Family member refuses to take back the wedding gift they gave their cousin after the couple divorces shortly after the wedding, gets confronted by family: ‘I don't want the money back’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Oct 14, 2025 2:00 PM EDT

Many couples stay together much longer than they should simply because they don't want to deal with the social repercussions of their separation. They don't want to tell their parents of the upcoming divorce, or face the sorry looks of all their friends and family after having to explain, yet again, why their relationship failed.

Now, imagine having to go through all of that and having to return the wedding gifts you got from all of your guests. The couple in the story below did not prolong their relationship and ended their marriage only two months after the wedding, after the groom discovered his new wife had cheated on him. As it turns out, it is customary to return the wedding gifts received if the marriage does not last longer than a year, so that is what the couple set out to do.

One cousin, however, refused to accept their gifts back, which made the entire situation even more awkward than it was. They were later confronted by their insensitive behavior, so scroll down to read the full tale.

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  • 01
    Wedding Gifts on Table
    via Bobby Twilley Jr

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    AITA for refusing to return a wedding gift after the couple divorced 2 months later?

    My cousin "Ryan" (31M) married "Alyssa" (29F) this summer. It was a lavish wedding, 200+ guests, open bar, full band.
    via Ok-Program-7149
  • 03
    My gift was $500 cash because he's family and I wanted to be generous. They divorced two months later after she allegedly cheated (though it's all hush-hush).
    via Ok-Program-7149
  • 04
    Last week, Alyssa messaged me on Instagram saying she was "returning gifts to be fair" and asked for my Venmo so she could "refund me." I didn't respond immediately because honestly, it felt awkward.
    via Ok-Program-7149
  • 05
    Then my aunt called saying Ryan thinks it's "rude" if I don't accept the refund, apparently, he's trying to split everything "ethically." Here's the kicker: the wedding still happened.
    via Ok-Program-7149
  • 06
    They had their big day, the venue, the food, the fun. I told my aunt I don't want the money back; it was a gift, not a transaction.
    via Ok-Program-7149
  • 07
    ring circling the word 'divorce'
    via thedivorcelawfirm

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 08
    But now my family's calling me "insensitive" for making things "awkward" when they're already embarrassed. Like... I'm not the one who got divorced.
    via Ok-Program-7149
  • 09
    AITA for refusing the refund?
    via Ok-Program-7149
  • 10
    celticmusebooks Formal etiquette requires that gifts be returned if the marriage is broken in the first year. Ryan is just trying to "do the right thing" and no doubt feeling crushed and humiliated that the woman who just promised until "de th do us part" cheated on him in the first two months. Accept the refund graciously and move on. Maybe use the money to take your cousin out for dinner in a few months or donate it to a favorite charity.
    via celticmusebooks
  • 11
    Either-Ad9501 Just take your money back and move on.
    via Either-Ad9501
  • 12
    VanguardisLord YTA. Just accept the refund and don't cause any drama.
    via VanguardisLord
  • 13
    Sea-Solution-8038 If you don't want to take the money back, just tell your cousin to take you out for a nice dinner. But, they are being very mature returning the gifts. You are making them feel bad by refusing to accept it.
    via Sea-Solution-8038
  • 14
    Smoke__Frog What an odd flex lol. You won't accept the 500 on some bizarre moral high ground, even though your poor cousin is humiliated and wants to refund you? Man you're selfish.
    via Smoke__Frog
  • 15
    JosKarith Take the refund. Whatever shite is going on between them isn't your problem but if they want to give you your money back than accept it.
    via JosKarith
  • 16
    Not_the_maid Not really YTA - but if they both are now asking to return the money - then yes, you are the one who is making it awkward.
    via Not_the_maid

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Tags

aita bride groom wedding drama wife gift husband wedding divorce family money cousins entitled people
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