Ruined the Wedding
Its your fault! You! sobbed Julia, tears streaming down her face.
I watched my sisters outburst, my mind cursing Mum for insisting we invite Julia on the eve of my wedding.
Dont be ridiculous! How could you possibly celebrate your wedding without your own sister? Mum had said to me. Its just not done. What would people think?
Looking around at everyone now witnessing the aftermath of that decision, I knew full well people would gossip. Theyd all laugh about how foolish my sister was, and how Mrs Palmer raised such a daughter. I watched as Mum took Julia carefully by the elbow, shepherding her out of the reception hall for some fresh air, murmuring soothing words to her.
Its my day! No one will ruin it! I thought, forcing my brightest smile for the guests.
The master of ceremonies, a bit flustered by the scene, spotted my confident grin and rallied, announcing the festivities would continue.
The Waltz! he declared with gusto.
The music started, couples began moving around the room.
I danced and smiled, and my fiancé, Simon, smiled back, leaning in close to whisper how much he loved me.
The party rolled on and only the scattered rose and iris petals on the floor served as a reminder of what had just happened
* * *
Julia and I are sisters. Shes three years older. Ive always been more level-headed, calm, and thoughtful. Julia, on the other hand, is a tornado of emotionsa whirlwind who changes her mind every five minutes and regrets those decisions just as quickly.
No one could tolerate Julias erratic moods for more than a few minutes. She had no close friends; she managed to quarrel with everyone, though shed often ask for forgiveness later as though it were some benevolent act. Unsurprisingly, most never bothered to forgive her, and those who did regretted itJulia didnt change her ways.
Mum, Mrs Palmer, sighed often to Dad, Mr Palmer, wondering aloud how anyone could put up with her temperament. Dad would always reply that a husband hadnt materialised for good reasonJulia had frightened off every potential suitor with her antics.
Shes been reading the most absurd things! I said to Mum once when Julia wasnt around. Who actually listens to silly magazine advice? But she does! Honestly, sometimes I feel older than she is
What can you do, love? Mum replied, shaking her head. Shes always been our little princess. What sort of advice?
Oh, the usual nonsense I waved it off Tests of a boyfriends loyalty, traps, bizarre demands, constant acts to provoke jealousy, all to test the strength of his love Who could stand it? Paul was such a nice lad! She wore him down completely.
Mum sighed sadly. She liked Paul, too, my sisters ex-boyfriend. But Julia really was insufferable. The poor guy lasted longer than most, but he fled in the end.
At some point, Julia decided her constant failures in romance meant she was doomed to be single. Shed always believed in superstitions, but now it became an obsession, worsened by my wedding fast approaching.
Shes younger than me! Julia wept to Mum. And shes getting married already. Everything just works out for her, and Im already twenty-five!
Julia pronounced her age in such a tragic tone it was as if she were turning seventy. Mum couldnt help but smile and replied:
Your time will come, darling. Stop believing in all that nonsensehoroscopes, predictions, silly magic tricks
It’s not nonsense! Julia retorted, fiercely defending her mystical rituals.
I dont like your charms and spells, Mum frowned. Its all a bit worrying, honestly.
If theres no other option? Julia whispered.
Mum left her question unanswered.
Time passed, and Julias obsession grew stronger. Sometimes shed ask Mum or me to collect parcels for her, explaining that the forecast forbade her from leaving the house after six oclockdisaster was certain.
Or shed beg me to go somewhere with her because her tarot cards promised shed meet her destiny that day. Apparently, she couldnt go alone and had to be accompanied by a young woman. Since she had no friends, I was the obvious choice.
I always found Julias superstitions mildly amusingand a little sad.
* * *
Not that day, Emma! It cant be that day! Julia protested. Go back to the registry office and pick a different date!
I quietly mimed a circle around my temple. Simon and I had gone to the registry office and booked our wedding for a months time. Julia then checked her horoscopes and insisted the day was all wrongretrograde Jupiter entering the second house, and so on
I didnt bother listening. I just left the room and let her stew.
It didnt end there. Every day leading up to the wedding, Julia tried to instruct me on proper wedding customs.
Dont wear goldit invites bad luck, Julia lectured, while I wondered how much more my head could take. The wedding loaf must be baked strictly to tradition, and you must place a burning candle on the table.
Despite my frazzled nerves, I laughed. I pictured myself tossing my gold earrings and wedding ring out the window and solemnly placing a thick candle on the tableonly for the sleeve of my dress to catch fire, followed by the tablecloth, as the properly made loaf rolled onto the floor
A fire is the last thing we need, I muttered.
What fire? Stay focused, listen! Julia frowned, continuing her tirade. And most importantlythe bouquet! You have to give it to me. I felt a bit jealous at first, but then remembered the custom
Shed read somewhere that handing your wedding bouquet to a sister meant shed get married soon, too.
What? I snapped. Im not giving you my bouquet! Simons ordered a beautiful bespoke bouquet, why would I give it away?
Youre just going to throw it anyway! What does it matter? Julia pleaded.
Maybe I wont throw it at all!
You must! Thats tradition, you cant ignore it! Julia held her ground.
Mum, overhearing the raised voices, stepped out of the kitchen and listened. She recognised wedding nerves and shook her head, returning to her soup.
Our girls have really gone mad, Dad chuckled, sipping tea from his favourite owl mug.
Mum just stirred the pot, wondering how it would all end.
One evening, fed up with Julias magical guidance, I seriously declared I wouldnt invite her to my wedding. This set Mum off, yelling and insisting she would not allow such a thing.
Mum convinced me, and I relentedbut only because she asked. I had nothing left to say to Julia.
When the big day arrived, I ignored Julias babble. I did everything as Simon and I wanted, not what the stars supposedly advised.
Julia sulked but didnt give up her hope about the bouquet. Throughout the celebration, she nagged me about it. I acted as if she werent even speaking, and then the master of ceremonies announced it was time for the bride to throw her bouquet for anyone wishing to marry soon.
Julia lurched from her seat, nearly toppling the table, and rushed toward mebut Id already thrown the bouquet. Julia shrieked and burst into tears. The stunned friend who caught it offered it to Julia in a gesture of goodwill.
Thats not how it works! Julia stamped her feet. You had to give it to me, willingly, hand to hand!
I closed my eyes, exhausted and deeply embarrassed by Julias antics.
Mum hurried out and escorted Julia away
She really did ruin my weddingwhat a circus, I sighed to Simon when we were finally alone after a long day.
Oh, dont be upset, he soothed me. Honestly, the guests forgot about it in a moment. All sorts of things happen at weddings!
While we chatted, Julia was off enjoying herself, too. The barista who made her coffee after Mum dragged her from the hall turned out to be quite charming.
There was a coffee shop right next to our reception venue, and Julia and Mum went there. Afterwards, Oliverthe baristaclosed up shop, and at ten oclock that evening, he suggested they go for a walk.
Julia and Oliver walked through the nighttalking endlessly.
Mum returned to the party, telling Dad the retrograde Mercury must have landed in the right house todaytheir girl had met her fate.
Nobody even noticed Id gone! Mum whispered to Dad, eyes wide. They were still chatting about their star signs and mysterious rituals. A perfect match, really.
Mum giggled quietly, while Dad smiled and invited her to dance, since they were still at the wedding.
An hour later, Julia texted Mum that she and Oliver were fine, strolling along the riverside. It was very romantic, and tomorrow theyd set out to analyse their birth dates and make predictionsMum had no idea what that meant, but was happy Julia finally seemed content.
* * *
You know, Julia said briskly a few months later, I dont want to throw my wedding bouquet at all. Ill have to warn the MC not to make a scene.
I laughed, remembering how Id told Simon the same thing on my wedding day, except the scene was all Julias doing. And, after all, she really had met her match. Oliver, it turned out, was a part-time student in a tough physics programme, working evenings at the coffee shop.
He liked astrology, but thought superstitions were nonsense, and soon convinced Julia of the same. With him, she became far more serious and settled.
Nowadays, Julia is all about metaphysics and lectures our friends and family about fundamental truths of existence. But with Oliver, they’ve found real love and happiness.
Thats retrograde Mercury for youutterly unpredictable, I joked after Julia and Oliver tied the knot. Julia insisted we shouldnt marry on that day, yet thats when she herself met her future husband. Would she have met him if not for our wedding?
Its all in fates hands Mum smiled.
You Ruined the Wedding—It’s Your Fault! Tears, Tantrums and Bouquets: Julia’s Meltdown, a Tale of Si…
