AITA for refusing to pay for my brother’s entire wedding when I have a wife and 2 kids to support?

Family is supposed to be about supporting one another, but sometimes that expectation becomes so extreme that helping turns into an obligation you never agreed to. I am a 30-year-old married man with a wife and two young children, and I have always tried to do my part for my parents and younger brother. I have never minded helping when someone genuinely needed it, especially when it came to my parents. The problem is that over the years, my brother has become accustomed to being taken care of rather than taking responsibility for himself.

At 26, he has never held a steady job or seriously attempted to build a career, yet my parents continue to treat his wants as if they are my responsibilities. Now that he is getting married, that expectation has reached an entirely new level. My parents don’t simply want me to contribute; they expect me to pay for virtually everything, from the venue and catering to decorations and even his personal shopping. And for the first time, I decided that helping family doesn’t mean sacrificing my own.

My Parents Decided Their Adult Son Deserved A Dream Wedding, And Apparently I Was Supposed To Foot The Entire Bill

For Years They Spoiled My Brother With My Money, But His Wedding Was The Moment I Finally Drew The Line

I Have A Wife And Two Young Children Depending On Me, Yet My Parents Still Believe My Brother’s Happiness Should Come First

When I Finally Said I Could Only Contribute What I Could Afford, My Parents Acted Like I Had Betrayed The Entire Family

They Reminded Me That They Raised Me, But Somehow Forgot That I Now Have A Family Of My Own To Protect And Provide For

I Was Willing To Help My Brother Celebrate His Marriage, But Was I Really Supposed To Sacrifice My Wife And Kids To Make It Happen?

Let’s check out how Redditors are reacting to this situation.

I understand that my brother is getting married and that my parents want to give him a beautiful wedding. Still, I don’t understand why the responsibility for making that happen has suddenly become mine. I already have a family of my own, and my priorities have to include my wife, my children, our everyday expenses, their education, and our financial security. I am not refusing to help altogether; I’m simply refusing to empty my savings and take on an enormous financial burden for an adult man who has never made an effort to contribute toward his own life.

What makes the situation even more frustrating is that my parents have repeatedly used money I gave them for their needs to buy things for my brother, so this isn’t an isolated incident. Now they’re calling me selfish and reminding me that they raised me, as though being their son means I owe them an unlimited supply of money forever. I love my parents, and I want my brother to be happy, but surely supporting family has limits. So the question is: am I being selfish for protecting my wife and children’s future, or have my parents simply expected too much from me for far too long?