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Question about Dealing with Future Mother-in-law

My fiance and I don't really like his mother, but we want to invite her to the wedding. The problem is she's going to want to be involved in the wedding planning. We really don't want to give her any significant responsibilities because she tends to blow up over the smallest things. I really don't want to have her plan, say, the rehearsal dinner, and then have her randomly get angry a month from the wedding and leave it all for us to deal with at the last minute.
We asked my mom, who has already starting helping us plan, for advice. She suggested just asking his mother for opinions on things, like showing her three shades of purple and asking what she liked best. The problem with this is that his mother tends to be very stubborn, thinks her opinion is always right, and gets really angry if we don't do exactly what she said, so asking her opinion on anything important to us would likely end in disaster. And we can't just ask her opinion on minor things because she's smart enough to know that she's not contributing significantly, which would also anger her.
So I guess what I'm trying to ask is, how can we have my future mother-in-law involved in planning the wedding without letting her actually plan anything for the wedding?

Re: Question about Dealing with Future Mother-in-law

  • If you don't want her involved in the planning, then simply don't talk about wedding details with her.  If she brings it up, say something like, "Oh Mary, wedding planning isn't very exciting.  I'd rather hear about your trip to Atlantic City!"   Change the subject.   

    I'm afraid that if you let her help plan one part (say, rehearsal dinner) then she'll feel like she has a say in everything else.  Or if you ask for her opinion on flowers, she'll start giving you her opinion on everything else.    
    DSC_9275
  • >>The problem is she's going to want to be involved in the wedding planning.

    Why?  If your parents were going to have a dinner party, and they were going to invite your FI's parents, would your FMIL think that she should be sticking her fingers in to pick mashed potatoes over baked potato on the menu, or napkin colors, or something?  Of course not.

    Your FI needs to communicate with his mother about the groom's side hosting the RD.  Those arrangements are entirely hers to decide, so he needs to work with her to do RD venue visits and tastings, and work with contracting details like menu and napkin colors, and then she needs to make a decision and sign the contract, etc.  That's a lot for her to do, and FI needs to make that happen.
  • Please don't listen to Kristen#s.

    If you don't want your FMIL involved, don't involve her. Don't ask her questions, and like PP said change the subject if it comes up.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_question-about-dealing-with-future-mother-in-law?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:14Discussion:388a9040-8f6a-4d77-bd98-472fa5e6e9f5Post:7c61cc8d-1845-4511-bc68-509b725295fb">Re: Question about Dealing with Future Mother-in-law</a>:
    [QUOTE] />>The problem is she's going to want to be involved in the wedding planning. Why?  If your parents were going to have a dinner party, and they were going to invite your FI's parents, would your FMIL think that she should be sticking her fingers in to pick mashed potatoes over baked potato on the menu, or napkin colors, or something?  Of course not. <strong>Your FI needs to communicate with his mother about the groom's side hosting the RD.  Those arrangements are entirely hers to decide, so he needs to work with her to do RD venue visits and tastings, and work with contracting details like menu and napkin colors, and then she needs to make a decision and sign the contract, etc.  That's a lot for her to do, and FI needs to make that happen.
    </strong>Posted by Kristin789[/QUOTE]


    Yes because we all still live in 1953 when the bride's parents took care of the wedding and the groom's parents took care of the RD, honeymoon and the bar.

    OP - just don't discuss wedding planning with her and learn how to change the subject if she brings it up.  If she needs to flat out be told that her help is not wanted, that is your FI's job to handle and nobody else's.
    Proud to be an old married hag!! image
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_question-about-dealing-with-future-mother-in-law?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:14Discussion:388a9040-8f6a-4d77-bd98-472fa5e6e9f5Post:caadcc26-e19b-40c3-9f07-a93329c0cb99">Re: Question about Dealing with Future Mother-in-law</a>:
    [QUOTE]<strong>If you don't want her involved in the planning, then simply don't talk about wedding details with her.</strong>  If she brings it up, say something like, "Oh Mary, wedding planning isn't very exciting.  I'd rather hear about your trip to Atlantic City!"   Change the subject.    I'm afraid that if you let her help plan one part (say, rehearsal dinner) then she'll feel like she has a say in everything else.  Or if you ask for her opinion on flowers, she'll start giving you her opinion on everything else.    
    Posted by Avion22[/QUOTE]

    Bingo!  Do not bring it up.  Ever.
    imageWedding Countdown Ticker
  • If you don't want her involved, don't discuss the wedding planning with her, other than basic stuff, such as the time, date of the wedding. Don't accept any money from her to pay for wedding related stuff either, or you will be opening the door for her.
                       
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_question-about-dealing-with-future-mother-in-law?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:14Discussion:388a9040-8f6a-4d77-bd98-472fa5e6e9f5Post:a804b366-2fcd-4ee9-bd19-1bd950cf8888">Question about Dealing with Future Mother-in-law</a>:
    [QUOTE]My fiance and I don't really like his mother, but we want to invite her to the wedding. The problem is she's going to want to be involved in the wedding planning. We really don't want to give her any significant responsibilities because she tends to blow up over the smallest things. I really don't want to have her plan, say, the rehearsal dinner, and then have her randomly get angry a month from the wedding and leave it all for us to deal with at the last minute. We asked my mom, who has already starting helping us plan, for advice. She suggested just asking his mother for opinions on things, like showing her three shades of purple and asking what she liked best. The problem with this is that his mother tends to be very stubborn, thinks her opinion is always right, and gets really angry if we don't do exactly what she said, so asking her opinion on anything important to us would likely end in disaster. And we can't just ask her opinion on minor things because she's smart enough to know that she's not contributing significantly, which would also anger her. So I guess what I'm trying to ask is, how can we have my future mother-in-law involved in planning the wedding without letting her actually plan anything for the wedding?
    Posted by SymphoniaRaine[/QUOTE]

    If neither of you like her, why do you want her to be involved at all?
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_question-about-dealing-with-future-mother-in-law?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:14Discussion:388a9040-8f6a-4d77-bd98-472fa5e6e9f5Post:828848e7-eba1-4426-a38b-fac46d0ecc54">Re: Question about Dealing with Future Mother-in-law</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Question about Dealing with Future Mother-in-law : If neither of you like her, why do you want her to be involved at all?
    Posted by zitiqueen[/QUOTE]

    She's his mother and none of his siblings have invited her to their weddings, so we wanted to at least invite her... We'd really rather she wasn't involved in planning though.

    If we don't say anything about the wedding, she'll bring it up. If we change the subject, she'll change it back. If we flat out tell her no, she'll explode at us. (He currently lives with her, so keeping her mildly happy is good for the time being.) She's a very difficult person, so I'm not really sure there is a solution that won't involve her freaking out at us, but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask for advice.

    Thanks for all the suggestions so far! :)
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_question-about-dealing-with-future-mother-in-law?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:14Discussion:388a9040-8f6a-4d77-bd98-472fa5e6e9f5Post:049b4bc7-50ab-4736-8942-2129076539c4">Re: Question about Dealing with Future Mother-in-law</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Question about Dealing with Future Mother-in-law : She's his mother and none of his siblings have invited her to their weddings, so we wanted to at least invite her... We'd really rather she wasn't involved in planning though. If we don't say anything about the wedding, she'll bring it up. If we change the subject, she'll change it back. If we flat out tell her no, she'll explode at us. (He currently lives with her, so keeping her mildly happy is good for the time being.) She's a very difficult person, so I'm not really sure there is a solution that won't involve her freaking out at us, but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask for advice. Thanks for all the suggestions so far! :)
    Posted by SymphoniaRaine[/QUOTE]

    She's a very difficult person, you don't like her, your FI doesn't like her, none of her other kids like her, and yet you keep trying to figure out how to include her in the wedding planning and otherwise keep spending time with somebody you don't like just because of shared DNA? Whose idea is it to keep this relationship going, yours or his?
  • You should put your future mother in law in charge of something or anything. I'm sorry you don't like her but she is the mother of your soon to be husband.
    Live life like its your last day!
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_question-about-dealing-with-future-mother-in-law?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:14Discussion:388a9040-8f6a-4d77-bd98-472fa5e6e9f5Post:0b79269c-d354-4c54-81d2-8d23219f98ec">Re:Question about Dealing with Future Motherinlaw</a>:
    [QUOTE]Why are you planning a wedding when your FI still lives with his mother. I'd recommend focusing on getting him financially independent before I paid for a wedding.
    Posted by StageManager14[/QUOTE]

    Wow... You know, when I post a topic asking for <em>advice </em>on a specific aspect of wedding planning, that does <em>not </em>mean you should tell me not to have a wedding at all. You do not know the financial situation of either me or my fiance, so I would appreciate it if you did not try to give advice on it when I did not ask for anything of the sort.

    Thank you for the suggestions everyone. I think I am all set now.
  • In Response to Re:Question about Dealing with Future Motherinlaw:[QUOTE]In Response to Re:Question about Dealing with Future Motherinlaw:Why are you planning a wedding when your FI still lives with his mother. I'd recommend focusing on getting him financially independent before I paid for a wedding.Posted by StageManager14
    Wow... You know, when I post a topic asking for advice on a specific aspect of wedding planning, that does not mean you should tell me not to have a wedding at all. You do not know the financial situation of either me or my fiance, so I would appreciate it if you did not try to give advice on it when I did not ask for anything of the sort.Thank you for the suggestions everyone. I think I am all set now. Posted by SymphoniaRaine[/QUOTE]


    Seriously!! What is wrong with some of these people that respond on here?! So judgmental! I really do not understand the assumption that someone isn't financially stable because they live at home. First of all he could be helping his mother out by paying her rent. He also could be making a choice to live at home and save money that way they can buy a home of their own after the wedding. She didn't say he has never lived on his own, he could just be staying there temporarily. Ugh! Can't stand the ignorance of some people!

    As for advice with the mother in law... I think all you can do is avoid it with her. I think along the way while planning you may run into a time consuming job that you can trust her with.. Maybe. We are having a candy buffet at my wedding and I found the job of searching for interesting classy glass candy dishes was an easy one to delegate out. Good luck
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