16-year-old refuses to lend out $600 chocolate fountain for a wedding she's not invited to: 'Maybe this will make me seem like a brat'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Mar 25, 2026 10:00 PM EDT

Lending your prized possessions out is always a risk. 

If there's something in your possession that you love so much that you would cry if it were gone, then you should protect it. It's difficult to set boundaries with people, though, and you might end up saying yes to something that you wish you hadn't. This is why it's important to collect yourself in those moments and make sure you're actually agreeing to what you would like to agree to. Your belongings are yours, and you have the right to lend them out or not lend them out as you see fit. Even if you're a teenager. Sure, you might be living under someone else's roof, but you still have a right to protect what's yours. Nobody should pressure you into doing something you're not comfortable with.

But that doesn't stop friends and family members from putting you in situations that you might want to avoid. Social pressure is real, and you want to please the people around you. Other people might make you feel like you owe them something when, in reality, you really don't. That's the kind of pressure one teenager was feeling when she was showing off her chocolate fountain to some family friends. If you own a piece of equipment like a chocolate fountain, you know how finicky they can be. One wrong move and the whole thing is ruined forever. Plus, they don't run cheap. If you have one, you're probably particular about lending it out.

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  • A cup of melted chocolate with a dipped marshmallow above
    via Eiliv Aceron

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

  • Am I in the wrong for not wanting a family friend to use my chocolate fountain at there wedding cuz I'm not invited?

    I 16f had my birthday in November my grandfather gifted me a $600 chocolate fountain with delicious expensive chocolate to put inside of it. The chocolate is way gone, but I still own the chocolate fountain. I do not use it a lot but it is one of my most prize positions.
    via No_Entrepreneur_6017
  • Some backstory, my sister has celiac disease so she cannot eat gluten so we decided to invite our family friends over so we could have a gluten-free chocolate fountain taste testing without risk of cross contamination. The family friend is my mother's best friend we will call her Cherry. Cherry has two daughters. One of her daughters has a boyfriend who is planning to propose soon. While they were at the house, they were talking about how
    via No_Entrepreneur_6017
  • they're gonna do their wedding. I wasn't paying much attention, but then I overheard nobody under 21 is allowed to come. I was a little bummed knowing I would probably still be under 21 by the time they get married, but it's not a big deal until they started talking about my chocolate fountain.
    via No_Entrepreneur_6017
  • They were telling my mom how much they wanted to have it at their wedding. My mom didn't see a problem with it on the other hand me I am not OK with this. Maybe this will make me seem like a brat, but if I'm not invited to their wedding, I don't owe them anything. However, my mom. thinks I would be a person if I didn't let them borrow it because I've known them my
    via No_Entrepreneur_6017
  • whole life. But here's the thing I'm not close to any of them. Cherry is my mom's best friend. Her oldest daughter used to be my babysitter and her youngest daughter is my sister's best friend. so am I the a hole if I don't let her use my chocolate fountain. Update kinda I just talked to my mom and she said she never
    via No_Entrepreneur_6017
  • heard them make the comment about me not being able to come so she understands if I don't want them to use it but my sister still thinks I'm the ah le if I don't let them use it Edit I just wanted to clear some things up. These people have been in our family since before I was born. They aren't engaged yet, but they will be very soon my sister is 19 and they are waiting
    via No_Entrepreneur_6017
  • until she's 21 to have the wedding so that she can drink. If things go as according to plan, my mother and my father, and my sister will all attend the wedding and me and my 7 yr old brother will not be attending the wedding will probably not happen for another 2 to 3 years, which means I'll be 18-19 I do not expect them to not have their wedding until I'm 21.
    via No_Entrepreneur_6017
  • Here ComesTheS... NTA also, if it's kept gluten free the wedding could risk that. It's a valid reason but also, you've given them your answer. No is a full sentence. You aren't bratty. I'm 40 and I would say no if I wasn't invited or was then invited because they think it will convince me to loan the item
    via No_Entrepreneur_6017

  • In this situation, the teenager couldn't even benefit from loaning it out, since she wasn't going to be invited to the wedding where it was to be used. It's one thing if she were being asked for a favor for a dear friend's wedding where she was involved, but she wasn't. She was being asked to part with her prized possession with no security or knowledge that it would be taken care of. So she was understandably a little reluctant. But her family was not so understanding. Keep reading to see what happened here and decide what you think about it.

  • Commenters gave their opinions and thoughts on this story.

    TheVoiceof Reaso... NTA, Never lend things that you care about.
    via TheVoiceofReason
  • Objective-Pound... NTA. It was gifted to you. You get to decide who, if anyone, gets to borrow it. You Mom/Dad/Family don't get a vote here. It's not theirs to lend. Maybe see if there is somewhere you can store it when your family will not have access.
    via Objective-Pound
  • A young cheerful teenager looks at the camera
    via Unsplash+ (Curated Lifestyle)

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

  • Silver_Adagio138 NTA. It's not a commercial product. They can rent one. No one gets to loan out someone's property.
    via Silver_Adagio138
  • GroovyYaYa "No, I am keeping it gluten free for sister and I don't want it used out of my supervision because of that and the sentimental value of it." Lock it down.
    via GroovyYaYa
  • RestlessLegacy If I were your mom I would not assume my kid's prized possessions were fair game for loaning out. Your mom is TAH.
    via RestlessLegacy
  • FragrantImposter I used to cook for weddings at a golf course. We had a chocolate fountain. They are a pain in the a at weddings. Dr nk people are fascinated by them and dunk things in them that should not be dunked, they mix things in that wreck the chocolate, they let it dry out and get clogged, they try to drink from the edges, etc. They need supervision.
    via FragrantImposter
  • Since the fountain doesn't belong to the venue, they won't supervise it. They won't take accountability for any damages. If they find it broken on the floor after the wedding, they'll probably throw it out. They won't clean it and make sure it's in good shape before it's returned. You will have to rely solely on the people borrowing it, who will probably be drink and focused on the party.
    via FragrantImposter
  • You have no reassurances, no insurance, and very little. recourse if your fountain gets damaged. They are very cheap to rent, however, so the family should look into that. Then they will be free to party up as they wish without having to babysit the chocolate all night.
    via FragrantImposter
  • OriginalSlight NTA Tell your grandfather if they keep pressing you on this, I don't think he'd approve; it was a gift, one of your most prized possessions, and you aren't even invited to this event. If something happens to it, if
    via OriginalSlight
  • it's stolen or broken...l guarantee they won't replace it or at the very least apologize, they may even keep it because "she's a kid why does she need it" then what??? You don't owe them anything especially your sho.
    via OriginalSlight
  • They are adults who can rent or buy a chocolate fountain for the wedding instead of trying to force you to give them yours without you coming to the wedding. Your mom should never have said yes to them without talking with you and asking. If they wanna blame someone they can blame her.
    via OriginalSlight
  • not_so_lovely_1 This guy hasn't proposed yet, let alone the couple booking a venue, setting a date and working out the guest list. I recon this conversation is about 3 years premature.
    via not_so_lovely_1
  • Affectionate Mar... Also, you don't lend out expensive stuff like that without a serious deposit first, literally a "this will cover the cost to replace it" deposit. Sh gets damaged ALL the time at weddings. It gets taken by food staff
    via AffectionateMarch394
  • accidentally, or knocked over, or someone jams it up with something etc etc. And noone wants to be responsible for replacing it when it "wasn't their fault" "they just spent so much on a wedding" blah blah blah. They can rent one from a catering company etc.
    via AffectionateMarch394
  • grayblue_grrl No one is taking MY $600 present out of my sight. Simple. Things get broken and an "OVER 21" event sounds like a booze fest. Sorry. Nope.
    via grayblue_grrl
  • Drunken uncle or 3rd cousin could have that on the floor in pieces easy peasy. OR.... Do they want to leave a $600 deposit? $500 back if if comes home in the same condition it went out in?
    via grayblue_grrl
  • MondayMadness... NTA. "Sorry, we actually don't let people rent it out or borrow it." Then hide it and be done with the conversation.
    via MondayMadness5184

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Wedding Themes family drama gifts teenagers friends chocolate fountain friend drama wedding family
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