'My family demand I make my sister a bridesmaid - they're furious over my decision'

It’s often tradition to include family members in the wedding party; with brothers, sisters and cousins all securing coveted spots next to the bride and groom to help celebrate their special day. However, just because lots of people choose to do it, it doesn’t mean it’s a given obligation, especially if familial bonds don’t exist.

One bride-to-be has revealed how she’s been left in the proverbial dog house after insisting that she doesn’t want her younger sister to be her bridesmaid. Sharing the situation on social media, she explained that the siblings are not close, which she feels is ultimately down to their parents.

She wrote: “She is a very awkward/shy person. She is two years younger than me and my parents always made me watch over her. Some examples, I needed to join clubs she was interested in so she wouldn’t be alone, dropping hanging out with friends to be with her, downplaying successes since it would make her sad, and so on. I was kinda an emotional support animal for her.”

READ MORE - 'My entitled mother-in-law ruined my wedding - she made it all about herself'

When the bride turned 18, she moved in with her aunt to escape, which resulted in her sister feeling very lonely in high school and college - something that the family all blamed the older sibling for. She continued: “I have been in family therapy with my parents since they realized they’d messed up. My wedding is coming up and I was asked to make my sister a bridesmaid from my grandma. My sister has apparently been going around telling everyone she will be a bridesmaid. I told everyone that she will not and it’s just my close friends.

“This started an argument with my sister in front of the family and she was upset and told me how alone she is. I got annoyed and told everyone that I didn’t care that she didn’t have friends and she would not be a bridesmaid at my wedding. She called me a jerk and people are split. Some think I was too harsh and others think it’s justified.”

People reading the Reddit post were quick to sympathise with the bride-to-be and assured her she’s been put in a horrible situation. One user replied: “I don’t think you’re in the wrong. I know you're hurting but I lol'd at 'being my sister's support animal'. That's wild. Obviously, your parents put you in an impossible, difficult and unfair position, being your sister's keeper and all and they need to accept responsibility for that fully, before you can have the relationship you're supposed to have.”

And someone else responded: “Your sister's dependence on you is a great disservice that your parents did for the two of you. Your sister is acting pretty conceited as well. Congratulations on standing up for yourself.”