My father and father-in-law’s argument over the dowry escalated into a fight in front of relatives during our wedding banquet, leaving me concerned about our future together.
I am 27 and my husband is two years older. We dated for two years before getting married. Our families live 150 km apart so we decided to hold a wedding banquet at my family’s home last month.
On the day of the banquet, my husband’s family arrived in full attendance and the atmosphere was cheerful at first.
During the meal, my father and father-in-law sat at the same table. After a few drinks, my father-in-law said, “The bride’s family asked for quite a lot of dowry.”
My father turned red and replied, “My daughter has a lot to offer too. She has proper education and a job. She deserves to be treated with respect.”
The argument escalated. My father-in-law threw his cup of liquor, and my father stood up to fight back. The two lunged at each other and the banquet turned into chaos. My husband and guests rushed to intervene as I froze in shock.
The fight ended soon after but the atmosphere had already soured. My father stormed off while my in-laws sat in silence.
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In-laws dispute can cause rifts in the marriage later on. Illustration photo by Pexels |
After the banquet, my mother cried and said the family had been humiliated. My husband’s family later called me over and blamed my grandparents for not teaching my father to control his temper. My husband and I apologized and begged both sides to keep the matter private.
We went ahead with the wedding but the joy was ruined. On our wedding day, my husband and I kept a close eye on our fathers to make sure another fight would not happen. After the ceremony, my in-laws stopped speaking to each other.
Now that we are married, I worry about the future when our families are at odds. My husband says living far away in the city can prevent conflict. Still, I hope to mend relations so both families can one day sit at the same table. I hope readers can offer advice.
