OP and their fiancé are both vegan and have not eaten meat for over 30 years combined. When they decided to get married, they chose a vineyard venue that could provide vegan catering. However, when OP informed their family, they demanded that meat options be added since they are not vegan. Despite OP’s objections, their family eventually agreed to order pizza instead.
OP finds it disrespectful that their family cannot go a few hours without meat on a day that is supposed to celebrate their relationship. OP and their fiancé are paying for everything and do not want to pay for animals to be slaughtered. The catering includes 28 options, including traditional dishes that happen to be vegan.
OP’s family is pretty unanimous in their demand for meat options, but OP thinks it’s just a few people getting everyone riled up. In OP’s culture, bringing gifts to a wedding is not a thing, but their family will still be attending the wedding.
It Will Not Kill Them
Redditors are generally in agreement that OP’s family is being way too dramatic for this simple issue:
“Exactly. Vegan food is just vegetables. I don’t get meat eaters who think a vegetable will kill them.
That said, the reality is if you choose a polarizing menu for your wedding (whatever the reason or menu), some people won’t like it, or they may leave the reception early. That’s just life. This is like having a dry wedding. Of course, it’s your choice, but some people will “nope” on out.”
As the commenter suggests, it is simply food at the end of the day. There is no reason for OP’s family to have an issue with eating food provided for them for the sake of too many vegetables.
Moreover, this comment notes that OP has what is considered an extreme menu. That said, it will most likely lead to some people taking issues and leaving the wedding early. Most likely, this would be an acceptable result from having the wedding that OP and their partner want.
Drawing a Hard Line
Some Redditors have taken to a more extreme reaction to the disgruntled family members:
“NTA. Anyone who wants to disrespect your lifestyle choice by ordering pizza doesn’t need to be at your wedding. Make it very clear that anyone bringing in outside food or complaining about the food and making a scene will be asked to leave, no matter whose family they are.
They can suck it up for one meal. Vegan food can be delicious. You’re not asking them to eat rice cakes and seeds.”
This is a more extreme response that is not necessarily unfair. As the venue is also vegan, bringing outside non-vegan food is inappropriate. Additionally, it is a massive disrespect to the OP and her partner, who are simply trying to celebrate themselves on their special day.
You Can’t Please Everyone
It is the rarely spoken but always valid rule; you cannot please everyone, particularly at a significant event.
“When anyone plans a wedding, not everyone will like the menu, and not everyone will eat the dinner. I’ve been to weddings where the food was great, and I’ve been to weddings where the food was so bad or scarce people grabbed something to eat on their way home. You’ll never be able to please everyone, and food will be wasted regardless of the menu.”
This Redditor received a lot of support for their comment. They are correct that even if they were to serve meat, it is not to say that the food would be worth having. Any meal can be acceptable of unacceptable, regardless of what it is comprised of.
It appears that this has become more of a lifestyle issue that the family is aiming at. Compared to the necessity to eat meat at every point of the day. It is crucial that the OP and their partner make them the priority and not the guests.
HIS STONE COLD GREED. WIFE TRAGICALLY LOSES HER PARENTS BUT HER HUSBAND DEMANDS INHERITANCE
Source: Reddit