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An engaged couple drew mixed reactions after the bride asked her retired mother to pay for their wedding even though the groom was financially secure.

In a post shared on the Wedding Shaming forum on Reddit, a family member explained to the bride’s mother – a retired art teacher who is barely making ends meet – that the bride was expecting her mother to pay for her wedding. However, the Reddit user claimed that there was something wrong with the couple.

“Their relationship is somewhat unconventional as they have an age difference of over 20 years and the groom has adult children from a previous marriage who are closer in age to the bride than she is to him,” the family member wrote.

The bride, who is in her 40s, and the groom, who is in his 60s, are both financially well-off – each earns over $200,000 a year. The Reddit user noted that with their combined income of around half a million dollars a year, they have the means to pay for their wedding. However, they still “allow” the bride’s financially strapped mother to pay for the festivities, with the exception of the rehearsal dinner, which was ultimately canceled.

The Reddit user explained that the bride’s mother lives on a fixed income and is often stressed about her financial situation. Although she seems happy to pay for her daughter’s wedding, they found it odd that a successful middle-aged couple did not want to pay for the wedding.

“They are always stressed and complaining about money,” the family member wrote of the engaged couple. “They have also asked the bride’s mother to help them buy a new house, which she obviously cannot afford.”

Although the three seemed happy with the financial arrangement, the rest of the bride’s family was concerned. The Reddit user claimed that the bride and groom were taking advantage of someone who was struggling financially, even though they could easily pay for their own expenses themselves.

“I’m honestly shocked that the groom doesn’t just offer to cover the majority of the bill, given that he has a 40-year career and makes a ton of money. The bride makes a lot of money too, so I don’t understand why she can’t afford at least some of it,” they wrote. “I wish them both luck, but I can’t help but feel like this isn’t right, especially for the much older and wealthier groom.”

In the comments, many people wrote that the mother of the bride needed to set boundaries for her daughter and her future son-in-law.

“No offense, but the mother of the bride needs to show some backbone and say no,” wrote one.

“If you get married at 40 or 60, you pay for your own wedding,” added another.

Others said it was disgusting that the bride and groom took advantage of the bride’s mother.

“He and the bride are both rubbish,” commented another. “He’s in his 60s and there’s a 20 year age difference, which means she’s in her 40s. She’s an adult and has been for 20 years. If she’s going along with this, she’s just as responsible.”

“Poor mother of the bride!” wrote another. “Honestly, shame on the bride and groom for even letting someone with a steady income pay for all their fuss, whether she offered or not. They’re grown people with paying jobs. They can pay for their own crap.”