A woman has shared her dilemma after her pregnant sister demanded to combine her wedding with her gender reveal party.
Gender reveal parties have become increasingly popular, with expectant parents often going to great lengths to announce the sex of their baby in unique ways.
The 29-year-old bride-to-be, who is set to marry her partner in a few months, described the planning process as “a bit of a circus”, but she and her fiancé are over the moon to finally be tying the knot. Adding to the excitement, her younger sister is expecting her first child.
The bride dubbed her sister an avid fan of Pinterest-inspired gender-reveal-party ideas, including a “mix of pink and blue confetti, cake explosions, and even a questionable plan involving coloured smoke bombs”.
However, tensions arose when her sister casually suggested during a family dinner that she would like to reveal the sex of her baby during the wedding reception, arguing that everyone would already be gathered and in high spirits.
The bride-to-be took to Reddit to share her predicament, explaining: “She even had a plan ready: halfway through the reception, she’d cut the cake, and boom, it’s either pink or blue inside. She seemed genuinely excited, but I was a bit taken aback.
“I told her I’d think about it, but honestly, I wasn’t thrilled. I mean, it’s my wedding day, right? I want it to be about me and my fiancé, not about a baby we didn’t make.”
She discussed the situation with her fiancé “who was also not keen on the idea”, and then “politely told her” sister she “didn’t want to include the gender reveal” in their celebration. She offered to help her sister by suggesting she have “her own party another day”, and said she’d be “happy to help plan it or bake the cake or whatever she needed”.
The bride added: “Well, my sister wasn’t too happy about my decision. She said I was being selfish and that it would be a ‘special family moment.’ My parents are kind of on the fence, but my mum did say something about how it would be a cute memory. Meanwhile, my dad just keeps nodding and staying out of it, which is basically his strategy for everything.
“Now I’m here, second-guessing myself. Was I being too selfish? I mean, weddings are about family too, right? But also, I kind of want this day to be about my fiancé and me, without a side of gender reveal.”
Commenters were quick to back up the bride’s decision, with one person asserting: “Your wedding, your rules. She can have her own special day for the reveal!” Another advised: “Agreed and security needs to know that if she shows up with boxes to turn her away.”
A further comment suggested: “Also tell the photographer and videographer to ignore and not record anything to do with a gender reveal.”
One person remarked: “Gender reveals are stupid and should be banned on principle alone. Using the wedding would be an even worse tragedy.”
Another added: “She’s calling you selfish?? She’s got some damn nerve to try to hijack your reception, then call you selfish! Hire security. The minute they try something, have them hauled out.
“This is you and your SO day–not hers. They can find out what sex the baby is when it’s born. Gender reveals are f***ing stupid.”