I never thought my wedding would turn into a full-blown spectacle.

It all began even before the ceremony: my mother-in-law had decided that since she wasn’t married and was still “young and beautiful,” she deserved to be the maid of honor.

I tried to protest, but for my husband’s sake, I gave in. “What’s the worst that could happen?” I thought. “After all, it’s just a tradition.”

But the worst did happen.

For the ceremony, my mother-in-law showed up in a long white gown. White! A dress that would have been more fitting for the actual bride. At one point, she literally snatched the bouquet out of my hands and proudly stood next to me, as if the spotlight should have been on her. I struggled to hold back tears and absolutely refused to take pictures with her.

But the most shocking moment came later. When we were at the altar, reciting our vows, the priest asked the usual question: “Does anyone object to this union?”

That’s when my mother-in-law raised her hand.

“I object,” she said loudly. “This is my only son, and I’m not ready to give him up to another woman. Son, let’s just go home. What’s the point of this marriage?”

The guests were stunned; someone even burst out laughing. My husband froze, unable to say a word. I was boiling with anger, but at the same time, an idea popped into my head to save the situation.

Keeping a straight face, I turned to my mother-in-law and said loudly enough for everyone to hear something completely unexpected. I’ll share exactly what I said here, and you can tell me if I handled it well.

With a sharp tone, I said:

“Mom, did you forget to take your medication again? The doctor warned us—if you skip a dose, you start to hallucinate. Do you want me to bring you some water to help you calm down? Remember, it’s your wedding today! I’m your daughter-in-law, and here’s your son. Did you forget us again?”

Then I turned to the guests and added:

“I’m sorry, my mother-in-law is seriously ill, and sometimes she doesn’t understand what she’s saying. Father, please continue, her words don’t mean anything. She’s confused.”

“I’m not sick!” my mother-in-law protested.

“Yes, yes, you’re perfectly fine. You just forgot your medicine again. Don’t worry, everything will be fine, I’ll give it to you later,” I replied softly.

She was left speechless, stepped aside, and sat down, and the ceremony went on. We got married, and in that moment, I realized: sometimes, to protect your happiness, you have to be clever.