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Should I cancel the wedding over my partner’s drinking and behaviour?

271 replies

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:00

Hi guys
first time user.
im really really struggling right now in my relationship. We’ve been together 11 years and have a child together. Throughout the entire relationship there has been issues around alcohol use on my partners side. He doesn’t drink everyday but when he does drink he drinks excessively. Often times his mood will go from happy to depressed and then he becomes verbally abusive towards me (usually started by me commenting that his mood is up and down and I think I do this partly because I’m on edge waiting for it to happen) I absolutely hate being around him when he’s drunk. He’s either really really irritating, overly loud or generally harasses me despite me asking him to leave me alone. Then the awful part where he becomes verbally abusive or argumentative. I’ve told him so many times over the years my feelings around this. He either doesn’t respond and acts like nothing has happened. Denies that he was abusive or very very rarely apologises, says he’s ashamed and then it will ok for a month until the next time. I’ve been called vile names, been criticised and once been shoved.
we recently went on a family holiday with friends. Day one of the holiday he became drunk and accused me of upsetting our child (our child was tired from travelling) I told him twice I hadn’t upset our child, he kept on and spoke to me with such venom and told me he was sticking up “for his child” this was done in a crowded dinner hall. I walked away to diffuse the situation but ended up in tears. The next day I tried to talk about it and he brushed over it and still stuck to the fact he was sticking up for his child and refused to apologise. He still hasn’t apologised. During the same holiday he became so drunk and loud at the pool during the day that I started to feel embarrassed and anxious. He was knocking drinks back one after the other and eventually urinated on himself twice and laughed about it. I’m so disgusted and I genuinely dont think I can get past this. I’m so emotionally drained and I’m so sick of living my life this way every time he’s had a drink. We have zero communication, I feel he is emotionally immature. I’m very rarely interested in intimacy.
He also gropes me a lot despite me telling him to stop and he laughs it off and says he will never stop. I’m not even sure what answer I’m looking for, Im just so lost right now and I feel totally trapped. We are due to get married next year and I really don’t think I can go through with it. But I’m so afraid to sit down with him and tell him this

OP posts:
Sunbringer · 18/09/2026 18:22

Yes I’d cancel. I say that as a problem drinker myself. I’ve been sober for a year… putting up with it and forgiving it every time doesn’t help anyone except the drinking problem.

A partner is meant to be a positive in your life not a drain. Don’t be afraid to tell him that he’s making your life a lot worse than better right now and so you’re not willing to marry him.

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:22

I’m not dependent on him, the venue has been paid for by his mum but I’ve asked the venue to send me the cancellation policy so that I can cancel and hopefully get her money back

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AttilaTheMeerkat · 18/09/2026 18:23

He’s a 41 year old alcoholic who should no longer be your fiance. You also need to protect your child from him because he’s no role model.

You clearly need someone with you when you end the relationship. How tied are you to him financially?. Is there a properly or in joint names or a tenancy agreement in both names?. Regardless of him your relationship to him is over because his primary relationship is with alcohol.

Sunbringer · 18/09/2026 18:25

Oh additionally remember that if you get married any debt he gets into is also yours. And he could take any shared monies. He may spend and increasing amount on alcohol and hide such debt from you. Not being married or having shared assets and accounts removes this risk.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 18/09/2026 18:25

How do you get along with his mother?.

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:26

No I didn’t grow up seeing an adult overly drinking. He did though.
I completely agree with everything you’ve said. I think I just need to hear it from others. I clearly cannot trust my own judgment

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Sunbringer · 18/09/2026 18:26

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:10

Thank you, I think I’m going to call woman’s aid next week. I’m so confused, I’ve been in a coercive relationship before and feel stupid that I’m in another one. I think it’s only just become clear to me now that it’s abusive. I’ve made excuse after excuse for his behaviour because I started to question whether I was overreacting or I don’t take charge the moment it happens and then I feel I can’t address it at a later date. I’m so broken right now

You can always address an issue in a relationship at a later time or date. It’s never unreasonable to do that… there’s no expiration time on your needs, boundaries or pain.

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:27

We aren’t close at all. He has a distant relationship with her. She was very insistent on paying the whole venue off very quickly which is also a bit of a red flag for me

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Backlate · 18/09/2026 18:27

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:26

No I didn’t grow up seeing an adult overly drinking. He did though.
I completely agree with everything you’ve said. I think I just need to hear it from others. I clearly cannot trust my own judgment

But surely your friends were horrified on holiday and have basically told you to get the hell away?

OldWallpaper · 18/09/2026 18:28

Yes cancel the wedding and end the relationship.

Madamecholetsbonnet · 18/09/2026 18:29

Please don’t let him suck you back in with promises. 💐

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:30

They were half shocked and half laughed (they are more his friends than mine) when I told my sister she was horrified

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AttilaTheMeerkat · 18/09/2026 18:30

Alcoholism can also be learnt and your fiancé learnt that.

Regardless of him it’s over between you two and now you will have to extricate yourself from him financially as well as emotionally. Your boundaries as well need to be rebuilt from the ground up as you remain vulnerable to such approaches. Do contact Womens Aid as soon as possible and from that enrol yourself onto the Freedom Programme.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 18/09/2026 18:31

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:26

No I didn’t grow up seeing an adult overly drinking. He did though.
I completely agree with everything you’ve said. I think I just need to hear it from others. I clearly cannot trust my own judgment

It's not your judgement at fault. The thing with men like this is that they will be all right for the majority of the time. Unfortunately, when they behave badly it is SO bad that it is intolerable. But then they go back to being all right again and we convince ourselves that it's not that bad. Then they are awful again, and we steel ourselves to leave - then they go back to being perfectly nice. It's almost worse than men who are consistently drunk - because it's easy to make yourself believe that the bad times are outweighed by the good.

Backlate · 18/09/2026 18:32

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:30

They were half shocked and half laughed (they are more his friends than mine) when I told my sister she was horrified

Bloody hell

I bet the other holiday makers were sickened

how old is your child? You child witnessed this behaviour?

Bananalanacake · 18/09/2026 18:32

I think you're scared to leave as you don't want him to have custody of your DC when he is drunk, that is understandable .

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:32

Sunbringer · 18/09/2026 18:26

You can always address an issue in a relationship at a later time or date. It’s never unreasonable to do that… there’s no expiration time on your needs, boundaries or pain.

Thank you, sorry I’ve only just worked out how to reply to everyone individually! Thankyou also for your gentle reply

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Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:34

Backlate · 18/09/2026 18:32

Bloody hell

I bet the other holiday makers were sickened

how old is your child? You child witnessed this behaviour?

Thankfully my child didn’t witness it as they were in the pool and my partner had his back to everyone else- kind of looked like he’d just got out of the pool if that makes sense.

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AttilaTheMeerkat · 18/09/2026 18:36

It is unlikely this man will see his child much going forward because his kid will interfere with his drinking time. Or he’ll palm his child off to his mother.

If he wants to see his child then a contact centre with formalised court ordered arrangements should be used. No informal agreement should be made.

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:36

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 18/09/2026 18:31

It's not your judgement at fault. The thing with men like this is that they will be all right for the majority of the time. Unfortunately, when they behave badly it is SO bad that it is intolerable. But then they go back to being all right again and we convince ourselves that it's not that bad. Then they are awful again, and we steel ourselves to leave - then they go back to being perfectly nice. It's almost worse than men who are consistently drunk - because it's easy to make yourself believe that the bad times are outweighed by the good.

You’re so right. This explains it perfectly. Things get brushed away because he will go to work absolutely fine during the week and behave totally normally and then an event will come up and he behaves that way again

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Therescathairinmybath · 18/09/2026 18:36

Women’s Aid can help you plan to leave safely. Don’t let him know you plan to end the relationship or to move out until you are ready to go.

Don’t feel bad about being in another abusive relationship. You can feel proud of yourself for recognising the abuse long before getting married. You are also going to keep your child safely away from an alcoholic.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 18/09/2026 18:37

What he showing you op is the nice/nasty cycle of abuse which is s continuous one.

ProjectFailScary · 18/09/2026 18:39

I don’t think he sees you as a person anymore. If he ever did. You are being exploited and you need to get away from him. My ExH was abusive (though not an alcoholic) and I honestly came out of that relationship realising he hated and resented me. Go somewhere safe as soon as you can. Cancel the wedding from your safe place. Women’s Aid really helped me sort my head out.

TokyoSushi · 18/09/2026 18:42

Good grief, do NOT marry him.

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:44

Backlate · 18/09/2026 18:22

Does he manage to hold down a job??

What did your friends think on holiday? Or are they also lairy drunks?

Edited

Yes he works really hard. He also saves money etc, in those aspects he is very reliable. It’s when he drinks that he is the issue

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