This Groomsman Built Custom Armor for a D&D Wedding, Only to Uncover a Wild Plot Involving His Ex and a Broken Rib

We all know that moment when a lingering connection to the past suddenly threatens a joyous occasion. For one dedicated groomsman, a long-anticipated D&D-themed wedding transformed from a creative passion project into a bewildering social minefield.

He spent 50 hours and hundreds of dollars crafting custom foam swords, shields, and armor for the groom, only to discover his ex-girlfriend—newly appointed as the Best Man—was actively trying to exile him from the bridal party. Between secret Discord channels, mysterious bachelor party injuries, and a highly suspicious falling out just days before the ceremony, the real-life drama quickly outpaced any tabletop campaign. Curious how this chaotic quest ultimately unfolded? The full story is right below.

This Groomsman Built Custom Armor for a D&D Wedding, Only to Uncover a Wild Plot Involving His Ex and a Broken Rib

I’m a groomsman in a D&D themed wedding and my Ex is trying to get me kicked out.

The saga began innocently enough, rooted in a shared love for tabletop gaming and a promise made during happier times.

Four years ago, I was dating a girl. Let's call her Claire. We were hosting her newly engaged friends over for game night, drinking, and having a great time. She...

Shortly after that game night, Claire and I broke up. We dated for four years. She left me for someone else. She moved out that week, and we went our...

Each time, we talked about the wedding, and each time the groom said that I was still invited to be a groomsman. After four years, they finally had a date...

Despite their previous assurances, the couple’s loyalty suddenly seemed to waver under the pressure of the new Best Man’s ultimatum.

I began working on a custom armor piece for the groom to wear during the ceremony, getting measurements, inspiration, and more. After a couple of weeks of working on this...

They told me that my ex, Claire, was going to be the Best Man at the wedding, and she didn't feel comfortable with me being there. If I went, she...

After my nasty breakup with Claire, the bride and the groom had told me that they wouldn't kick anyone out of a wedding just because someone didn't like them. They...

I told them I was still really excited for the wedding, and they offered me another role. The groom made it clear he was a man of his word and...

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Just as he was pouring his heart and wallet into the final touches, a digital exile threatened to unravel his entire involvement.

This all happened months ago. I had now made thirty foam swords and fifteen buckler-sized shields with the bride and groom's heraldry, in addition to finishing the groom's pauldron. I...

I had a few spare shield blanks and wanted to make custom heraldic shields for the other groomsmen. That's when I saw that someone had removed me from the Discord,...

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Disappointed and feeling foolish, I asked the groom about it and expressed that I was worried I was going to be ignored at the wedding and treated poorly by my...

That chat I was referring to was organized by Claire, and my removal was because that channel was for bachelor party activities, and I wasn't invited. This whole mess made...

I hadn't seen Claire in years, and I was worried about the antics she was going to try to pull. I had put a lot of effort into this wedding...

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I'm packing my car and cleaning up my armor. I'm excited and anxious at the same time. UPDATE 1: Claire is out of the wedding. I have no details. She...

They were all so extremely kind and nice! Tomorrow is the day. I am absolutely speechless. UPDATE 2: I just got back in town from the wedding, and I needed...

I was included in the wedding party for photos, sat with the other groomsmen at the dinner, and had the spotlight after the ceremony to run the tourney for the...

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People picked up the swords and played with them, and the kids went wild. The bride and the groom did NOT know that I was gifting them the swords and...

I am in the SCA, so I had no use for foam swords after the wedding. As for Claire, at the end of the night, the groom came to thank...

ALLEGEDLY, at the bachelor party, they went on a bar crawl at some of the local tiki bars in the area. At some point, the groom got pretty smashed, fell...

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But the groom never made it to the show because he was taken home for being wasted with a broken rib. She was so angry at him for missing the...

I say allegedly because after the third bar, the groom was blackout drunk and remembers nothing. The rest of the night's details were from the other groomsmen or outside parties...

I have had broken ribs before, and he was showing identical symptoms throughout the wedding, like randomly stopping to breathe, wrapping his ribs with a compress, or bracing his side...

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I understand being hurt, but not disavowing your best friend right before his wedding. Something is off about this story. How did he break his ribs? Why would Claire drop...

The sudden insertion of an ex-partner into the groom’s inner circle—followed by an escalating campaign to push the original groomsman out—is a classic case of relational sabotage. This dynamic is widely recognized in psychology as triangulation. When an individual feels threatened or wants to exert control, they will often use a third party to bypass direct communication and manipulate the situation. According to psychological principles, triangulation is a toxic form of manipulation used to exploit an interaction, turning people against each other to secure loyalty, attention, or dominance.

In this scenario, Claire essentially turned the bride and groom into pawns in a proxy war against her ex. The fact that she demanded to be the Best Man and orchestrated a secret Discord channel wasn’t just about celebrating the couple; it was a calculated move to establish her social superiority and force the groom to choose sides. By putting the couple in the middle, she forced them to mediate a conflict they never asked for, which often leads to fractured friendships.

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Ultimately, the groom’s mysterious injury and subsequent excommunication by Claire highlight how quickly these toxic triangles collapse when the manipulator’s script isn’t followed perfectly. She expected a choreographed burlesque show, and when reality intervened, she severed a decade-long friendship overnight. For anyone caught in this kind of crossfire, the best actionable advice is to set firm boundaries and refuse to participate in the middleman game. If a friend won’t speak to you directly or defend your presence, it might be time to reevaluate the relationship entirely.

Final Thoughts

While the wedding ultimately proved to be a critical success for our dedicated foam-smith, the lingering mystery of the bachelor party leaves plenty of room for speculation. Navigating a wedding party drama is rarely simple, especially when past relationships and unexpected ultimatums roll a natural one on social grace.

Do you think the groom’s broken rib was genuinely just a drunken accident, or is there a darker truth hiding behind the Best Man’s sudden exit? And how would you have handled being sidelined after pouring so much effort into a friend’s big day? Share your thoughts below!

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Community Opinions

Reddit came in hot—nearly unanimous in their verdict that the original poster was being taken advantage of for his incredible crafting skills.

u/RattusRattus Friend, dearheart, this is not a good use of your time, talent, or money. You barely know these people. Start a fantasy bookclub at the library or game night...

u/mangamot 1. you’re doing the role of a groomsman, but are not involved in the bachelor party, and do not hang out with them 2. you’re also doing work out...

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u/ACynicalOptomist You owe all these AH nothing. I would sell what I made and not go to the wedding and just ghost them. They value her more than they value...

u/AspectNo1992 Dude, please read between the lines. They have gone back on their word with every step. You're really kind for keeping your word by making all this stuff, and...

u/YakElectronic6713
Personally, I don't think any of those people deserves your creations.

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u/Dizzy-muse2258 Are they aware of the time and money you've put into this? If so, you are being used. Being told you're a groomsman and then not inviting you to...

u/elidan5 Agree with all of the above but am a bit confused. I thought that the ex wanted OP kicked out of the wedding period and now they’re a “Groomsman”...

u/WinterF19 It might be an awkward conversation but you could always ask them to pay for the work you have done. I understand if you intended it to be a...

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u/HighOnGoofballs
Why are you so invested in the wedding of people you don’t even associate with anymore
Move on bro

u/Jenk1972 Dude, they are using your skills as free labor but they don't really want you there. I wouldn't go. It's been a hassle for you to get information. They...

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u/Uninteresting_Vagina Groomsmen go to the bachelor party. You're being used for your creative work, and these people are not your friends. I would personally bow out, rather than be exposed...

u/ER_Support_Plant17 You are better than these people. Claire can run the sword fight. D&D people seem like a pretty nice group overall, I’m sure you can find a new group...

u/icyteatime They don't care about you as a friend. If they did they would not have gone back on their word and kicked you out after all the work you've...

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u/Professional-Ebb6004 You're being used... You barely know these people now, they're acquaintances at best and you're doing all this work for them? They excluded you in every way, you're worrying...

u/TEENYM30W Please don’t give these people anything. They’re only keeping you on for the benefit of your creations. You sound like an incredibly kind, generous and patient person. You should...

A few commenters also urged the groomsman to send an invoice, reminding him that true friends don't treat your labor like a free event service.

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The dramatic fallout between the groom and his volatile Best Man certainly left a trail of unanswered questions, but it also cleared the path for the remaining wedding party to actually enjoy the celebration. It is a stark reminder of how unresolved past dynamics can hijack the present.

Do you think the groom was secretly relieved when his Best Man bailed, or did he genuinely just fall down after too many tiki drinks? And if you spent 50 hours building custom armor for a friend who sidelined you, would you still hand over the foam swords? Drop your thoughts in the comments!

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