In November 2022, a woman shared her troubling story on Reddit’s “Off My Chest” forum. She had been with her fiancé, Ryan, for six years and engaged for eight months. Although she led the wedding planning, Ryan occasionally added input. A month before the wedding, Ryan shocked her by suggesting she shouldn’t wear a white dress, claiming coworkers had advised him. She dismissed it, thinking it was just a creative idea.

However, when she bought a white dress two weeks before the wedding, Ryan was furious. He insisted on knowing the color, and when she confirmed it was white, he exploded, saying only “pure” brides should wear white. Ryan had been a virgin when they met, but she had one prior relationship. His fixation on her past stunned her. Even his mother sided with her, telling Ryan that if purity mattered, he should wear red too.

The argument left her disgusted and rethinking the marriage. Though Ryan wasn’t religious, he couldn’t let go of her past. Eventually, she broke off the engagement. Later, she shared that she was preparing for her first date in six years and was nervous about what to wear—commenters jokingly suggested red.