AITA for refusing to pay for my daughter’s wedding & Master’s degree?

In a heart-wrenching Reddit post, a father grapples with being sidelined from his daughter’s life, only to face a stinging betrayal: she expects him to fund most of her wedding but didn’t invite him. Years of estrangement, fueled by his ex-wife’s actions, have left him as little more than a “glorified piggybank” in his daughter’s eyes. This raw tale pulls us into a painful clash of love, duty, and self-respect.

His decision to pull funding for the wedding and a potential Master’s degree until their relationship heals sparked an explosive reaction. Is he wrong to set boundaries, or is this a desperate stand for mutual respect? The Reddit post lays bare a father’s struggle to balance unconditional love with personal dignity.

‘AITA for refusing to pay for my daughter’s wedding & Master’s degree?’

Family estrangement can cut deeper than any knife, especially when financial support becomes a one-way street. The father’s offer to fund 65% of his daughter’s wedding, despite their strained bond, shows love, but her exclusion of him from the event feels like a slap. His withdrawal of funding reflects a need for mutual respect, while her reaction suggests she views his role as purely financial. Both are trapped in a cycle of hurt and misunderstanding.

Parental alienation often leaves lasting scars. A 2022 study in Journal of Family Issues found that 40% of estranged parents report feeling used for resources by their children (source). Dr. Joshua Coleman, an expert on family estrangement, notes, “Rebuilding requires mutual effort—parents shouldn’t be reduced to wallets without emotional connection” (source). The father’s boundary-setting is a step toward reclaiming his dignity.

Therapy or mediated talks could bridge their gap, starting with small gestures like a heartfelt letter. He might consider partial funding tied to reconciliation efforts.

See what others had to share with OP:

Reddit users swung hard, dishing out empathy and fiery takes like a family reunion gone wild. From calls to cut funding to questions about missing context, the comments are raw and varied. Here they are:

These hot takes back the father’s stand but probe deeper issues—do they capture the full weight of this fractured bond?

This Reddit saga exposes the raw pain of a father alienated yet expected to bankroll his daughter’s wedding, sparking a debate about love and limits. His refusal to fund without a relationship challenges us to weigh duty against dignity. What would you do in his shoes? Share your thoughts—how do you balance support and self-respect in a strained family tie?