Most couples vow to be there for each other “for better or for worse” when they get married. 

One man had difficulty defining exactly what “for worse” meant when his wife chose to help her sister instead of joining him on their honeymoon.

A new husband said he went on his honeymoon alone because his bride insisted on caring for her sister and new niece.

An anonymous groom posted on Reddit to figure out if he had done wrong by leaving his bride behind and going on their honeymoon by himself.

“I just got married,” he said. “My wife, Tanya, basically raised her sister, Marie, after their mom passed away. Even after their dad remarried, Tanya and her sister were more mom [and] daughter than sisters.”

He continued, “Marie got married last year, and she got pregnant right away. No, not before. They figure they got pregnant on their honeymoon.”

This is where things really got interesting and where the reader honestly could have used some more details to know just what had happened.

“Marie went into premature labor at our wedding reception,” he said. “She gave birth to a tiny but healthy baby girl, and for some reason, Tanya decided that she needed to go take care of her.”

“We were supposed to leave for our honeymoon two days after our wedding, but Tanya said she couldn’t just leave,” he explained. “She isn’t a doctor or a nurse. Marie has a dad, a stepmom, a husband, a mother- and a father-in-law. I don’t understand why she had to go.”

This man could not wrap his mind around why his new wife would want to miss their honeymoon and instead stay somewhere where she couldn’t be of any practical help.

“We had nonrefundable tickets, and insurance didn’t cover ‘I have to stay and take care of my sister’ as part of the coverage,” he said. “Plus, I had booked two weeks off for my wedding and honeymoon, so since I was going to be home by myself doing nothing while my wife was in another city doing whatever, I went on the honeymoon by myself.”

Although this man was alone, it sounded like he had a great time. “I got a massive bed all to myself. I used all the resort credits that were for couples — massages, romantic excursions, and special meals on deep sea fishing and a dune buggy tour of the island,” he detailed.

Unfortunately, his wife didn’t see it in such a positive light. “I just got back, and my wife is still with her sister, but she is upset that I went on our honeymoon by myself,” he said. “Was I supposed to let the money go to waste? Was I supposed to sit at home playing Diablo while I waited for her to be done?”

It’s important to show your partner that you’re there for them.

No two couples’ situations are the same. Even so, one thing that should be universal is support for one’s partner.

We don’t know exactly how long these two were together before their marriage. It’s possible that their relationship is still fairly young. They could be getting used to supporting each other. However, if they felt they were ready to get married, they should have been ready to be there for one another.

Very Well Mind said, “To create a healthy relationship, you want your partner to know you’re there for them while still being mindful of your own mental well-being.”

One could argue that this man was simply taking care of his “own mental well-being” by going on his honeymoon alone. However, his decision showed no thought for his new bride or for her family. 

This was a time to step up and show that he was there for her, but he didn’t.