A woman has revealed how she stormed out of her own wedding after her boyfriend 'blindsided' her with a surprise ceremony.
The 30-year-old took to Reddit to share her predicament after falling out with her partner of five years over her exit - but remains firmly convinced that she was right to ditch him at the altar.
Her strange experience began when boyfriend Mark invited her to what she believed was only a "fancy party" at a posh venue, which she prepared for by wearing her best attire.
But as she entered the grand hall, the unnamed woman said she was "completely taken aback to see all of our family, friends, and acquaintances gathered, eagerly waiting".
It turned out that Mark had orchestrated an elaborate surprise wedding for the couple - without giving her any notice at all.
Describing what happened next, she said: "Everyone erupted into applause as I stood there, shocked and overwhelmed.
"I just felt a mix of emotions. While I love Mark and had dreamed of our future together, the idea of getting married without any prior discussion or consent felt like a breach of trust."
Overcome with doubt, the would-be wife pulled Mark aside and told him of her concerns about the arrangement. She told him she "wanted a say in the planning process, to be part of the decision-making, and to have the chance to prepare mentally and emotionally for such a significant milestone in our lives".
But the over-eager boyfriend reportedly batted away her concerns, saying that he thought she would be "thrilled" at the romantic gesture.
It left her with a decision to make - put on a brave smile and go ahead with the wedding she didn't want, or stand up for herself and tell him she was going home.
She ultimately opted not to go ahead - leaving her at odds with Mark, the couple's families, and "even some of our friends", who claim she overreacted and ruined what could've been a special day.
In her post on the 'Am I An Asshole' section of the internet messageboard site, she stuck to her guns and said she believed a "marriage should be a joint decision" - something which drew plenty of support from fellow users.
One wrote: "A marriage is a partnership, not an ambush. Also, how was he able to get a marriage licence without your presence?
Another said "If he marries you without having to ask you, what else would he do with the same excuse", as a fellow user commented: "You didn't overreact, you didn't make a bad call, you didn't do anything wrong"
A different commenter meanwhile questioned why the others in attendance went along with the charade, writing: "I'd also be asking all my family and friends if they knew about this. Who told this man this was a good idea?!?"
