Moms and Maids

Step mom

FI's dad remarried a little less than a year ago.  His parents had a bitter, ugly divorce and still aren't playing nice.  Not to mention, his dad married the "other woman" and has been a far better father to her kids than his own.  FI and I are not close to her.  And I often get the impression the feelings are mutual.  We are all cordial, but never going to be best friends.

Given the facts that we were engaged already when they got married, FI does not consider her his "step mom," she's had no role in his upbringing, and it would completely crush his mother - her name was not published in our engagement announcement in the paper.  A lot of thought went into that decision and it was not malicious in intent. 

I'm now hearing through the grapevine that she's royally pissed.  The aguement that I heard was that "all of the other couples in the paper had step-parents listed."  I sent her an email saying we had no ill will and apologizing that this upset her.  I said I would be more than willing to talk about this with her and gave her my phone number (which we have never exchanged).  I did that Sunday night and have heard no response yet.

Did we do wrong?  She she have been included?  Do I now risk a battle with his mother by putting her name in the programs, introducing her at the reception, giving her a corsage, etc?

Re: Step mom

  • aerinpegadrakaerinpegadrak member
    10000 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    Why were you the one to contact her?  This is your FI's family, he should be handling all of this.
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    Sometimes I feel like people think that brides are delicate little flower princesses who get all dressed up and pretty for one special moment of their dreams, when really they're just normal people who just happen to be getting married. Things shouldn't have to be sugar-coated for grown-ass women. -mstar284
  • vicki0508vicki0508 member
    1000 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    FI should be asking his mom and step-mom these questions.  You should stay out of it.
  • Dayna3773Dayna3773 member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    This isn't my first wrongdoing that I've heard about through the grapevine.  She will tell FI's dad, who then calls FI to pass it along.  FI tells me she's upset about whatever and I ignore it since I'm hearing it third-hand.  It's all been trivial stuff and not in regards to the wedding.  I guess I'm just sick of the lack of communication and was just standing up for myself this time and trying to stop this before it comes anything big.

    In the email I also asked her if she and FI's dad had any time constraints when it came to the time we held the rehearsal.  She literally just replied to the email seconds ago with a two word answer "6:00's fine," completely ignoring the part about the announcment.
  • edited December 2011
    Yeah, your FI needs to deal with this. It just seems weird that the buck should stop with you for wedding arrangements, I mean it's your FI's wedding too and it's his family.
    Also, he is the only one who knows how much he cares about his relationship with his parents, so he'll have a better idea of when to cave and when to stand his ground.
  • aerinpegadrakaerinpegadrak member
    10000 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    If your FI isn't willing to run interference with his family and is letting all of these issues fall on you, you have much, much bigger issues than the wording of an engagement announcement.
    This is a neglected planning bio.
    This is a belated married bio, with no reviews yet because I'm lazy.

    image
    Sometimes I feel like people think that brides are delicate little flower princesses who get all dressed up and pretty for one special moment of their dreams, when really they're just normal people who just happen to be getting married. Things shouldn't have to be sugar-coated for grown-ass women. -mstar284
  • Dayna3773Dayna3773 member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    No, he is.  He's always been willing to run interefence.  Very nonconfrontational, so it's not always the first thing he thinks of, but if the problem persists, he's on it.  Trust me, he was present and involved in writing this - he's not getting off that easy.  I just didn't like that something I was that involved in hurt someone's feelings and just wanted it taken care of.  But from her lack of response, I have no idea if she's hurt, angry, or just fine and dandy.  We'll see what FI can find out tonight...
  • edited December 2011
    Disconnect that grapevine. If ffil's wife is 'royally pissed' about anything, that's her problem.

    Your fi shouldn't be passing these messages along to you. He should tell his dad that he does not think of his new wife as a parent and that is why she was not listed in the engagement announcement. If he asks why Danya didn't include his wife in the wedding invitations, programs, shower plans etc...., he should repeat the answer. Dad should be able to figure out why he feels this way, but if he can't, fi should explain it to him. All decisions regarding ffil and his wife should be made by your fi.

    Under the circumstances, I don't think it was wrong to list only the biological parents in the engagement announcements. If fi doesn't want to buy her  a corsage or put her name in the program, that's fine.As far as introductions go, if you announce the father, you should have them announced as 'the Father of the Groom, John Smith and his wife Jane.'


                       
  • LoveMuffinsLoveMuffins member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    If she's ignoring the stuff about the announcement then I think you should too.

    Is there anyway to do wording for the invitations/programs as you and FI "along with their parents" and that way have no parents name on things? That might be the best way to do it.

    If you are listing people's names in the programs, just don't say "Parents of the Groom", list them as "Father of the Groom" and "Mother of the Groom", which will leave her out by default. However, for walking into the reception, would it really hurt to let her be on the arm of her husband, "The Groom's Father ____ with his wife ____"? Your FI might not accept her as his stepmother, but she is family and she's probably going to be around for awhile.
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