My husband and I planned every detail of our wedding ourselves. We wanted a celebration that reflected us—built on love, effort, and intention—not on money or obligation. That’s why, even when Dave’s parents offered to pay for certain parts of the wedding, we kindly declined. We were determined to do it on our own, even if that meant taking on a few extra challenges—like baking the cake myself.
I had experience. In college, I used to sell baked goods to make extra income. I loved baking, and creating our wedding cake felt like the perfect way to contribute something meaningful to the day.
But not everyone saw it that way.
Christine, Dave’s mother, had never really approved of me. From the beginning, I could tell she viewed me as someone who didn’t quite “fit” into their world. Her comments about my job in marketing were often dismissive, and during visits to their lavish home, I could feel her judgment. It wasn’t just in what she said—it was in the way she said it.
When Dave lost his job three months before the wedding, our budget got tighter. We talked briefly about asking his parents for help, but we both knew what that would mean—strings attached. Instead, we tightened our spending and focused on what truly mattered.
That’s when I committed to baking our cake. Christine didn’t take the news well.
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