Bridesmaid Shamed For Refusing To Share $6,400 Scratch Card Winnings With Bride & Groom

Common wedding favors typically include candies, chocolates, personalized gifts or other delightful tokens from the couple. However, one destination wedding in Cyprus took a sour twist after the newlyweds made the distinct choice of giving their guests scratch cards for the lottery and a bridesmaid won £5,000 (approximately $6,400).

Hoping to add a touch of excitement to the celebration, the bride, groom and their small but close-knit guests of 10 people initially cheered and applauded the lucky winner, Sarah. The wedding celebration, which happened in early August 2023, was in full swing when Sarah was seen jumping with glee at her unexpected windfall, and the bride and groom joined in to congratulate her and her partner, Paul.

However, the event soon devolved into tension and awkwardness due to a question posed by another bridesmaid. The mood shifted dramatically the following morning when all of them gathered for breakfast at their shared holiday villa.

The other bridesmaid opened up about the incident under the username Feisty-Put2529 on Reddit’s "Am I The A**hole" forum. She admitted that she casually asked Sarah if she intended to part a portion of her scratch card winnings to the bride and groom. She claimed her question was not intended to offend but to consider the traditional notion of sharing good fortune with those who gifted the ticket.

However, the original poster's (OP) inquiry prompted an unexpected response. Placed on the spot, Sarah and Paul grew silent before revealing that they had no plans to share any of their winnings. The atmosphere became strained, and Sarah eventually left the table in tears. Paul then accused OP of making them uncomfortable and implying they were cheap.

"I apologise and said that’s not what I meant," Feisty-Put2529 clarified. "I just said it because that’s what I would do in their situation,” she added.

However, Feisty-Put2529 also said that it’s ultimately Sarah and Paul’s decision whether they would want to share the win or not because “it is their money.” She divulged that Paul walked away from her when she was trying to fix the situation, and he and Sarah never spoke to her again.

The bridesmaid spoke with the rest of the group, and they also thought that Sarah and Paul should give something to the bride and groom as a thank you. However, they also think that Feisty-Put2529’s question did make the situation awkward.

The situation spiraled into a debate on Reddit, where users weighed in on whether she was justified in her inquiry or had crossed a line. The majority sided with Sarah and Paul, arguing that the scratch card was a gift and that Feisty-Put2529 had no right to involve herself in their financial decisions.

"It's like when someone proposes marriage in public and the other person really wants to say no," Redditor mythoughtsrrandom wrote in the comments. "Lottery is given as a gift often. Unless the winnings are life changing sharing isn't necessary IMO. Are we supposed to split every $10?"

"No one asked your opinion and an apology saying ‘that’s what I would do’ wasn’t an apology. Try again," said another commenter.

Some argued that Feisty-Put2529 made a tacky move by shaming Sarah, and the public question made sharing seem like an obligation rather than a gesture of goodwill.

“By saying that in front of everyone you WERE in fact pressuring them with an entirely unfair obligation,” said user Draculamb.

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