While many parents approve of the person their child plans to marry, there are just as many who take issue with their future son-or-daughter-in-law. Whether it is a problem over religion, political beliefs, career or relationship history, there are many reasons mothers and fathers choose not to like the person their kid chose as a spouse.
Things looked good for one woman though - her mom not only seemed to like her husband-to-be, she even promised to pay for their wedding... that is until she did some research on their family tree. While putting together her ancestry, the mother realized that her daughter is actually related to her fiancé. It turned out that they are fifth cousins, something the mother said she doesn't approve of, so now she is refusing to pay for the wedding.
She wrote about it all on Reddit, asking commenters if she is in the wrong for her decision. The mom explained:
My daughter is planning on getting married very soon. However, I found out last week upon doing research on our family tree that my daughter's fiancé is her fifth cousin.
I initially didn't know how to break this news to her, but I finally did several days ago. My daughter apparently thought that this is perfectly fine, and that she's still going to marry him anyway.
I told her that I don't approve of this marriage, and that even though I initially agreed to pay for this wedding, I will not be paying for it if she decides to go through with it. We got into a huge fight, which ended with her telling me that she's cutting me out of her life.
I honestly don't know what to do. I just don't want my daughter to marry her friggin cousin.
The response was pretty overwhelming with just about everyone calling the mom crazy for taking issue with the nuptials. One explained, "Fifth cousins only share great, great, great, great grandparents and <5% DNA if that. [The mom] is being ridiculous." Another stated, "This is so hilarious honestly and [the mom] is treating it SO seriously. Imagine going up to your daughter, who's about to get married and saying, 'Sit down sweetie, I have to tell you something. We all have to be strong here. *deep breath * It turns out Jeffrey is… Well he's *sobs* an extremely distant relation much like the rest of the populace! I'm so sorry to be the one to break this to you.'"
Others pointed out that no one going to the wedding will have any confusion over which side of the aisle to sit on, so there is no problem. Another explained that if the pair has a baby, it would not have any genetic issues because of the distant relation.
Some commenters even feel the mom actually doesn't like her future son-in-law and is trying to think of a way to get her daughter not to marry him.
One person put it plainly, writing, "You can’t even realistically call them related at that point, unless you are misinterpreting what a 5th cousin is. If you look hard enough, everyone is related." In fact, Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt, were 5th cousins once removed. They actually even met when he was four and she was two.
No word on if the mom has come to her senses and apologized, promising to once again foot the bill for the wedding.
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