised to hear, 'cause I

feel like women are just like, "Yes, let's empower each other." Power to the women.

Yes.

This is awesome.

So what has, like, been, most of, the comments and the

things that you're hearing?

Are people sending you their own stories of, like, " Oh, thanks for sharing this,

'cause this happened to me," or, "I know someone that this has happened to"?

Yeah, thousands.

Thousands, thousands, thousands.

and I think that is what has helped me through this the most out of

anything, because it's people saying, like, "Oh my God, I got broken

up with three months ago, and I still haven't got out of the bed."

Mm.

" And I've seen that you were able to go and do that one week after, and it's

empowered me to get back up again, and it's inspired me to go, well, no, I'm

not gonna sit here being a, victim.

I am gonna get up and go." So receiving messages like that, you see, like,

oh my God, this was all worthwhile.

even if it just helped one person, but clearly from the messages, it's thousands.

And then it's people just telling their stories.

You know, obviously they've never spoken about it publicly, and then they're,

they're coming to me and saying, " This happened to me." And some of the

stories are, like, really shocking.

Mm. Shocking stories.

And I'm like, "Oh my God." And they've kept it to themselves.

They've told no one.

Mm-hmm.

I think if it can just empower people to, like, not to blame here.

Like, why should we be ashamed?

Why should we curl up in a corner because of something a man's done to us?"

Mm-hmm.

When we could actually just put one foot in front of the other and keep going.

Mm-hmm.

I'd love to keep on doing that, and that's what I hope to achieve moving forward.

Yeah, 'cause I feel like when it does happen in, like, you know, movies or

TV shows or when we hear stories, it's like the man, like, will, expects her

to, hide away, or They don't wanna see them living their best life in that time.

Yeah.

And so that's, like, the best to be like, "No, look at me, I'm not gonna let you,

affect me." And I think it shows how important, like, having your village and

having your support, you know, people around you to, lift you up in those times.

Absolutely.

If it tells you about anything, don't lose your friends when you

get in a relationship, because so many people do that, you know?

They get in a relationship and they forget about the friends, and they don't

make time for the friends, and they don't make time for the family, and,

like, they're all in on this one person.

And I just think, like-

Mm

… that is really a huge downfall if, you know, if something

like this is to come along.

and knock you for six.

But luckily for me, even though I've been in a relationship for

six and a half years, I've still kept very strong relationships

with my friends and my family.

So when something like this did happen, it was only one phone call for everyone

to come together and really support me.

So it's- Mm-hmm … key to life.

I believe in Sex and the City, you know.

Girlfriends are your soulmates, and then-

Mm-hmm

… everyone else is just to have fun with.

Yes.

I love that.

No, I 100% agree with that, 'cause my biggest pet peeve, especially

when I was younger, is, like, a girl would get a boyfriend and you

wouldn't see her, like, ever again.

Disappear.

Yes.

She's gone.

Uh, yeah.

And then until they break up, then they're like, "Oh, hey, let's hang out." Yeah.

She's back.

And you're like- … "Okay." Yeah.

yeah.

That was just such a pet peeve of mine.

And I know people… I feel like there's, a name for it, where they

just, have friends just to keep them busy until they find their person.

And then those are the ones that once they get married you,

like, never see them again.

Yeah.

And it's just like okay, they got their person.

That's it.

And I, totally agree with you, right?

you need your girlfriends, you need your friends, you need other

people other than your partner or spouse or, whoever, 'cause-

Absolutely agree.

Yeah, you can't just… I don't know.

I feel like female friendships are so important to have at every

stage- They do … of your life.

So agree.

Yeah.

Completely agree.

There's no way I would've been able to, you know, handle this in

the way that I have without that.

Mm-hmm.

So- Yeah … it's very important.

Yes.

I love that.

Okay.

We are going to do a little, it's called, like, a red light, green light game-

Okay.

to kinda, shift gears.

Okay.

I feel like that was some really good advice to, like, end on.

Okay.

So, here we go.

Let's see.

You could say yellow light if it's, like, proceed with caution,

or a red light is absolutely not.

Okay.

All right.

Destination weddings.

Green light.

big weddings.

Oh.

See, some people thought my wedding was going to be big.

It was supposed to be 50 people.

I thought that was small.

Do you think that's big or small?

I think that's very small.

Yeah.

I do as well.

Yeah.

I see a big wedding as, like, 250 people, I think that's a red light,

because I think that's, like, really unmanageable, and there's so many people

there that you probably don't actually really love and see all the time.

Mm-hmm.

So I think red light to a, big wedding.

But then some people think 50 is a big wedding, so it's all relative, I suppose.

Yeah, I know everyone has, like, their own opinions about big and small.

50, I feel like, uh, 50 is a lot of people for, like, a party, but I feel like for

a wedding that's considered more micro.

I think so as well, yeah.

Yeah.

I know.

I remember even, growing up I was always like, "Oh, I'll probably

have, like, 200 people," and then I think we ended up having, like, 130.

Mm. And so, like, to me, like, that sounded, like, small-ish.

Yeah.

But I've been at weddings where there's, like, 300 people

and you're just like- Yeah.

Same

… " My God." Same.

Yeah.

Yeah.

They invite everybody they know and, like, you're

like- Yeah.

Oh, what about Taylor Swift's wedding?

Yeah.

What was that, like, thousands?

Thousands of people.

Like, how on earth?

I mean, she's got the cash, so it's okay.

But yeah.

Yes.

So many people.

For me, a big wedding like that would be a red light.

Yes.

let's see.

Having a big bridal party.

I mean, again, red for me.

But this is all very personal, I think.

Yeah … for me.

I was only having my two sisters, so it was just… And

I didn't have a maid of honor.

I just had my two sisters as bridesmaids equal.

Yeah.

So if I was ever to get married again, which probably not,

to be honest, but if I was,

I'd still stick to just having them two.

Yeah.

So you mean, like, after… Is it because of, all of this, you're just

like, "I just don't wanna do it again"?

Or, like-

yeah.

I mean, going through the whole planning process and all of

that, I'm just like, "Oh, God.

I'm tired.

I wouldn't want to do that again." But then also I think I've kind of lost…

I kind of think, "Well, what's the point in a wedding anyway?" Like, it's just

a piece of paper, and, the likelihood is if you wanna go by statistics,

we're probably gonna end up divorced.

I know that's not, a positive mental attitude, but statistics do say-

Yeah

… that we are likely to end up divorced.

So do I really need… I would never say never, because, you know, if

someone comes along and they're rich enough to buy me the best wedding

on Earth, maybe I'm gonna say yeah.

But aside from that, I probably wouldn't bother.

Yeah.

Well, and I feel like, too, now, it's you have this, really awesome, celebration,

and it's like, what could, like, top that?

Just-

Yeah.

It looked so fun, and it's, like- drama-free.

You know, you're living your best life.

And, weddings come with a lot of drama and- They do especially

with the wrong person or the wrong family you're marrying into.

, It's just, like, the stories I get, too, and I'm just like- I don't

think I would do it again after like- Yeah There's so many people,

I talk to where they're like one big thing is, enough, but I don't know.

Yeah.

But there are people that, like, love that.

I feel the same way.

Yeah.

Yeah, maybe I'd just, like, elope just the two of us if I

wanted to, but I don't know.

I just, I'm not sure I care much about a piece of paper-

Yeah

anymore.

Yeah, no, I get that, for sure.

Okay, let's get into, I, the story I have is a little long,

so I wanna get into that.

So I have a wedding story that someone sent me.

Yeah.

So, I'll read it, and then we can just react to it as, we go.

I haven't read it yet, so we're gonna see what we got here.

Okay.

" This story is actually about my dad's fourth wedding and

his current wife's fifth.

And when I say wedding, I mean full-blown traditional wedding." Okay, so we're just

talking about not having more than one.

They're on their fourth and fifth.

Okay.

Not shaming, to each their own, but- … that just sounds

like a lot, a lot of planning.

It is.

" At the time, my dad was 53, and his bride was 49.

From the beginning, she made it clear that she didn't want my dad's three

daughters involved in the wedding at all.

We weren't bridesmaids, weren't included in any planning, and she even personally

reached out to tell us that we were not invited to the rehearsal dinner."

My first thought is why would he allow that?

Why would he not- want-

Yeah, I would say that surely he should be saying that that's not an option.

Yeah.

That's a red flag.

Yeah.

" She said she'd see us tomorrow at the wedding instead." Oh, here we go.

This is why I haven't read it yet.

The funny part, my dad had no idea she had done that.

Oh, okay.

My aunts, uncles, and cousins were all invited to the rehearsal

dinner, just not his own.

So the night before she just, like, calls and was like, "By the way,

don't come to the rehearsal. I'll see you tomorrow at the wedding."

Oh my God.

weird.

That's crazy.

Yeah.

I feel like I wouldn't take that call seriously.

I'd be like, "Okay, see you there." " I will be there anyway, regardless." Yeah.

So, like- Exactly … it makes me wonder what what had happened previous to this.

Like, have they had arguments before?

Mm-hmm.

Have they had disagreements before?

Because is this just completely, like, is this a complete surprise to them?

Or are they just like, "Oh, yeah, it's Karen. Of course

she's gonna do this." Yes.

Good old Karen.

Yeah.

Yeah.

She's always got some issue with us.

Yeah.

Wild.

On the wedding day, my sisters and I sat in the front row on my

dad's side with our children, and things only got stranger from there.

The ceremony was in California in June at 4:00 PM with guests

including young children and elderly relatives sitting on hay bales in

direct sunlight outside in a barn.

Okay.

Okay.

The hay bales.

the groomsmen, who are all my uncles, were dressed in long-sleeve white T-shirts

with black wool vests in the summer heat.

And I just have to pause for a second 'cause I'm thinking, like, they are

going all out for all these weddings.

Can you imagine being a brother or a sister or whoever

in five different weddings?

Yeah.

You're like, "Can you just not have a wedding party this time, please?"

Like- … being in five weddings for the same person, I'd be like, "No, I'm good.

Thank you."

Yeah.

Done.

Yeah.

it'd be very hard to take that seriously for a fifth time, wouldn't it?

Yeah.

You'd be like, "Oh, surely not." Like, "Please stop." But also how

much money do these people have to just have continuous weddings?

Yes, that's what I thought.

I'm like, that's a lot of money to be putting in for the bride and groom,

all their, wedding party, their guests.

I could understand if, like, maybe, like, their first wedding they didn't

go all out, so okay, the second wedding we're gonna have a big wedding.

But by the fourth, like…

Yeah.

You surely better.

Yes.

Mm. Oh my gosh.

Okay.

Funny.

Then my dad made his grand entrance by riding down the aisle on a horseback- Mm

to an old Western theme song.

I can, like, picture it.

But-

I feel like this should've been in Texas, not California

I know.

They sound very country.

Yeah.

My 94-year-old great-grandmother thought it was absolutely hilarious.

The bride arrived in a horse-drawn carriage.

Unfortunately, the fairy tale entrance lost a little bit of its magic because

the carriage driver was dressed in full Western attire while the assistant

walking beside him was wearing a pink tank top, shorts, and flip-flops.

Oh.

His own parents refused to attend because they didn't want to

celebrate a fifth wedding Okay, so the parents didn't wanna come.

Mm-hmm.

" She also wouldn't allow her adult son to come because he

had a cold a few days earlier.

He even offered to stand in the very back during the ceremony and leave

immediately afterward, but she refused.

From what I heard, she wasn't very kind about it either." Yeah, I'm not surprised.

Yeah.

She doesn't sound very- She sounds

like a witch.

It's, like, literally like a story of, like, the evil stepmother because

she's like- Yeah, the evil stepmother … "Don't come to the wedding," and- … I

just picture and… Oh, my gosh.

" After the ceremony, we took photos." While we were waiting, my husband

realized our 18-month-old's nephew was overheating in the California sun.

Mm-hmm.

he took him inside the barn to cool off.

While we were gone, the bride gathered everyone back together and took a

family photo without my sisters or me.

Why?

Just why?

Yes.

God.

Also, like, a June wedding in California sounds like… And outside in a

barn sounds like terrible planning.

Yeah.

I would agree.

Yeah, I mean, this lady sounds crazy, to be honest.

Yeah.

that ended up being the only family photo she ever shared or posted.

At the time, we were shocked because we never really had any

issues with her before the wedding.

There we go.

They've answered- Yeah … my question.

Yeah.

That's so weird to just all of a sudden be like, "Yeah, I don't want them

being a part of the wedding," which is, like, the start of a new, chapter,

and she's just like, "Yeah, no."

it's like the evil step-mom story, you know, when at first it's

like, "Oh, I love you so much.

I love you." And then once you're married it's like, "Okay, get to boarding school."

Yes.

Let's ship them off.

Like, I don't care anymore.

Yeah.

It doesn't say how old, the kids are, but I mean, it says they

had kids of their own, so I would guess, late 20s or 30s maybe.

they're adults that, like, presumably live on their own, so it's like, what…

It's not like she has to take care of them and, Yeah.

… feed them.

Like, they live on their own.

Like, wouldn't she want them involved?

No way.

Yeah.

Yeah.

unless she feels, jealous of them or has some kind of, hatred- Or- … something.

Yeah.

Maybe she's just, person and, that's it.

Yeah.

I mean, she doesn't sound like someone I would like to be friends with.

Yeah, no.

I'm getting all the bad vibes about her.

Looking back now, it feels like the beginning of a much bigger pattern.

Over the years she slowly isolated my dad from all his children and grandchildren.

Meanwhile, two of her three adult children and one grandchild moved in

with them and have been fully financially supported by my dad ever since.

No way.

That makes me think a lot of things.

Mm-hmm.

If he's, like, very well off and she, like, somehow knew it, she was like,

"How can I make sure we are, like…" I don't know, maybe I've read too

many, or seen too many- Mm … drama things- … but I'm like, she's like, "How

can I make sure we get the money?" Yeah.

Or get something if something happens.

Yeah.

' Cause to cut off his family-

Yeah.

They need to be checking on his will immediately.

Yeah.

Yeah, 'cause she's someone that would go in there and change it.

Yeah,

she'll change it.

Yeah.

Yes.

Oh.

Oh

my gosh.

Wow.

But that's also on the dad too.

How is she gonna allow him to isolate from his own kids and grandkids?

Like-

Well, exactly, 'cause he can just say, "Well, no. Sorry, I'm a grown man."

Yeah.

" I need to see my own kids and my own grandkids.

I'm not interested in just seeing your kids the whole time." So

yeah, it is on the dad, but, what a surprise, men not standing up.

Mm.

He's like, "Hmm, he's easily manipulated.

I got this." Yeah. "There were plenty of other memorable moments from the day too.

The guest list was almost entirely my dad's friends and family because, as we

later learned, she wasn't particularly close with her own relatives or former

friends." Mm. " The only people there on her side were one of her adult daughters

and a few of that daughter's friends."

Mm. " A man named Cookie handled all the cooking, but they didn't make enough food

for the guests." Then out of nowhere, 10 Mormon missionaries showed up uninvited

and each grabbed multiple plates of food, leaving even less for everyone.

Who are these Mormon missionaries that just- Who were they?

They just randomly came.

Who- Like, did someone invite them?

Yeah.

Were they invited or Were they just on the doorstep?

They're just, at the barn.

they're like, "Oh, look, there's a wedding. Let's go help ourselves." I

don't- No, that is funny.

I would laugh at that.

If I saw that happen, I would just laugh.

Yeah, like, what else is gonna walk into this wedding?

Yeah.

Like, what, what do you mean?

Instead of having a family member walk her down the aisle, she asked one of my

dad's friends, a man she only had known for a couple of months, to give her away.

Mm. Weird.

Weird, weird.

That's

very weird.

I went to a wedding once where the bride asked her guy best friend, or guy friend,

to walk her down the aisle when her dad was alive and well and at the wedding.

Oh my God.

It was very odd.

Awkward and uncomfortable.

Yeah.

Mm. But then she had a wedding She had divorced and married to

someone else later, and her dad walked her down for that aisle.

So I was like, maybe the dad didn't support it, but hi- I don't know.

Yeah.

It was very… It was very interesting.

Yeah.

Or she might have thought h- her friend was bad luck, since she got divorced.

Yeah.

I'm not having you again."

Yeah.

You're out this

time.

as the reception went on, several guests became so intoxicated that they were

literally falling all over while dancing.

The bride spent the entire evening being overly affectionate with

our extended family, hugging everyone and chatting them up.

Trying to butter them up for that will, I guess.

Yeah.

But any time my sisters or I approached to talk to our dad, she would

quietly walk away with him Again, we hadn't had any problems before the

wedding, so it felt very intentional.

Fast-forward three years, here we go.

They're now on the verge of divorce.

My dad is raising her grandchild and financially supporting her adult children

while she has essentially cut him off from his own kids and grandkids.

Two of my dad's three children have completely gone no contact because

he refuses to stand up to his wife and continually allows her to blame

all of their marital problems on us, even though they're cut out.

Yeah.

I

thought that was weird.

How,

how…

Looking back, it really feels like the wedding was the first sign

of everything that was to come.

Gosh, that-

Mania

I mean, I hate to say it, but if you're going on weddings four and

five, it's not- Maybe looking good.

I don't want people- Yeah … to be mad at that.

But I'm like, there's something not working, right?

Yeah

… there's something not working.

And I feel like at that point, too, maybe you're not taking it

as, who knows how long they were together before they got married.

I feel like- Mm … the, older you get, you kinda hear, like, they don't,

wait as long 'cause they're like, "Oh, we're, we don't have as much time."

Yeah.

"We're older." gosh, that's wild.

And now he's, like, financially supporting her kids and grandkids.

Yeah, instead of his own.

Yeah.

So more fool him is what I say.

Yeah.

I wonder if in the divorce she'll get, money from him, too.

Like, or his, her family.

I would like to know about his finances.

I wish she would've included, like, " PS, my dad is a billionaire." Yeah.

I know.

I'm picturing, Parent Trap, like the dad-

Yeah, same … Meredith, like- That's also what I've been picturing.

Same.

That is exactly the same as what I've been thinking.

That's so funny.

Yeah.

Yeah.

She- Like, if she were just a little bit younger, I'd be like, oh my gosh,

I don't remember what his name is.

I know it's Meredith Blake.

I don't remember his name.

Is it?

I don't know what his name is, no.

But yeah, that's who I was picturing.

I was like, oh my gosh, he owns a vineyard somewhere and makes all this money, and…

were you picturing the original or the Lindsay Lohan one?

Just now I was picturing the Lindsay Lohan one, but I do love the original, too.

I had the original in my head.

Did you?

Yeah.

Love

that.

I love that.

Wasn't it the same… Maybe I'm making some of that stuff up.

' Cause I know Lindsay Lohan was in Freaky Friday, and, Parent Trap.

Wasn't the same actress in the original Freaky Friday and Parent Trap?

Oh, I don't know.

I don't know that.

I wonder what it, what's her name?

I might be making it up.

I think maybe I was just, like, as a kid, like, surprised that there

was, like, an original for both.

I was like, what?

Love that movie, but it's exactly what I was picturing as well.

Especially when she's like, "Ship them off to Switzerland."

Yeah.

Get rid.

Yeah.

It's me or them.

Take your-

Yeah.

But obviously this guy doesn't pick that.

oh yeah, it was Hayley Mills was- So

she was, she was in both?

Let me see.

Freaky Friday.

Okay.

Totally made that up.

Wait.

Are we foster?

I saw it as a kid, so I do not remember that.

But, yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Interesting.

Yeah.

Mm-hmm That's literally what I'm picturing is, the evil stepmother coming in,

like, wants his money- Yeah … and, maybe she was just like, "You know

what, guys, we're low on some funds."

I'm gonna get you guys a stepdad to take care of us." Yeah,

yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

It all adds up- Mm … to not very good.

Yeah.

They should have maybe done something like they did in Parent Trap where they

terrorized her and, put all, like, the animals in her shoes and stuff like

that, and drowned her in the lake.

Like, maybe they could have done something like that.

Drowned her in the lake,

yes.

I know.

Well, it's like you always say, when people tell a story from

their perspective, you know, they make themselves sound

a little bit better, right?

Yeah.

And so I'm like, she says, like, there were certain things the wife

blames them for the marital problems.

I'm like, oh, maybe there is something that, happened.

May-

maybe you did something.

Maybe you're not telling us everything.

Yeah.

Right?

Can the evil stepmom on?

'Cause I want two sides to the story.

I wanna

hear her.

But I'm also like, she probably deserved it 'cause- Yeah … she

just sounds like a not great person.

Yeah.

The whole thing about not allowing them at the rehearsal dinner is

very odd, and just to call them.

Yeah.

But- Yeah … like me, if, like, my dad was getting remarried or

something and, the night before his wife was like, "Oh, you can't come,"

I would do some calls to double-check.

Like, "What's going on here?"

Yeah, yeah.

I don't think I would just not go.

Yeah,

No, same.

I would as a- Yeah … I would phone him straight away and be

like, "Why has she just said this?"

Yeah,

surely.

"Surely this is not true, and surely you should not marry him now."

Yeah.

" Not marry her now."

So, like, not have any issues until the actual wedding.

Yeah.

Very odd.

Weird.

Okay.

Well, that was a weird one.

very, very crazy, these stories.

Mm-hmm.

But yeah.

All right.

I always like to end these episodes with confessions.

So someone sent me… so we asked in my Instagram story, what's, be honest,

what's something a family member expected from you that felt unfair?

And this is, like, usually for, like, weddings or events.

this says, "Future sister-in-law, we were marrying brothers, expected to

be a bridesmaid. She got engaged first and didn't ask me to be a part of

hers, but was mad." she didn't ask her to be a bridesmaid, the other sister

didn't ask her, she was mad to not be a bridesmaid She got mad about it.

Yeah.

I've heard many stories like that before.

Yeah.

I think that's pretty common, I would say.

Yeah.

Like some, people just don't ask the other one, and then they

don't ask them as payback, and then there's some kind of drama.

Yeah.

I personally wouldn't care.

I'd be like, "Thank you very much for not making me a bridesmaid."

I

know.

It's so much work.

I know.

It's, interesting.

It's like some people love it, some hate it.

Yeah.

I've been a bridesmaid so many times that, I feel like I've done my due diligence.

Mm-hmm.

I feel like I'm kind of, done with that era of being a bridesmaid.

And I loved it when, the time was there, but now I'm just

kinda like, "It's a lot of work."

It's like a full-time job.

Yeah.

It really is sometimes.

Yeah.

If you're like a- I can see … if you're like a hands-on person, I

feel like it's a full-time job.

Yeah, not for me.

I'm not the o- organizing type, really.

This says, "Rented a house for the bachelorette and expected each

of us to drop a grand for it."

Ooh.

That's a lot.

That's a lot.

I think that's too much to expect from people.

Yeah.

There were two bachelorette parties I went on where I've spent over

$1,000, but it was best friends of mine, three years apart, and it was

a week long, That was, like, total what I spent, including, like- Okay

hotel, flight- Yeah … food.

Yeah.

For a house alone is- Mm-hmm … crazy.

I agree with that.

you know, if it's a very close friend.

I went to Vegas for my best friend's, so that was, like, a huge expense.

But also I just saw it as like, "Okay, I'm going to Vegas for a week, so whatever."

Girls trip.

I didn't just see it as just her hen.

I think if you want to do it, you will.

But if that was someone I wasn't close to and they wanted me to

go and spend thousands of pounds going to Vegas, I'd say no.

Mm-hmm.

Exactly.

Like, people get so bent out of shape about, like, bachelorette

parties when I've, made skits or when I share stories and stuff.

And I'm like, "No one is making you." if you're not close enough

to them that you wanna go to their bachelorette, just say no.

Yeah.

People aren't selfish for having one or not having one.

That's just what they wanna do.

Um- And you

can just say no.

yeah, exactly.

You can just say no.

Mm-hmm … but yeah.

Like, for me, 'cause I've said no to bachelorette parties, but, like, for

me, if, like, for close friends that I was, like, in their wedding, and,

like, all the people invited were other close friends, it was like a

girls' trip, so it was so much fun.

Yeah.

Like, why wouldn't I go?

It, it's worth it, yeah.

It's worth it.

Yeah.

It's worth the money

Yeah.

Have you seen that girl who posts, they post, like, they've

made the texts into a song.

Yes,

I have

she posts about, the bachelorette trip from hell.

No.

it's really funny.

I don't know if it's real or not, you know, when you're thinking is this AI?

But it's just, like, a big story about, like, how this one maid of honor was just

a nightmare, and she was just kept saying to the girls, like, "Give me more money.

You have to do this.

You have to do that." You know, "You're the worst." making everyone spend

thousands of dollars on everything.

And it's just a really good story, so I keep going back to see the update.

Yeah.

Because apparently now the maid of honor from hell, she's now messaging

her saying, "Why are you making songs out of this?" And so then she's making

songs out of these messages as well.

So whether it's real or not is different, but it is-

Yeah … really funny to listen to.

So

things for more content.

I mean, even- Yeah … if it's not real, I have heard stories, like, on Reddit

and some that people have sent to me, about, like, crazy similar stories.

One was, the bride kept asking the wedding party for money, saying

it was for, like, the bachelorette party, and she was, like, pocketing

it and, using it for other stuff.

Stop it.

Please, I can't.

' Cause then when it came time for the bachelorette party, she had, like… It

was not what she said it was gonna be.

Like, they were like, "Oh, it's gonna go towards a house," and

it was, like, not like that.

that is horrendous.

Yes.

Or it's like the, it comes out that, like, actually a different, family

member paid for the bachelorette.

So they're like, "Well, where did our money go?" Where

did our money go?

Oh.

It is wild the stories.

That is so funny.

Oh my God.

All right.

Let me read a couple more of these.

it said, " I was expected to wear my grandma's wedding ring,

even though she never put effort into me as a child." Okay.

Interesting.

" Mother-in-law expected to be the main grandparent because my parents

already had other grandchildren."

Okay.

" My sister wanted her kids at my kid-free wedding After telling me they stop

at grocery stores to let them run around when they're on road trips.

I don't know what that has to do with it, but- Yeah.

Same.

It's not relevant.

Okay.

cause I was like, I feel like that's normal I mean, not, like, run around

grocery stores and knock stuff off the shelves, but like learn energy.

No,

that's what kids do.

They run

around.

Yeah.

Yeah.

But the whole, like, if someone's having a kid-free wedding,

don't ask to bring your kids.

Yeah.

Like- 'Cause

it's, it's kid-free.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Like,

let's

respect- And they've, they've been direct with that.

Mm-hmm.

And so what's the problem?

Yeah, like, for me, I definitely was having a ki- I say kid-free.

I meant baby-free because I did have one kid there, but she was 10.

Mm.

And so she's, you know, very okay.

Yeah.

But I did not want a two-year-old, a three-year-old, a baby in arms.

I did not want that

there.

Right.

So I made that clear, and everyone… To be honest, most people are

quite happy with that, aren't they?

They're like, "Great news. I can offload my child."

Yes.

See, and that's the thing that people don't, like, shouldn't say don't

understand, but, when I've posted about kid-free weddings too, you

always get someone in the comments that's like, "Oh, that's so rude.

It's supposed to be a family event." And I'm like, when I got married, my

friends were like, "Yes, a night off." Like- Yes … babysitter's gonna watch

the baby, Yeah … watch the kid.

and I always say, like, I have a toddler, and I'm like, I would never

be offended if someone invited me to a wedding and didn't invite her.

Yeah.

In fact, even if they did invite her, I'd probably be like, "We'll

probably have a sitter." Why?

Yeah.

Unless it's a family wedding-

Yeah … there's no- Yeah.

Cool.

Yeah.

Everyone's different, and I just think a wedding is your own day, and

if you don't want it, especially, like, if you don't have your own

kids, then you, probably don't want kids there and, I think that's fine.

It should be your choice.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, we only did nieces and nephews- and let them kinda decide

if they wanted to bring them or not.

Like, my sister at the time had, I think my nieces were, they were probably only

two at the time, and she's like, "No, they'll stay home." But she brought- Yeah

like, her older daughter.

And- Yeah … 'cause it was like, it was up to the parents, and it

was like we just invited nieces and nephews, and the youngest was five.

we didn't have, like, you know- Oh, yeah … a toddler.

Yeah, or babies.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I think

that's pretty kind.

I wouldn't have done that.

Yeah.

I would've been like, "Sorry, they're not coming."

Yeah, I know.

But yours also was like guess it's considered an elopement, right?

'Cause it's-

Yeah

… yeah, you have to fly to it.

Yeah, yeah … yeah.

But I was like, I don't know, I couldn't picture without, but like, as for like

everybody else, I was like, " No."

21 and older only.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Oh, I love that.

All right.

Well, thank you so much for coming on and sharing- No … your story

and, you know, laughing with me.

I know it's a very vulnerable story to share, but like I said, I feel like it's

very, like, empowering of like how you shared it, and I'm sure, like, you're

inspiring so many people with your story.

Thank you so much.

Thanks for having me.

I really enjoyed

it.

Of course.

And where can people find you, follow along your journey?

Anything else you have to share?

Yeah, please follow me on TikTok.

This is my new journey.

When I first put my posts up, I had zero followers, not one singular follower.

Oh

my God.

And now I've got, I don't know, like 120,000 or something.

Yay.

It's quite like weirdly overnight.

but please follow me.

It's TikTok.

It's Kathjay, K-A-T-H-J-A-Y89.

Nice.

And that would be fabulous.

Thank you so

much.

Awesome.

Thank you.