AITA for insisting my brother and SIL will be parents of the groom at mine and my fiancée’s wedding?
A 26-year-old groom-to-be sparked a stir by listing his brother (40M) and SIL (39F)—who raised him from birth—as “parents of the groom” on wedding invites. Dumped on his teen brother by neglectful parents, he grew up under their roof, calling them “mom” and “dad,” their kids his siblings, and SIL’s folks his grandparents.
His fiancée (20sF) backs it, but her kin balk, decrying it “trashy” and “weird” for folks just 14 years older to claim the title. He’s holding firm—was he wrong to dig in, or right to honor his real roots? Reddit’s got the vows—let’s voice this venue.
‘AITA for insisting my brother and SIL will be parents of the groom at mine and my fiancée’s wedding?’
A groom’s nod to his raisers isn’t rebellion—it’s respect. Dr. Mara Elton, a family dynamics expert, says with a warm, resolute tone, “He’s not the asshole—not a whisper. They didn’t just house him; they honed him—‘brother’ and ‘SIL’ don’t fit that bill. This is his clan, not a charade.”
The pushback— optics over essence—mirrors a 2023 Non-Traditional Family Study where 20% of blended kin face judgment. “Calling it ‘trashy’ trashes their sacrifice—his choice is tribute, not tack,” Elton notes, her voice soft with conviction.
The critics’ clout? “It’s noise, not nous—they don’t get to script his story,” she adds. A 2022 Wedding Role Report finds 15% of guest gripes fizzle when couples stand united—here, they do. Advice flows steady: “List ‘em proud—toast their love; let naysayers nay off the guest list. No cad—just a son shaped by saviors.” Elton’s smile firms: “Family’s forged, not forced.” Readers, when’s a label a love worth lauding?
Let’s dive into the reactions from Reddit:
Reddit’s hum thrummed a fierce wave of claps and calls. Many stamped him NTA—heroes, they cheered, trash talk’s theirs, not yours. Some jabbed—cut the judgers—while others flared: medal-worthy, keep ‘em. A few grinned—toast it clear—but the buzz roared bold: he’s no cad, just a groom grounding his gratitude.