What do you get when you mix a woman who is about to get married, with Godzilla, the king (or, in this case, queen) of all monsters? A not-so-elusive creature that's become known as Bridezilla, feared and loathed by many.
Whether they're making lofty demands, screaming at vendors, acting entitled, or giving guests a list of ridiculous rules, these brides are proof that weddings can bring out the worst in certain people. A bridesmaid once revealed how they cut their hair in a bid to deal with the heat, and the bride hit the roof because what about the up-do? Admittedly, the meltdown only lasted a few moments, and was tame in comparison to many of the other horror stories out there.
Bored Panda has put together a compilation of brides behaving badly. From the one who lost the plot after her grandmother had the "audacity" to pass away and ruin the seating arrangements, to the bridezilla of note who made her groom get a nose job ahead of the big day so that he could have "a more symmetrical look," many of these stories might have you wondering, "What in the holy matrimony?!"
#1
I knew a woman who was a bridesmaid in a relatives wedding. She was married and had been trying to get pregnant for a while. Finally, her and her hubby got lucky and she conceived.
The bridezilla got furious and kicked her out of the wedding because she would be pregant in the pictures. 3 months later, sadly, the woman miscarried. The bride called her with a response along the lines of "good, well now you can be back in the wedding."
Needless to say, she did nto even attend it.
The bridezilla got furious and kicked her out of the wedding because she would be pregant in the pictures. 3 months later, sadly, the woman miscarried. The bride called her with a response along the lines of "good, well now you can be back in the wedding."
Needless to say, she did nto even attend it.
Report
52points
Demanding, controlling, entitled and rude. These are just a few of the words used to describe bridezilla. She's many a wedding vendor, family member, bridesmaid, guest, and even groom's worst nightmare.
"The scariest thing about a bridezilla is that anybody can become one," quips The Cut. "She is the urban legend lurking inside all women of a certain age."
While Godzilla debuted in 1954, it took a little longer for bridezilla to surface. The word is believed to have first appeared in print in a 1995 Boston Globe article, and was defined as “the name wedding consultants bestow on brides who are particularly difficult and obnoxious.” The piece also classifies bridezillas as women who "lose sight of the solemnity of the wedding."
And the word "bridezilla" seems to have stuck... for good - or bad - reasons.
#2
No, I got this one.
One of my boyfriend's best friends from high school just got married last weekend, but we didn't go to the wedding. Why? Because the bride wanted it to be in the most beautiful place on earth- and for her, that's in a place called Zion, specifically a portion of the canyon.
This is two hours outside of Las Vegas (a six hour drive for pretty much *everyone they know*). In order to get to this particular area, you have to hike about 3 hours, MOST of which is *through a river* and some of which is up the side of a mountain, mere feet away from the dropoff point. Once there, you have no amenities- no bathrooms, no water or food except what you bring.
Also, the trail is so narrow only 10 people can traverse it at a time, so they had to have the entire wedding party wait at the base of the trail and 10 of them move forward in increments of 20 minutes, so from what I was told by other attendees, it took about 2 1/2 hours for everyone to get on site.
She made their parents, aunts/uncles, children, anyone who wanted to attend their ceremony, hike through a river for 3 hours to watch her say "I do".
No thank you.
One of my boyfriend's best friends from high school just got married last weekend, but we didn't go to the wedding. Why? Because the bride wanted it to be in the most beautiful place on earth- and for her, that's in a place called Zion, specifically a portion of the canyon.
This is two hours outside of Las Vegas (a six hour drive for pretty much *everyone they know*). In order to get to this particular area, you have to hike about 3 hours, MOST of which is *through a river* and some of which is up the side of a mountain, mere feet away from the dropoff point. Once there, you have no amenities- no bathrooms, no water or food except what you bring.
Also, the trail is so narrow only 10 people can traverse it at a time, so they had to have the entire wedding party wait at the base of the trail and 10 of them move forward in increments of 20 minutes, so from what I was told by other attendees, it took about 2 1/2 hours for everyone to get on site.
She made their parents, aunts/uncles, children, anyone who wanted to attend their ceremony, hike through a river for 3 hours to watch her say "I do".
No thank you.
Report
43points
#3
My GF's mothers wedding 2 years ago. Her future brother in law was missing for 2 weeks. He was supposed to be the best man but on a delivery he vanished and no one knew where he went. That morning her future husband got a call that the police had found him. He had been shot 2 times and [passed away] in a ditch the delivery truck full of packages was gone. The husband was horrified and told the bride that he can't get married today. She slapped him and stormed out screaming that she cant believe the *HE* could be so selfish that today wasn't just about him and his **stupid brother**. My gf was just as mad ... Me and the husband both left them that day and are good friends to this day.
Report
38points
But some argue that brides shouldn't be blamed for acting like brats because it's not their fault that they are forced to morph into bridezillas.
“They don’t come out of thin air,” said one bride on TikTok says of bridezillas. “It definitely is people pushing and pushing and pushing and pushing and pushing and pushing and pushing us to this point.” “I’ve seen many a level-headed woman lose their [cool] in the thick of planning a wedding,” said another.
There are even those who firmly believe the word "bridezilla" shouldn't exist at all...
#4
I had a friend that threw a temper tantrum, complete with screaming and foot stomping, because her grandmother had the audacity to pass away a few hours before her wedding. She said it would throw off the seating arrangements, because now there would be a big empty space.
She is currently half way through her 2nd divorce.
She is currently half way through her 2nd divorce.
Report
37points
#5
Years ago, my brother was best man in a wedding. He wore a beard at the time. For months prior to the wedding, the bride pestered him about his beard. She wanted him to be clean shaven for the wedding. So, after many moons, he gave in and promised that he'd shave before the wedding.
Night before the wedding he shaved it into a fu manchu.
Night before the wedding he shaved it into a fu manchu.
Report
36points
#6
I'm a guy that used to have very very long hair. I was a groomsman in my friend's wedding. About 6 months after the wedding i cut my hair off. It is now about a year later and his wife still gives me [a hard time] for not having cut it for their wedding. I tell her I'll cut it for her next one.
Report
33points
Dr. Jocelyn Charnas, a Clinical Psychologist who has been dubbed "The Wedding Doctor" is one of them.
"I am very much in favor of losing the term bridezilla," says Charnas. "It's denigrating and pathologizing what really is a normal process of responding to a high level of stress. And, most basically, it's a sexist term."
#7
I was in a wedding party and attended with my, then, fiancee. The bride refused to allow her to be in any of the informal friend and family photos, because, "Well, these things don't always work out, and I don't want to have guess who this person is ten years from now."
I am married to that, then, fiancee, and the other couple has had repeated separations and are likely only staying together because of their kids.
I am married to that, then, fiancee, and the other couple has had repeated separations and are likely only staying together because of their kids.
Report
33points
#8
I attended the wedding of a family friend's daughter, so didn't really know her. It was a nighttime reception, so probably from 6pm-11 or 12, the ceremony immediately preceding.
When we went into the reception, we were expecting a buffet or something to be set up, but there was nothing. Later we found out that there was no food for the 120 guests, but rather a cheese spread, fruit platter, and vegetables with dip.
After an hour, people were really hungry and some people started to leave because they were expecting to be fed and didn't want to stay.
When the bride found out, she ran across the room in her dress and blocked the doors, screaming about how everyone is ruining her wedding and screaming "Bride's Day, Bride's Way!" It was such a scene that her father had to peel her off the door (don't know where the husband was, probably cowering) and people who didn't know her that well all left.
I heard through the grapevine that she was inconsolable the entire night, got trashed and threw up (hopefully on her dress, but not sure).
Oh well, Bride's Day, Bride's Way!
When we went into the reception, we were expecting a buffet or something to be set up, but there was nothing. Later we found out that there was no food for the 120 guests, but rather a cheese spread, fruit platter, and vegetables with dip.
After an hour, people were really hungry and some people started to leave because they were expecting to be fed and didn't want to stay.
When the bride found out, she ran across the room in her dress and blocked the doors, screaming about how everyone is ruining her wedding and screaming "Bride's Day, Bride's Way!" It was such a scene that her father had to peel her off the door (don't know where the husband was, probably cowering) and people who didn't know her that well all left.
I heard through the grapevine that she was inconsolable the entire night, got trashed and threw up (hopefully on her dress, but not sure).
Oh well, Bride's Day, Bride's Way!
Report
32points
#9
I work in an industry with a busy season such that you cannot get time off toward the end. When my wife's sister let us know (3 months in advance) that she was getting married just after the busy season, I told her that I was glad it was then because if it had been even three days earlier I couldn't attend, due to the time it would take to travel the 900 miles to be there. The next day she called us and told us that they'd moved the wedding to two weeks earlier.
Well, I apologetically explained to her that I couldn't be there because it would literally be the end of my career. She didn't listen to a word I said and tried to guilt trip me into going. Despite them knowing I wouldn't attend in this situation *even before they changed the date of the wedding*, I would get phone calls every other day with either SIL or MIL yelling and screaming at me because I was going to ruin the wedding by not being there.
My wife went to the wedding. I ate a pizza. It was friggin' delicious.
Well, I apologetically explained to her that I couldn't be there because it would literally be the end of my career. She didn't listen to a word I said and tried to guilt trip me into going. Despite them knowing I wouldn't attend in this situation *even before they changed the date of the wedding*, I would get phone calls every other day with either SIL or MIL yelling and screaming at me because I was going to ruin the wedding by not being there.
My wife went to the wedding. I ate a pizza. It was friggin' delicious.
Report
31points
The expert adds that society has a long history of pathologizing women's emotions, reactions and behaviors. For example, she says, "hysteria" was a diagnosis given to women through the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) right up until 1980.
"The concept of denigrating women's behaviors is not new, and the term bridezilla is just another version of it," Charnas told wedding planning platform The Knot.
#10
I was supposed to be in a good high school friend's wedding this past January. I found out six weeks before the wedding that my dad had only six weeks to live (he had cancer for two years...a fact she was fully aware of). I made the decision to go ahead and drop out so nothing would stand in the way of her day. She texted me three days before the wedding basically calling me a liar because my dad outlived the doctor's expectations.
Report
31points
#11
I lost alot of weight (4 stone) before my friends wedding. She was insanely jealous, made me feel bad about it, even though I was extremely proud of myself for having done it. When my bridesmaid dress didnt fit for the final fitting, her and her mother looked me up and down with disgust and told me I 'should have told them how much weight I was going to lose'.
That was only one story. There are more.
That was only one story. There are more.
31points
#12
I decorate wedding cakes as a side job, and make pretty nice money from it. I did get bridezilla once though, who had ordered a cake with 600 miniature icing flowers on it. Sure. No problem. I would be happy to make a cake for her, despite there being a ton of tedious work involved with building those flowers. I get virtually no contact from her for weeks, until the day before the wedding when I present the cake to the bride. I had spent more hours than I care to admit making all of those icing flowers, and was quite proud of my work. She, however, flipped [out]. Apparently, the flowers were supposed to have seven petals, not the five that I put on them. I ended up staying up all night rebuilding that cake with 600 seven petaled flowers for some [jerk] that had to have it her way. I don't make wedding cakes for strangers anymore.
Report
28points
#13
I was asked to be a bridesmaid once for a woman I barely knew. When I asked her why she wanted me to be her bridesmaid (instead of just agreeing), she said it was because I was less attractive than her and I would make her look even better by comparison in her pictures.
Report
27points
#14
A girl I knew from school (we weren't friends but our parents were) who sent out a strict diet plan to not just the bridesmaids but family members. She didn't want anyone to 'ruin' the group photos.
Report
26points
#15
I use to work for a tent company and we would set up for weddings. One in particular comes to mind....
It was 95 degrees out, middle of July, and we were all suffering. This was a large wedding, with a large tent, stage, dance floor, tables, chairs, plates, silverware, lights, ect.
We arrived at her parents house at 7am. She was all nice and calm, said that she would buy us all lunch (6 or 7 guys) at around noon to thank us for our hard work. She also said that she would bring us water since it was so hot out and we could tap into the keg when we were done. Great deal right?
Wrong. About noon we had gotten the tent up, the lighting done, the stage and dance floor partially set up. She came running out saying that we needed to move the tent 3 feet. Yes, we needed to move the 240' by 60' tent 3 feet. My initial response was, "are you kidding me?" She wasn't. After talking it over with her we decided to move the tent (we had too, the customer is always right even when they say this is where I want the tent to go, we put it up and she changes her mind). We take it down, move the tent 3 feet and put it back up. It is now pushing 8 pm. Still no water, lunch or dinner. 10 pm rolls around and we are unloading tables. She comes storming out saying, "You are making too much noise!!! BE QUIET."
One guy I worked with asked, "Can we please get some water now, we drank all of the water that we brought"
She goes, "Umm.... The hose is around back, take some but not too much, water is expensive."
We never got a lunch, dinner or beer. We worked from 7 am to 11 pm at her house (not to mention the 45ish minute drive to and from her house). I never had a problem with working those type of hours if people tipped us, gave us food and thanked us. She didn't do anything.
It was 95 degrees out, middle of July, and we were all suffering. This was a large wedding, with a large tent, stage, dance floor, tables, chairs, plates, silverware, lights, ect.
We arrived at her parents house at 7am. She was all nice and calm, said that she would buy us all lunch (6 or 7 guys) at around noon to thank us for our hard work. She also said that she would bring us water since it was so hot out and we could tap into the keg when we were done. Great deal right?
Wrong. About noon we had gotten the tent up, the lighting done, the stage and dance floor partially set up. She came running out saying that we needed to move the tent 3 feet. Yes, we needed to move the 240' by 60' tent 3 feet. My initial response was, "are you kidding me?" She wasn't. After talking it over with her we decided to move the tent (we had too, the customer is always right even when they say this is where I want the tent to go, we put it up and she changes her mind). We take it down, move the tent 3 feet and put it back up. It is now pushing 8 pm. Still no water, lunch or dinner. 10 pm rolls around and we are unloading tables. She comes storming out saying, "You are making too much noise!!! BE QUIET."
One guy I worked with asked, "Can we please get some water now, we drank all of the water that we brought"
She goes, "Umm.... The hose is around back, take some but not too much, water is expensive."
We never got a lunch, dinner or beer. We worked from 7 am to 11 pm at her house (not to mention the 45ish minute drive to and from her house). I never had a problem with working those type of hours if people tipped us, gave us food and thanked us. She didn't do anything.
Report
25points
#16
Bridezilla is putting it mildly. I once flew into a foreign country for this woman's wedding since I was a bridesmaid. The time I was there I witnessed her: shoving her daughter, starving and neglecting her pets, constantly fighting with her fiance, trying to control what I ate, accused me of stealing from her since I took a Pepsi from the refrigerator after they said to make myself at home, freaking out the night before as we were setting up because everything was wrong.
After the day had come and gone and I flew home I get an email about a month later, "You really pissed everyone off! They all found you rude and lazy. My husband isn't calling you names he's only calling you out on how you are." I told her to have a nice life then blocked her from ever contacting me again.
Next thing I know, my family and friends are getting threatened and harassed, fake profiles were made with my name and photo, several message boards on Facebook have my name, number, and address up along with the biggest loads of [nonsense] for any random stranger to read.
After the day had come and gone and I flew home I get an email about a month later, "You really pissed everyone off! They all found you rude and lazy. My husband isn't calling you names he's only calling you out on how you are." I told her to have a nice life then blocked her from ever contacting me again.
Next thing I know, my family and friends are getting threatened and harassed, fake profiles were made with my name and photo, several message boards on Facebook have my name, number, and address up along with the biggest loads of [nonsense] for any random stranger to read.
Report
25points
#17
This situation made me lose one of my good friends. My friend is getting married in October. We were friends for about 8 years. She asked me to be one of her bridesmaids and I happily obliged. Little did I know she was going to be big-headed ego bridezilla.
She demanded that everyone wear these hideous dresses that we had to pay for. I was okay with it since they didn't cost that much. She also demanded that all the girls dye their hair because she could be the ONLY blonde one there. I have naturally blonde hair and I'm not going to dye it for a day. She got pissed at me that I wouldn't dye my hair and replaced me with a girl that she's known for years but recently become friends with. They used to talk [trash] behind each others backs.
Next she had to nerve to ask everyone who wasn't in her bridal party to pay 80$ per guest (160$ for me and my boyfriend) for food. She's having a buffet of BBQ. She also expected a present that was valued above 50$. She sent all of this via Facebook. I sent her a message back and told her I would either pay for the food or a present and for her to choose. I got a hard copy invite recently and realized that the date was the same date my boyfriend is doing Tough Mudder competition. I chose that over her wedding.
Tl;dr - Friend asks 80$ per person and 50$+ wedding present. Also kicks me out of bridal party because I didn't dye my hair something other than blonde.
She demanded that everyone wear these hideous dresses that we had to pay for. I was okay with it since they didn't cost that much. She also demanded that all the girls dye their hair because she could be the ONLY blonde one there. I have naturally blonde hair and I'm not going to dye it for a day. She got pissed at me that I wouldn't dye my hair and replaced me with a girl that she's known for years but recently become friends with. They used to talk [trash] behind each others backs.
Next she had to nerve to ask everyone who wasn't in her bridal party to pay 80$ per guest (160$ for me and my boyfriend) for food. She's having a buffet of BBQ. She also expected a present that was valued above 50$. She sent all of this via Facebook. I sent her a message back and told her I would either pay for the food or a present and for her to choose. I got a hard copy invite recently and realized that the date was the same date my boyfriend is doing Tough Mudder competition. I chose that over her wedding.
Tl;dr - Friend asks 80$ per person and 50$+ wedding present. Also kicks me out of bridal party because I didn't dye my hair something other than blonde.
Report
22points
#18
My boyfriend's brother got married, and in the middle of the ceremony the groom's phone alarm went off in his pocket. The bride flipped out, interrupting the pastor, to reach into his pocket for his phone, that he had already silenced.
She started [complaining] about how "I can't believe you let your phone go off in the middle of our wedding." Hands it to the maid of honor and says "remind me to smash that later." In the middle of her wedding.
She also rolled her eyes when the pastor was talking about God, chatted with the groom during the talk about keeping a marriage together, and during the vows part interrupted the pastor to say "The father, the son, the holy spirit, yeah I know."
She started [complaining] about how "I can't believe you let your phone go off in the middle of our wedding." Hands it to the maid of honor and says "remind me to smash that later." In the middle of her wedding.
She also rolled her eyes when the pastor was talking about God, chatted with the groom during the talk about keeping a marriage together, and during the vows part interrupted the pastor to say "The father, the son, the holy spirit, yeah I know."
Report
22points
#19
As a hairstylist, I've seen a few bridezillas. This one affected me directly. So mid week, a woman comes in and asks about updos for a wedding that upcoming weekend. She told my boss that she wanted something "funky" done with her hair. My boss then booked her with me. Saturday morning comes and she is in my chair and I get started. I am nearly finished and she starts complaining that she wanted more of a classic Audrey Hepburn style. Now I'm confused and it's too late to change now, plus my next client has arrived. [She] loses it. She says I wasn't listening to her and called her mother to come talk sense into me and was almost in tears wondering how she was going to explain her hair to her future in-laws. Her mom shows and basically tells her that her hair looks beautiful, paid me and dragged her out of the salon. A total WTH experience for everyone.
Report
21points
#20
My best friend, who is normally very sweet and quiet, was quite rude when she got married. First she told me when *I* would be having her bridal shower (set a date without consulting me in any way) at *my* house, and what *I* would be serving. I was in the middle of my honors year of my bachelor degree in *another city* (15 hour drive away), and she set the date for right in the middle of exams.
She also *planned* on making all sorts of things for her wedding to save money (aisle runner, center pieces, arch, veil etc.). I came into town the night before the wedding, and she says to me: "I didn't have time to get anything made, so I need you to do it." I stayed up all night sewing and arranging flowers while she slept.
It was in the middle of winter and when we arrived at the hall the floor hadn't been cleaned and was covered with salt stains. There was nothing to clean it with but a bucket and a cloth. So after staying up working all night, *I* had to clean a floor on my hands and knees. I was exhausted, sore and hated every minute of her wedding.
I didn't talk to her for months after that.
She also *planned* on making all sorts of things for her wedding to save money (aisle runner, center pieces, arch, veil etc.). I came into town the night before the wedding, and she says to me: "I didn't have time to get anything made, so I need you to do it." I stayed up all night sewing and arranging flowers while she slept.
It was in the middle of winter and when we arrived at the hall the floor hadn't been cleaned and was covered with salt stains. There was nothing to clean it with but a bucket and a cloth. So after staying up working all night, *I* had to clean a floor on my hands and knees. I was exhausted, sore and hated every minute of her wedding.
I didn't talk to her for months after that.
Report
19points