Sister’s Wine Accident Destroys Bride’s Expensive Dress, Parents Forced To Cover The Damage

There’s nothing quite like moving back home as an adult. You might think it’ll be cozy, maybe a little nostalgic, and hey, there’s also free laundry. But sometimes, it’s more like stepping back into a toxic, dramatic environment.

Today’s Original Poster (OP) probably couldn’t have ever imagined that her wedding dress would be ruined by her sister after moving back home. Still, she thought that was the most disappointing thing to happen until her parents and other relatives gave their two cents.

More info: Reddit

They say nothing brings out family drama like a wedding being planned, but sometimes, you just hope it has nothing to do with your dress

Woman shocked by expensive bridal gown price, surrounded by bills, reacting to wedding dress cost and budget concerns.

Image credits: Frolopiaton Palm / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The author and her sister, who already had a rocky relationship, moved back home with their parents during a transitional period

Tipsy lady in sister’s fancy bridal gown causing drama over dress cost and relationship issues between siblings

Text about sister moving back home and expensive wedding dress stored in closet during quarantine and lease change.

Sister plays dress up with fancy bridal gown while bride is told she should buy a cheaper wedding dress.

Image credits: AITA_WeddingDress

Woman wearing a fancy bridal gown, posing confidently in a well-lit room with soft curtains in the background

Image credits: prostooleh / Freepik (not the actual photo)

She stored her expensive wedding dress safely in her closet while continuing to lend her sister clothes to improve their relationship

Tipsy lady plays dress up with sister’s fancy bridal gown, causing damage and leading to advice on buying a cheaper dress.

Woman upset over sister ruining fancy bridal gown, parents suggest buying a cheaper dress to avoid conflict.

Text excerpt from a discussion about paying for a fancy bridal gown and opinions on its cost.

Image credits: AITA_WeddingDress

Two women having an emotional conversation on a couch, illustrating a bride told to buy a cheaper bridal gown.

Image credits: namii9 / Freepik (not the actual photo)

One day, she returned home to discover her sister had drunkenly tried on the wedding dress, leaving it stained with wine and torn at the waist

Text excerpt about a tipsy lady playing dress up with sister’s fancy bridal gown and bride advised to buy a cheaper one.

Tipsy lady tries on sister’s fancy bridal gown, causing family drama over the expensive wedding dress choice.

Text excerpt about sister’s fancy bridal gown being destroyed, mentioning sadness and new life for the dress.

Image credits: AITA_WeddingDress

When she demanded repayment, their parents defended the sister until the situation escalated and family members accused her of being a jerk

The tension between the OP and her sister wasn’t new. Unfortunately, her older sister had a reputation for interfering in her relationships, even attempting to seduce a past boyfriend. She had a thing for ruining the OP’s relationships and the OP suspected it was because her sister had been unsuccessful when it came to locking down long-term relationships.

The sister got fired and had to move back home, while the OP also moved back home with her fiancé as they were looking for a new home. The OP, looking forward to her wedding had bought an expensive wedding dress and kept it in her closet. Now, her sister had a habit of borrowing her clothes which she didn’t mind as she thought it could help their relationship a bit.

However, one day the OP returned from picking up food to find her sister in tears. Apparently, her sister had decided to try on the wedding dress after drinking wine which resulted in stains all over the fabric and a large tear at the waist. The damage wasn’t minor, it completely ruined the dress, and the OP understandably lost it.

When she demanded her sister pay for the damage, her parents sided with the sister, saying that she couldn’t afford the thousands owed and then accused her of overreacting. In fact, it escalated so much that she and her fiancé had to move into a hotel while texts from relatives calling her a jerk flooded in.

Two young women in casual clothes sitting indoors, one comforting the other looking upset, related to bridal gown issue.

Image credits: Borodai / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The incident with the ruined wedding dress illustrates just how fragile they are. Bride N Queen explains that fixing tears requires an expert to preserve the dress’s structure, and that removing wine stains from a wedding dress is notoriously difficult as pigments penetrate deeply into the fabric and makes stains extremely hard to eliminate without professional cleaning.

The stakes are not just practical but financial as well. Hitched emphasizes that damaging a wedding dress can create a serious monetary burden, as gowns often cost thousands of dollars. Beyond the financial loss, there is also the emotional toll of seeing a dress, an item full of sentimental and symbolic value, ruined.

Beyond the material and financial implications, incidents like these can also inflame family tensions. Heartstring Parent Coaching notes that disputes between siblings often intensify existing emotional conflicts, particularly in families where parents do not intervene fairly like in the case of the OP.

They highlight that feelings of unfairness, unresolved childhood rivalries, and unmet emotional needs can escalate when parents fail to mediate, deepening sibling rivalry and straining parent-child relationships.

Netizens supported the OP, with nearly all of them agreeing that her sister’s actions were intentional or, at the very least, extremely careless. They insisted that the sister should make amends either financially or legally, and also criticized their parents for siding with the sister.

What would you do if you were in the OP’s shoes? Would you demand repayment, forgive, or something else entirely? We would love to know your thoughts!

Netizens insisted that the sister’s actions were intentional or just extremely careless, and they criticized their parents for siding with her

Screenshot of an online comment discussing a sister playing dress up with a fancy bridal gown and related conflict.

Screenshot of an online comment discussing repayment, related to tipsy lady playing dress up with sister’s fancy bridal gown.

Screenshot of a comment discussing a bride’s fancy bridal gown and advice about buying a cheaper one.

Comment discussing the issue of trying on a sister’s fancy bridal gown without permission and payment disputes.

Comment discussing family tensions after a tipsy lady plays dress up with sister’s fancy bridal gown.

Comment discussing possibility of salvaging a fancy bridal gown with help from a tailor and dry cleaner.

Screenshot of a comment discussing a bride and sister’s fancy bridal gown and advice about buying a cheaper dress.

Screenshot of a forum comment discussing a sister playing dress up with a fancy bridal gown and related opinions.

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