The sympathy for the mother is that she never asked for the situation of having an autistic child. And she didn’t take a way out. She’s staying a mother. But she must often be at her wits end and looking for outside help to give her relief. But her sense of empathy is totally lacking if she expects relief for her at the cost of her friend’s potentially ruined wedding. It probably means she’s not a good friend and not a big loss.
Typically I could see your point. But not a wedding. Babysitter or if the brat has to go, assign two people to keep him occupied during the ceremony. Unless I’m in the wedding, I’d gladly sit it out to watch the kid until reception.
I think I would normally be sympathetic to the mom, but when she called her friend a bridezilla, my opinion changed quickly. This is not a bridezilla thing. LOTS of weddings have no children, or only children of a certain age. This is not an unusual request.