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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:
Cornishclio · 18/09/2026 18:48

Honestly why would you want to be with him? What does he bring to your life and what an awful example for your child. I would split with him and definitely wouldn’t marry him.

InADayOrTwo · 18/09/2026 18:49

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:07

I’m from the uk, I’m not sure we have al anon here

We do, it's for people affected by alcoholism e.g. family of alcoholics.

https://al-anonuk.org.uk/

Not the same as Alcoholics Anonymous, as a pp wrongly told you.

Al-Anon UK | For families & friends of alcoholics

Al-Anon Family Groups are for the families & friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength & hope in order to solve their common problems.

https://al-anonuk.org.uk

InADayOrTwo · 18/09/2026 18:50

And there's no question - you shouldn't marry him.

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:51

AttilaTheMeerkat · 18/09/2026 18:37

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

It’s so true. It’s like Jekel and Hyde it honestly is.

OP posts:
Branleuse · 18/09/2026 18:52

You can't marry him op
You'll be legally bound to him. It would be awful

MayJuneMay · 18/09/2026 18:56

There isn't one single reason for you to marry this man OP

Sunbringer · 18/09/2026 18:57

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:51

It’s so true. It’s like Jekel and Hyde it honestly is.

Yes some of us are just not built to drink alcohol. It made me a completely different person during blackout. That means he really needs to stop drinking if he cares about putting his partner and child at risk. If he chooses alcohol over you both, well you’ve discovered his priorities.

Backlate · 18/09/2026 18:58

Get off Mumsnet
start cancelling arrangements
at least tell a close friend what’s going on

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:58

InADayOrTwo · 18/09/2026 18:49

We do, it's for people affected by alcoholism e.g. family of alcoholics.

https://al-anonuk.org.uk/

Not the same as Alcoholics Anonymous, as a pp wrongly told you.

Thankyou so much for this x

OP posts:
Backlate · 18/09/2026 18:58

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:34

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.

But this behaviour isn’t just on holiday is it? It’s pretty much all the time.

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 18:59

Backlate · 18/09/2026 18:58

Get off Mumsnet
start cancelling arrangements
at least tell a close friend what’s going on

I have told my friend and also my sister. It’s my first time posting here. I just needed to know my feelings and worries were valid.

OP posts:
Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 19:00

Backlate · 18/09/2026 18:58

But this behaviour isn’t just on holiday is it? It’s pretty much all the time.

Yes pretty much any event where people are drinking

OP posts:
Backlate · 18/09/2026 19:01

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 19:00

Yes pretty much any event where people are drinking

But at home too his behaviour is abysmal

AttilaTheMeerkat · 18/09/2026 19:02

He probably finds any excuse for a drink: birthdays, Christmas etc. How many of those occasions a has he already ruined for you Op?, Not just to say your child.

Copperoliverbear · 18/09/2026 19:03

Don’t marry him ask him to leave.

AnotherEmma · 18/09/2026 19:36

You might find this helpful?
https://alcoholchange.org.uk/alcohol-facts/fact-sheets/alcohol-and-domestic-abuse

As everyone else has already said, you need to cancel the wedding and end the relationship. Be careful though, because leaving is when you're most at risk. He has already been physically violent in the past.

Is your home in joint names or your/his name only?

Alcohol and domestic abuse | Alcohol Change UK

Alcohol alone is not a cause of domestic abuse, and is never an excuse. There are, however, many ways in which alcohol and domestic abuse are related.

https://alcoholchange.org.uk/alcohol-facts/fact-sheets/alcohol-and-domestic-abuse

ItsNotLoveActually · 18/09/2026 19:45

I'd join the camp of absolutely do not marry this man but your housing situation is of concern, especially with a child.
There are different factors depending on if your home is jointly or singularly owned or rented, whether social or private.
If you ended the relationship, where would you go? I'm not saying you have to stay with him but have you any idea of where you and your DC would live? Hopefully you have supportive family that will help and people you can talk to.

choccytime · 18/09/2026 19:49

Cancel the wedding OP

Agatha1989 · 18/09/2026 19:51

Yes, you should cancel the wedding immediately and make plans to separate from this man. He’s an alcoholic and until he accepts that, and seeks help, he’ll just get worse and worse.

JaneFoe · 18/09/2026 19:52

Crossroads26 · 18/09/2026 19:00

Yes pretty much any event where people are drinking

Like your wedding?

Your instincts here are correct. Call off the wedding and just as importantly - end this relationship. He's abusive and blames alcohol, but won't stop because he denies he has done anything wrong. That's not how your child deserves to live, neither do you.

TheThingOnTheIce · 18/09/2026 19:53

Don’t make the same mistake I did

bryceQ · 18/09/2026 19:57

So many reasons not to be with this man. Alcohol ruins lives. I am so sorry

Viviennemary · 18/09/2026 19:58

He is abusive and horrible when he gets drunk. It's beyond anything you should be expected to accept. You need to end the relationship as this is unlikely to get any better and could very well get worse.

PamelaColmansMustard · 18/09/2026 19:59

Op, do yourself a favour - leave him and get your life back.

I was married to someone like this and by the end it was utterly shit. His behaviour got worse over the years and those peevish shoves turned into awful physical and mental abuse. This sounds really horrible but the day he died, while I was in shock and distraught - there was also a sense of relief. Unless he wants to accept and tackle his drinking, it isn't going to get better and likely to get a hell of a lot worse.

You deserve better, and obviously so does your child. Wish you all the very best xxx

Mrspatmoresapprentice · 18/09/2026 20:05

Oh op. You aren’t stupid, at all. The idiot man you are engaged to however? Total dick.
You are afraid to tell him? Do you have a friend/relative that can come while you do? It needs saying. His behaviour is abhorrent, unreasonable and absolutely not what you want to spend your life doing.
He can trot off with his drink and his bullshit and his excuses…..you are going in the other direction….away from him.