Katharina Buczek
Given the high cost of weddings nowadays, it’s not uncommon for future brides and grooms to lean on family members for financial support when it comes to planning their big day.
But, if you gift a loved one money for their wedding, are you entitled to getting that money back if their marriage doesn’t work out?
One man doesn’t think so, but his wife disagrees.
About eight years ago, when his sister got engaged, he decided to contribute a whopping $40,000 to the event as a gift. At the time, he realized that he was handing over a lofty chunk of change, but he simply wanted his sister to have a wonderful wedding.
After all, ever since they were kids, she’d dreamt about walking down the aisle and talked about having a picture-perfect wedding day.
“And I had made it clear multiple times to my sister that I do not expect any repayment and that I just wanted her to have a good time,” he recalled.
Nonetheless, his wife was not nearly as happy that he was just giving away so much money as a gift. Still, since the funds all came out of his personal bank account, he had the final say – so his wife couldn’t stop him.
More recently, though, it became clear that his sister’s marriage wasn’t working out. Then, just last month, she actually finalized a divorce from her ex-husband.
Ever since that happened, his wife has been breathing down his neck about the $40,000.
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