In their family, there was an old tradition: after the wedding, the groom had to carry the bride in his arms from the church all the way home. All the guests knew about this tradition, and the bride had been nervous since the morning because of that moment — it felt like the most emotional and most meaningful part of the day.

When the ceremony ended and the last guests left the church, the groom and bride appeared at the doors. She stood beside him, smiling, already slowly raising her arms, expecting him to come over, lift her up, and make that moment the beginning of their new life together.

But everything turned out differently.

The groom suddenly turned not toward her, but toward his mother. She stood a little to the side, happy and moved. And then, in front of everyone, he lifted his mother into his arms — exactly the way he was supposed to carry his wife.

They laughed, posed for the guests, the mother wrapped her arms around her son’s neck, and the groom looked completely pleased with himself.

The bride stood motionless. Her smile slowly disappeared, her eyes widened in shock. She felt as if all the air had left her body. The guests fell silent instantly. What they saw was a blatant violation of tradition and a direct humiliation of the bride.

She struggled to hold back her tears and the anger rising inside her.

— What are you doing?… This is our wedding, — she whispered, on the verge of breaking down.

The groom just shrugged:

— This is my mother. And she’s more important than anything.

The bride felt something break inside her. And in that moment, she already knew what she would do next… Everyone was shocked by her action

The bride felt her hands trembling. Why would he do that? In front of everyone? At such an important moment? She felt humiliated, as if she had been pushed aside.

The guests stood in silence, exchanging glances. A few women covered their mouths with their hands. Someone whispered, “You can’t do that…”

The groom was still holding his mother in his arms and laughing, as if he enjoyed all the attention. He didn’t even look in his wife’s direction.

The bride walked closer, just enough for him to finally notice her. Her voice was quiet, but it made the groom’s smile disappear instantly.

— If you think I’m going to tolerate everything… you’re wrong.

She took off her wedding ring — right there, in front of everyone — and dropped it in the grass.

The guests gasped. The groom froze, as if he only now realized how far he had gone.

— What are you doing?! — he shouted, trying to free his arms, but he couldn’t drop his mother.

— I’m drawing my conclusions, — she said calmly. — If on the very first day of our marriage you place me below everyone else… it will only get worse from here.

She turned around and walked away, leaving everyone stunned.

The groom finally set his mother down and ran after her, but the guests blocked his path. A few women even stepped in front of him, shaking their heads.

— You ruined everything, — one said.

— A real husband doesn’t behave like that, — added another.

And the bride walked away. She understood one thing: it was better to leave now than to spend a lifetime with a man like that.