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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Wedding doubts

138 replies

Lacey2019 · 04/04/2019 15:10

I am very apprehensive about writing this and it is also my first post on here. I am just over 4 months away from getting married and since December I have been having serious doubts. I have been anxious the whole way through and have ignored these. My partner is a wonderful man. He has a great job and earns a lot of money, which gives us a lovely lifestyle. It also makes me comfortable regarding the future and the life we could have once we have children. We have a lovely home and I moved my life to be with him. His family and friends are amazing and they have for the past 4 and a half years been my life.

The thing is, we don't seem to communicate anymore and there is no affection. This is really starting to upset me and as wrong as it is to say, my eyes have began to wander. I have never acted upon this nor would I.

My question is, I feel so so down and low. All I ever think about now is should I or should I not marry him. I would always be looked after, but I just don't feel in love with him anymore. However, the thought of calling of a wedding and upsetting everyone, losing my life that I know and coping with a break up, even if I have doubts, is causing me serious heartache.

OP posts:
Northernlass101 · 24/04/2019 16:41

Any updates OP?

Lacey2019 · 24/04/2019 18:48

I opened up to my brother. He told me to go to counselling and accept that all relationships get like this & to just get on with it Sad

OP posts:
Wallywobbles · 24/04/2019 20:31

That's bollocks advice.

PlinkPlink · 24/04/2019 20:53

@lacey2019

I did what you are doing. I ended mine 2 months before we were due to get married.
I had had a hen do and he had a stag do. Everyone had outfits. Everything was ready.

There is quite a backstory but I will try to keep it as brief as possible.

If youd asked me what my ex was like I would have said intelligent, hard working, decent. I look back now and realise how much i actually glossed over - all the awful stuff.

In the lead up to the wedding, I'd been going through counselling. I'd had a breakdown. Lots of things going on in my head. But as time went on, my problems were starting to get sorted, I had more mental clarity and that allowed me to take a step back and look at my life.

I realised I didnt love him. I did but I wasnt in love. I didnt want to have sex with him anymore because actually he repulsed me - his emotional abuse and constant coercion had made sure of that. I didnt feel loved either.

He had openly admitted to holding me back career wise - said he didnt want me to do well because he didnt want me to leave him. He was sarcastic, rude and selfish. And I'd just put up with it for years. I dont know how. I think he was very effective at squashing me.

Anyhoot, the long and short of it was, I felt complete apathy about my wedding. I didnt feel excitement. I felt trapped.

I am not proud of it but I did have a little flirtation as well. I didnt have any intention of that but it did make me realise even more that I didnt want to be with my ex anymore. I didnt continue the flirtation after I split with my ex...that ended. It really was about my freedom.

The apathy and feeling trapped is what made me come out and say, I dont want to do this. I originally suggested postponing but true to form, he got angry and said he wouldn't postpone it and it was either I marry him or leave.
I hate being forced into a decision and being given ultimatums. So I instantly picked leaving.

I have NEVER regretted it. It was a shitty situation. I had to email the wedding venue and flower people. My family were great and rang the guests to tell them it wasnt happening. They were v supportive. I was dreading telling everyone. My grandfather told me he thought it was for the best. As did my father. And anyone who loves you dearly will tell you the same.

Some of them will be angry. My mum was upset... she'd known my ex for quite some time. 10 years in fact. But she didnt know the whole story.

It will hurt. It will suck. But it will feel right. That small snippet you added about your partner not having the time to discuss your feelings brought memories back for me.
You are fucking important. Your feelings are fucking important and you should not be dismissed.

I told my bridesmaid at my hen do that I wasnt sure and she said it was cold feet. It wasnt. I knew then and I knew after it wasnt.

Do you think it's cold feet
Because just from the brief posts you've put, it sounds like more to me...?

PlinkPlink · 24/04/2019 20:55

I would also like to add that you shouldn't be entering a marriage if there is no affection already...

What kind of a start is that? (That's also a question I asked myself)

IncrediblySadToo · 25/04/2019 00:19

That’s crap ‘advice’ from your brother. It’s also pretty shit that he thinks it’s ok for his sister to be so unhappy 🙁

Best ignored...

Don’t put it off any longer. It’s going to be a difficult conversation, but the passing of time isn’t going to make it any easier - best to just get it done and have it behind you instead of looming over you.

No one else matters. No one else is living your life. It’s a wedding. One day for them, a lifetime (well, however long you can tolerate misery for anyway). So what if they’ve bought outfits or booked a hotel, they can get refunds or use them anyway. You can’t go through with a wedding because of any of that trivia.

If anyone ‘hates’ you, fine. 🤷🏻‍♀️ They didn’t love or care about you anyway, clearly.

Get it over with 🌷

CocoKoko123 · 25/04/2019 00:34

DON'T DO IT! Just go ahead and pull the plug on the wedding. I say this as someone who has cancelled a wedding before - even though lots of the wedding,honeymoon and hen do were paid for it was best thing I did not going through with it.Please call it off before it's too late. Your brother's advice is crap - maybe all unhealthy relationships get like this but your gut is screaming at you that this relationship is not right - don't ignore it!

TheSmallAssassin · 25/04/2019 00:44

Your brother is wrong. Honestly, don't get married to this man. In your original post you say nothing about why this is the man you want to be with, just about the lifestyle you'd miss. Listen to what you are telling yourself.

MooBaaLaLaLa · 25/04/2019 00:53

Don't do it. I had doubts and I really wish I'd listened to them and run away while I had the chance.
It does take balls to stop the wedding train once it gets going but it's easier than getting a divorce and ripping a family apart.

Weenurse · 25/04/2019 00:58

Good luck 💐

RiversDisguise · 25/04/2019 01:28

If he is unaffectionate and content with only occasional sex then I would assume he is getting his sexual need a met elsewhere. Are you sure it's only work he's doing on that phone?

These work work work types always have sex drives to match IME

SleepWarrior · 25/04/2019 01:51

People you know say things like 'it's just cold feet' etc because they (understandably) don't want to get it wrong and be responsible for you calling off your own wedding! They've seen you apparently happy to be engaged, happy to be planning a wedding etc so this seems like it must be a blip.

Did you pour your heart out to your brother and explain how your partner is to the extent you have here? I'm guessing it was probably the abridged version, plus the first he'd heard of it - that explains his response.

The advice here is all spot on though. If you go through with it you'll be one of those brides who sits on their honeymoon asking themselves "what have I just done?! I don't want to be married.". You won't suddenly feel attracted to him and he won't suddenly be wanting to listen to your feelings. Your honeymoon will feel exactly the same as every slightly limp weekend away or holiday you've ever taken... and that is crushing when it hits you. DONT DO IT!

AmethystRaven · 25/04/2019 08:13

I think you've made your decision, don't put it off until all of a sudden you're putting on your dress and walking up the aisle wondering what to do.

Picture this: in 5 years time, will you look forward to sitting down together in the evening after a long day of work/small children? Catching up and having a little moan together about the daily grind, feeling better because you're a team and you support each other?

In 15 years time, you may have growing teens and be looking forward to spending quality time together as a couple again, can you picture that?

Forget the wedding for a moment and imagine your life with this man. It can all be undone at this stage if you can't see a happy life with him for possibly decades to come. It might seem like you can't undo it but you really can.

Imagine yourself on the wedding date the following year. Option 1 and its your first anniversary which should be a happy time with you both remembering a lovely day and looking to the future. Option 2 you're thinking 'thank god I didn't go through with it' and people will barely remember the cancelled wedding.

Anyone who cares about you wouldn't want you to commit to a life that won't make you happy for the sake of a wedding day or a hen. Yeah, people might be a bit miffed to start with but that is by far the lesser evil. They'll get over it. Will you get over being tied to a man that ultimately isn't the one for you?

Your husband is your anchor in life and best friend if it's a good marriage. As a PP also said, when I saw mine waiting for me at the altar everyone else sort of vanished and I couldn't get to him fast enough. Don't settle for anything else Flowers

CKWattisthemanager · 25/04/2019 12:26

Fucks sake it's amazing the crap advice you get when there's a load of money in the picture. Take the money out of the picture and imagine him totally boracic lint! Would you marry him? If it's a no then don't. Money doesn't bring happiness. Find someone nice and set about becoming rich together in many ways, not just money.

Fmlgirl · 25/04/2019 19:11

I don’t often post but feel compelled too. I called off my wedding in February with 3 weeks to go to the actual wedding date feeling very much like you with a lot of doubts.

It was crap, I had spent so much time planning this wedding, lots of money down the drain. I have only just finished paying everything off using some savings.

I let my best friend cancel the hen do and contacted all the vendors and family and friends myself. My family still came from overseas on my wedding date and I had to take them for a meal when I really didn’t feel like it.

However, as soon as I cancelled this wedding, a massive weight was lifted off my and I feel free. I am now genuinely excited about the future and have already been on a trip abroad to see my friend. I enjoy living by myself without the tense atmosphere. My relationship before was sexless and lots of arguing.

I am casually dating someone which I didn’t mean to but it happened and have been on lovely nights out and one weekend trip with him.

I would encourage you to listen to your gut instinct. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do but I don’t regret it one bit.

Lacey2019 · 26/04/2019 15:23

Thank you all again.

I have spent all day wondering how I will call this off and then attempting to draft a message for my groups of friends about calling it off. I will offer them the opportunity to still go on the hen do - which is unlikely as there are pockets of lots of people, all who do not know eachother!. I will also offer to pay the family members back of my other half.

I spent last weekend in silence at a family event and then out with his friends too. So I know its over, it is having the courage now to do something about it.

I own a property with him, which is also a major headache. But I know that I will be ok and I am sure I will be asking lots of you for advice.

OP posts:
hellsbellsmelons · 26/04/2019 15:29

Bless you OP.
No-one will actually hate you!
I don't envy you this at all.
I did it 26 years ago and I still remember how awful I felt about doing it but just knew that I had to.
I really do feel for you but rip that plaster off!

SleepWarrior · 26/04/2019 15:30

You're doing the right thing, hard as it is.

Can you take couple of your closest friends/family out for coffee and confide in them - then together make a list of everything that needs doing, compose all emails etc. A problem shared and all that...

Wildrose19 · 26/04/2019 15:40

It sounds like you have decided but you have to tell someone now! Someone who can help you with the practicalities. And the sooner you do it the easier it will be for all your guests. Good luck!

Northernlass101 · 26/04/2019 17:07

You can do it.

I did the same thing I drafted a message in my notes and then mass sent I felt so good after but loads of questions asking why?

I also own property with partner and I'm going through the same issues at the moment.

Here for you xx

Lacey2019 · 26/04/2019 17:09

Thank you all.

I am going to confide in my friend this weekend. I feel sad that I am burning some bridges with his family

OP posts:
keepyerbrowson · 26/04/2019 17:21

Does he know yet?

Haffdonga · 26/04/2019 17:23

Courage Lacey

I'm sorry your brother told you just to put up with it. He's a fat lot of good, eh? Don't forget, for friends and family it's more convenient for them if you go ahead with the wedding. They've booked their tickets, bought their hats and are looking forward to the party.

But for you , going ahead with a wedding (which is just one single day of your life after all) could result in thousands of pounds worth of divorce fees.

There was a thread recently about how much people's divorces cost them. Even people who didn't have dcs found themselves spending tens of thousands of pounds trying to resolve things when it got acrimonious.

gerbo · 26/04/2019 17:34

Sounds like you're doing the right thing, op. My dad once said that you shouldn't get married unless you cant- not, if that makes sense?! (Until you really can't not-marry the person.) I have to agree.

You should be full of happiness and excitement on the run up to a wedding, nerves and a little stress aside.

Good luck.

Lacey2019 · 26/04/2019 18:48

Thank you everyone.

I will keep you posted. I hope I don’t regret it as the years go on. X

OP posts:
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