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Man Finds Out During His Wedding That His Wife “Scammed” Her Way Into His Heart
Woman staging her apartment to impress a guy, smiling and giving a gift during an intimate moment at home.

Man Finds Out During His Wedding That His Wife “Scammed” Her Way Into His Heart

Interview With Author

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Plenty of people have done crazy things for love. Perhaps you’ve pretended that you enjoy the taste of olives to seem more in sync with your date. Or maybe you learned all of the lyrics to your partner’s favorite album to impress them. There’s nothing wrong with going above and beyond for someone you’re trying to woo. But according to the internet, there’s a fine line between adorable and unsettling.

One woman recently shared a story on Reddit that she told during her wedding vows, explaining how she won her husband’s heart. However, readers were split on whether the tale was heartwarming or creepy. Below, you’ll find all of the details, as well as a conversation with the author and some of the replies readers shared. 

RELATED:

    This woman had a crush on her husband long before they began dating

    Woman staging her apartment to impress a guy, sitting on bed with gift, sharing an intimate moment in a bright room.

    Image credits: Albertshakirov / Envato (not the actual photo)

    So at their wedding, she admitted that she went out of her way to win him over

    Text image showing a confession about staging an apartment to impress a guy, later admitted at wedding vows.

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    Text excerpt showing a woman reminiscing about love at first sight with her now husband, from a staged apartment story.

    Text excerpt from story about a woman staging her apartment to impress a guy, revealing feelings at their wedding.

    Text excerpt about a woman staging her apartment to impress a guy, reflecting on love and second chances.

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    Text on white background saying I invited him to crash at my place after a friends birthday party and woman stages her apartment to impress a guy story excerpt

    Alt text: Woman stages her apartment to impress a guy by casually leaving a favorite football team T-shirt on a chair.

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    Text on white background reading a woman staged her apartment to impress a guy and later admitted it at their wedding.

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    Woman staging her apartment to impress a guy, finally admitting it at their wedding with a heartfelt moment.

    Text image showing a woman admitting she staged her apartment to impress a guy, leading to perfect wedding vows.

    Alt text: Woman staging her apartment to impress a guy, smiling during a candid moment before their wedding celebration.

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    Woman staging her apartment to impress a guy smiling with groom during outdoor wedding ceremony.

    Image credits: Omelnickiy / Envato (not the actual photo)

    Text on a white background explaining a woman staged her apartment to impress a guy and later admitted it at their wedding.

    Image credits: Far_Magazine_5084

    “We’ve been together almost 10 years now, and there is zero pretending”

    To find out more about this situation, we got in touch with the author, Reddit user Far_Magazine_5084. She was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and reveal what inspired her to share this story now.

    “I saw a similar story posted on a different subreddit, and it made me think about it,” the author said. “And I thought it was a funny story to share!”

    We were also curious about whether or not her future husband noticed the items she “staged” when he stayed at her place. “Yes, he commented on the items,” she revealed. “I remember he picked up the shirt, and we got to talking about the school, which sparked a conversation about his parents and my parents and how they may have been there at the same time. It was a good conversation starter!”

    “He picked up the CD and was super excited,” the author continued. “It was actually gifted to me by a friend who burned it for me with all my favorite songs from this band, which he thought was really cool, and it got us talking about which songs he would like on a mixtape. I don’t think it really changed anything about our relationship, other than getting us talking.”

    We also asked Far_Magazine_5084 what she thought of the responses to her post. “I think at this point, more than half of the replies are positive, so I’m okay with that,” she shared. “I was extremely surprised at how many people are convinced I’m some kind of evil stalker. I definitely told the story in a purposefully dramatic way to make it funny, but I still don’t think it reads as ab*sive or manipulative or anything.”

    “I think a lot of assumptions were made, like there were years and years of pining, looking through windows, gathering information, which is 0% the case,” the author clarified. “We had been talking on the phone and hanging out in a group setting and at his house before he came to my mine. I knew all of this about him organically, the same way any new girlfriend would. We also talked early on about his sister, and making sure everyone was comfortable with everything – which we all were. No one was manipulated here!”

    Finally, Far_Magazine_5084 added, “I shared the post with my husband, who is just as confused and surprised as me at the negative comments. We’ve been together almost 10 years now, and there is zero pretending. We are both always surprising each other, and loving the most genuine versions of each other.”

    Pretending to like things for your partner is often a bad idea

    Couple playing with rackets and ball by the lake, woman staging apartment to impress a guy, sharing a joyful moment.

    Image credits: bernardbodo / Envato (not the actual photo)

    Despite the fact that dating should be extremely simple, it often becomes incredibly overwhelming. You don’t want to love bomb, but you need to make it clear that you’re interested. Don’t play too hard to get, but don’t become clingy and annoying either. 

    Meanwhile, take all of the advice you read online with a grain of salt. Because at the end of the day, every person is different. And what will have one woman swooning might have another blocking your phone number.

    When it comes to faking interests to impress a partner, Wendy L. Patrick, PhD, warns in a piece for Psychology Today that “mismatched interests can only be concealed for so long before they begin to take a toll on relational satisfaction.”

    It’s common to exaggerate how much you enjoy watching football or how often you bake cookies to get a reaction out of your partner. But we have to be careful that this doesn’t lead us into relationships where we won’t be happy long term. For example, if you pretend that you love going for an early morning run every Saturday, your partner will be shocked if you suddenly have a breakdown one day about how much you despise running. 

    Instead of forcing yourself to pretend you love their hobbies, it might be healthier to join them every once in a while to show support. And when you don’t feel like participating, you can spend that time focusing on your own hobbies. 

    It’s certainly not necessary to enjoy the exact same activities as your partner to have a healthy relationship. However, Dr. Patrick says that it is important for couples to have shared activities that they both enjoy. 

    Honesty is a crucial aspect of any healthy relationship

    Woman staging her apartment to impress a guy, having a heartfelt conversation in a bright living room setting.

    Image credits: simonapilolla / Envato (not the actual photo)

    Maybe you can play tennis with your partner, or perhaps you both love painting together. As long as you spend quality time together, there should be space in your relationship for your individual preferences as well. 

    Another aspect of this story is the importance of honesty in a relationship. No, you don’t have to spoil your partner’s surprise party or tell them how obvious the pimple on their forehead is. But we should definitely feel comfortable being open and honest about nearly everything in our romantic relationships.

    Clinical psychologist Sabrina Romanoff, PhD, told Verywell Mind that honesty allows you to be authentic with your partner, which can be extremely freeing. You don’t have to worry about keeping up appearances when you’ve got nothing to hide. Meanwhile, being comfortable with honesty will help you communicate your needs. And, of course, this can go a long way in building trust in your relationship.

    Some readers were appalled by the author’s admission, but the reality is that most of us have probably gone out of our way to impress a partner at some point. And if it actually works out and creates a happy, healthy relationship, who are we to judge?

    We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article featuring similar relationship drama, look no further than right here

    Many readers found the story wholesome and heartwarming, and the author joined in on the conversation

    Screenshot of an online forum discussing a woman staging her apartment to impress a guy and their relationship reaction at the wedding.

    Screenshot of a conversation about a woman staging her apartment to impress a guy and admitting it at their wedding.

    Screenshot of an online comment discussing a woman staging her apartment to impress a guy before their wedding.

    Screenshot of an online comment conversation about a woman staging her apartment to impress a guy before their wedding.

    Screenshot of a Reddit comment thread praising a story about a woman staging her apartment to impress a guy and confessing it at their wedding.

    Screenshot of a forum comment thread discussing a woman staging her apartment to impress a guy before admitting it at their wedding.

    Reddit comment about wife staging apartment to impress a guy, showing love and support in a lasting relationship.

    Screenshot of an online conversation discussing a woman staging her apartment to impress a guy before marriage.

    Text conversation discussing a woman staging her apartment to impress a guy, later admitting it at their wedding.

    Text comment on social media expressing a mixed opinion, related to woman staging her apartment to impress a guy.

    Woman staging her apartment to impress a guy, shown arranging decor with a smile in a cozy living room setting.

    Screenshot of a forum comment praising a woman who staged her apartment to impress a guy before admitting it at their wedding.

    Comment discussing a real story about a woman staging her apartment to impress a guy, hoping for a better outcome.

    Screenshot of an online comment saying well played, related to a woman staging her apartment to impress a guy.

    Screenshot of a Reddit comment praising a post about a woman staging her apartment to impress a guy.

    Screenshot of a Reddit comment saying "That’s not stalking. That’s just strategy" in a casual online discussion.

    Screenshot of a comment discussing dating and honesty related to a woman staging her apartment to impress a guy.

    Comment discussing relationship tactics and admitting staged apartment during wedding, reflecting on dating strategies.

    Woman staging her apartment to impress a guy, later admitting the truth during their wedding celebration.

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    Comment about a woman staging her apartment to impress a guy and admitting it at their wedding.

    Comment expressing mixed feelings about a woman staging her apartment to impress a guy, admiring her ingenuity and drive.

    However, some considered the author’s behavior concerning

    Screenshot of online comments discussing a woman staging her apartment to impress a guy before admitting it at their wedding.

    Screenshot of an online discussion about a woman staging her apartment to impress a guy before their wedding.

    Comment on Reddit reading the guy fell for the stalker, discussing woman staging her apartment to impress a guy.

    Woman staging her apartment to impress a guy, finally admitting it during their wedding ceremony.

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    Woman staging her apartment to impress a guy, finally admitting it during their wedding celebration.

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    Adelaide May Ross

    Adelaide May Ross

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    Howdy, I'm Adelaide! I'm originally from Texas, but after graduating from university with an acting degree, I relocated to sunny Los Angeles for a while. I then got a serious bite from the travel bug and found myself moving to Sweden and England before settling in Lithuania about three years ago. I'm passionate about animal welfare, sustainability and eating delicious food. But as you can see, I cover a wide range of topics including drama, internet trends and hilarious memes. I can easily be won over with a Seinfeld reference, vegan pastry or glass of fresh cold brew. And during my free time, I can usually be seen strolling through a park, playing tennis or baking something tasty.

    Read less »
    Adelaide May Ross

    Adelaide May Ross

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Howdy, I'm Adelaide! I'm originally from Texas, but after graduating from university with an acting degree, I relocated to sunny Los Angeles for a while. I then got a serious bite from the travel bug and found myself moving to Sweden and England before settling in Lithuania about three years ago. I'm passionate about animal welfare, sustainability and eating delicious food. But as you can see, I cover a wide range of topics including drama, internet trends and hilarious memes. I can easily be won over with a Seinfeld reference, vegan pastry or glass of fresh cold brew. And during my free time, I can usually be seen strolling through a park, playing tennis or baking something tasty.

    Mindaugas Balčiauskas

    Mindaugas Balčiauskas

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.

    Read less »

    Mindaugas Balčiauskas

    Mindaugas Balčiauskas

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.

    What do you think ?
    LB
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think it's cute and people should get over themselves.

    Tabitha
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This isn’t creepy, like actual stalking. She just put things out in her place that would catch his interest. We’ve all done it with someone we really liked. Pretended we liked what they liked, even if we really didn’t all that much. We did it because it seemed to matter to them that we were. Eventually it comes out that our interest was never as intense as theirs, and they’re fine with it, because the stuff of ours that they pretended to be interested in because it was important to us to share it. We let them off the hook too. Nah, this is actually normal behavior, not stalking at all.

    Binky Melnik
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Totally, and I don’t understand the people who think it’s “stalking.” I’m surprised she felt she had to “come clean.” “Stalking” would be keeping used bandages, following him and watching him from a distance, checking the things in his mailbox, creepy stuff. Doing the same thing we all do to try to impress someone is standard stuff.

    Load More Replies...
    Apatheist Account2
    Community Member
    1 month ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    No problem at all with this, everyone tries to show their best self on the early dates...apart from what does "no headgear" mean? I presume it's not to do with hats - is it memory, emotional baggage or similar?

    UpupaEpops
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Braces. Braces have a lot of nasty names, courtesy of even nastier children. Headgear is one of them.

    Load More Replies...
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    LB
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think it's cute and people should get over themselves.

    Tabitha
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This isn’t creepy, like actual stalking. She just put things out in her place that would catch his interest. We’ve all done it with someone we really liked. Pretended we liked what they liked, even if we really didn’t all that much. We did it because it seemed to matter to them that we were. Eventually it comes out that our interest was never as intense as theirs, and they’re fine with it, because the stuff of ours that they pretended to be interested in because it was important to us to share it. We let them off the hook too. Nah, this is actually normal behavior, not stalking at all.

    Binky Melnik
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Totally, and I don’t understand the people who think it’s “stalking.” I’m surprised she felt she had to “come clean.” “Stalking” would be keeping used bandages, following him and watching him from a distance, checking the things in his mailbox, creepy stuff. Doing the same thing we all do to try to impress someone is standard stuff.

    Load More Replies...
    Apatheist Account2
    Community Member
    1 month ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    No problem at all with this, everyone tries to show their best self on the early dates...apart from what does "no headgear" mean? I presume it's not to do with hats - is it memory, emotional baggage or similar?

    UpupaEpops
    Community Member
    1 month ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Braces. Braces have a lot of nasty names, courtesy of even nastier children. Headgear is one of them.

    Load More Replies...
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