After being in a relationship for 5 years, I proposed to my girlfriend. She was thrilled and wanted to start planning right away. Everything seemed perfect for our future together, until my fiancée revealed her true colors. I was so shocked and confused that I turned to the internet for advice.

I’m a 45-year-old man with an 11-year-old daughter from my previous marriage. I share custody of my daughter with my ex-wife. When I fell in love again, I was overjoyed to see how well my girlfriend got along with my daughter.

We started looking at wedding venues and my fiancée began choosing her bridesmaids. But then, something unexpected happened. She told me that she wanted her niece to be the flower girl, which I was fine with. However, when I mentioned that I also wanted my daughter to be a flower girl, my fiancée dismissed the idea.

I was shocked and hurt. I insisted that my daughter should be part of our special day, but my fiancée disagreed. She believed that my daughter wouldn’t fit the role. Frustrated, I told her that if my daughter couldn’t be in the wedding, then maybe there wouldn’t be a wedding at all. I stormed out and took my daughter to get ice cream.

Hearing my daughter say that she would look pretty in whatever dress my fiancée chose for her broke my heart. It was clear that my daughter was excited about our wedding.

I decided to give myself some space and texted my fiancée that I would be staying at a friend’s place to think things over. That’s when my mother-in-law texted me, accusing me of overreacting and being a jerk for considering canceling the wedding.

Feeling lost, I turned to the internet for advice. I asked if I was being an overly protective father or if my reaction was justified. To my relief, the majority of commenters sided with me. One comment in particular stood out, stating that if my fiancée didn’t want to include her stepdaughter in the wedding, it might be a sign that she wouldn’t include my daughter in her life either.

Another comment emphasized that it’s customary to include children of the bride or groom in the wedding ceremony, and even in the vows. They believed that my fiancée was in the wrong for excluding my daughter.

The support from the online community reassured me that I was not overreacting. The situation felt like a big red flag, and I didn’t want to ignore it. This was not the kind of stepmother I wanted for my daughter.

In the end, I made the difficult decision to break up with my fiancée right before our wedding. It was not an easy choice, but I knew that my daughter’s happiness and well-being came first.

Looking back, I realize that I made the right decision. It’s important to prioritize our children’s feelings and make sure they feel included and loved, especially during such a significant event as a wedding. I learned the hard way that a good parent should always listen to their child and protect their happiness above all else.