Bride-to-Be Bans Champions League Final from her Wedding: What to Do When Your Wedding Clashes With the Football

A bride-to-be has sparked outrage by refusing to let the Champions League final be shown at her wedding in June.

One of the guests took to Mumsnet to ask who was in the wrong when it sparked a huge row between her and her avid Liverpool-supporting husband.

Liverpool are due to take on Tottenham in the highly-anticipated match on June 1st for the European league title.

The guests revealed her husband and his brothers were hatching a plan to sneak out the wedding – which will have 200 guests – and return once the match is over.

“We’re attending a wedding the day of the champion leagues final, now Liverpool have gotten to the final DH understandably wants to watch it. The majority of people attending are from Liverpool and the surrounding areas, my DH included,” wrote the guest.

“The couple getting married have now put out a notice saying that they have chosen not to screen the champions league, and they do not want anyone to ask for it to be put on, to leave and watch it or to be watching it on any devices and to please respect that this day is about them.”

She said that her husband and his brothers aren’t willing to miss the match and were planning to leave the reception to watch the match. But she understood the couple’s request that they want the day just to be about them.

“It ended with [my husband] and I having a bit of an argument because I think it’s extremely rude to leave, watch the game and return.

“It’s just been left with they will be watching and that’s that, they think the bride and groom are being unreasonable to put a blanket ban on the whole thing and not just shove it on a tele in the bar…Who’s being unreasonable?”

Image: Mumsnet

Well, it turns out everyone has an opinion on this – and most think the men are being “selfish”.

“I think your DH and his brothers are totally unreasonable. It’s a football game. The bride and groom are obviously not wanting half their guests disappearing in the middle of their wedding, a day they will have been planning for months, to watch a football game. I actually feel for them that they are worried enough about it that they’ve had to send the message to preempt,” one Mumsnet user wrote.

Another was a little more stern in their approach: “I would think anyone who put a fricking football game ahead of their friends’ once in a lifetime wedding was a massive t***. It’s a game. Literally just a game.”

However much users agreed that the guest’s husband was being rude, they acknowledged that the couple were “bonkers” to think people wouldn’t want to watch it – and should suck it up and put on the game.

“Whilst it is their day, and I don’t think they are being unreasonable in hoping it’s about them, I don’t think they stand a hope in hell in getting 200 Liverpudlians to not find some way to watch I’m afraid…” one wrote.

“As much as I would hate it myself, in these circumstances I think the couple would be better off embracing it, showing the match on their terms and then getting on with the day,” said another, who recommended sacrificing 90 minutes of attention on you.

Although one Mumsnetter had a clear alternative. “Pretty simple decision for me: I’d not be going to the wedding,” she wrote.

What to Do If Your Wedding Clashes With a Big Football Match

Unfortunately big sporting matches often take place on a Saturday – as do weddings. So should you ban the game or embrace the fact some guests will want to watch it? Here’s some of the best ways to approach the clash.

• If you and your partner are both football fans then why not embrace the fun and ask your venue for a screen to show the whole match? Have some bubbles ready to toast the team and yourselves at the end too. You can easily add lots of little footballing nods to your day: give out mini chocolate footballs as wedding favours, have your page boy in football boots, set up some kickabout games outside and even make sure you play ‘Football’s Coming Home’ during your evening DJ session.
• If you don’t want to have the match playing, you’ll still need to accept it’s happening. Should the match fall during the ceremony, anyone watching it on their phones is a big no-no (no exceptions!). But if it’s during the time of your reception then it might be an idea to nominate a member of the bridal party or your master of ceremonies to keep the room up-to-date with any goals, even if they can’t watch them.
• If you’re resolute that the match isn’t going to be screened and you’re not going to include it at all (and we hear ya, you’ve spent a lot of money on this day!), you might need to come to terms with the fact some guests might leave during the reception or might even not attend. It can be heartbreaking to think your friends are putting a football match first, but that is how strongly some fans feel. Don’t let it affect your day too much – focus on you and your partner’s happiness.