(When) Did your parents meet FI's parents?

michellep1

Saturday FI and I will graduate with our MBAs from the same program, so our parents and siblings will all be meeting for the first time.  I don't know why, but I'm really freaking out.  Our families are really different.  Mine's very affectionate and talkative; my mom will always hug and kiss FI and I whenever we go to visit.  I've never seen FI's parents touch any of their children in any way other than a pass-the-salt situation.  That's just one example, but everyone's totally different.  His parents are both CPAs, my dad is a machinist and my mom does like office-y things.  They really have no common ground other than we are all Catholic (seriously, thats it).  His family isn't even that interested in the wedding, so there's not much to talk about there either.

I'm just sorta worried because the ceremony is at 1:30 and then we weren't able to get a dinner reservation until 7:30, so there's going to be like 4 hours where we all have NOTHING to do.  Like I really have no idea whatttt we could possibly all do together, I don't even think the living room at our apartment will fit everyone.

Did anyone have an awkward family meeting experience?  How did you cope?  Any advice?

MMRoberts11

Congrats on getting your masters degree!  As for the parents situation I have no idea and would be thinking the same thing you are.  Hopefully someone has an idea.

Our parents met when we were still only friends.  Our moms get along fairly well and our dads have talked some but not too much, they are civil though.

julbgordo

My parents met FI's parents at different times and separately.  My parents are still together, it was just different situations that had them meet FI's parents.  FI's parents and my parents aren't at all alike either, not even same religion - three different ones thrown in there actually LOL.  They were all fine though.  Everyone's adults, so they found stuff to talk about. 

Last summer FI's parents and my parents along with us hung out in the Poconos at our venue.  My parents have timeshare there and invited FI's parents for the weekend.  FI's parents ended up staying at a hotel, but it was the first time we were all together.  I was nervous how it would all happen, but it turned out really well.

You can have everyone socialize a bit after graduation and take some pictures of you guys.  Then maybe the families can go off and do their own thing until dinner.  I'm sure it will be fine though.

sweetcanadian1979

i have no advice for ya sorry congrats on your degrees my mom lives 2000 miles away but she has met fi's parents a couple times, we throw big bbqs and threw one last time she was down. My dad has met them as well. They don't all know each other well but they get along, our moms even hug when they see each other lol.

janejane43

I completely understand why you're nervous but I think you'll find its not as bad as you think it could be. My parents and my FI's parents are pretty different too. My fam if very outgoing and talkative, FI's is more reserved. They're all really nice people, just different. They all met for the first time when we were looking at reception sites and then we had a dinner with the 6 of us a few nights later. FI and I were both nervous about them getting along but it went well. Like PP said they are all adults and as long as they are all happy about you two being together they will find things to talk about. Maybe you'll find out they have a shared hobby or interest. If nothing like that comes up you can ask questions like when did they meet each other, how did they get engaged, what do they remember most, like the most from their weddings. And if nothing else fails just talk about yourself and your FI! They both know both of you so that should be common ground to at least get the ball rolling.
Congrats on the Masters! Just try to relax and enjoy the celebration of your hard work and your family will too!

SSaltzman87

Our sets of parents met within the first few months of us dating. They get along pretty well despite them being from pretty different worlds, they do have similar personality types though.

I guess all you can do is hope it all goes well and that they'll all be mature adults about it.

sprtychick10

Congrats on the degrees!! 

FI was room mates with my brother in college when we met/started dating. Our parents met even before we were officially dating because we would all tailgate and go to football games together. Our families are very similar which I am extremely thankful for.

Hope it all goes well. Don't stress yourself out. This is a big day for you and you deserve to enjoy it.

kelsey+brandon

FI and I planned a lunch at a casual restaurant (Farmers Market) for my mom, her BF, my brother, FI's parents, sister and her DH and his nephew to meet. It went pretty well. Our families could not be more different and we have nothing to talk to each other about. Thankfully, my mom is what your mom sounds like and tries to make the situation less awkward and asks questions about things that she knows they're interested in....i.e. FI's nephew. Literally, that's all they care or talk about...unless it's something depressing. FI's fam and my dad have never met...that's probably won't be until the wedding, so it probably won't be too awkward since they're will be so many other people around.

Good luck! They'll figure out what to talk about because they don't want it to be awkward either! Maybe y'all can hang out for a bit and then go see a movie? No talking required! hehe

sleblanc72

Congrats on graduating!!  I wish I had good advice but I think where it's such an exciting time and it's not just going out to meet things will hopefully be fine!  I'm with some PP's that our parents met when we first started dating and get along really well.  Hope everything goes well and don't stress too much, just remember why everyone is together and celebrate such a big accomplishment for you and your FI!

Lissa1213

I don't have any advice, FI and I have been together for 3+ yrs and our parents still haven't met. 
Congrats on graduation though

DrPB2b13

Congrats on graduating!

I don't have a whole lot of advice for you, but I will say that it is my opinion that your parents and his parents don't have to love each other.  My aunt freaked out when FI and I first got engaged, because my parents hadn't yet met his; she kept asking my mom, "But what if you don't like them?!"  My mother pointed out that it's really not all that necessary for them to like each other.  Ultimately, what occasions will they actually ever meet?  Your wedding, MAYBE the births of your children, and the occasional birthday party if your family does that sort of thing.

Finally, your parents are all adults, and by this point in their lives should have acquired the skills necessary to mingle with "random" people for a good chunk of time.

Good luck, I hope you can stop stressing out and just enjoy your accomplishment!

Rethany

We did a "Meet The Parents" type thing in February of this year.  FI has a step-dad and his wife and also his real father and stepmom.  My parents have never gotten a chance to meet them.  So we had dinner at my parents house and just sat around and talked all evening.

I was really nervous just like you were.  It went so well though.  They all got along great and everyone got to know each other really well!  I was super nervous/worried as well (especially because FI wasn't there so I'd have to do all of the introductions).  I think that's understandable, but it will probably turn out better than you expect!

Good luck!  and Congrats on graduating!

midgetthemighty

Congrats on the degrees!

You will probably find that your parents have something in common with his parents, but I know it's hard to see that sometimes. People are very diverse and you can always learn something new about your closest friends, FI and H included. So on that count, I would just relax and let everyone be themselves. The details will work themselves out. Could you all go see a movie during that 4 hour time span? No talking involved there.

As far as mine and FI's parents meeting, they got along wonderfully. We had decided that our parents should meet after a while because we had begun talking about marriage and our future together. So we organized a dinner with us, each of our parents, and our siblings. Little did I know that Matt had gotten to my house earlier than I did that day because I was at work with the sole purpose of asking my dad for my hand in marriage. Everyone else at the dinner knew he was going to be proposing soon except me. Looking back, it's rather adorable on his part.

EDIT: Forgot to add that his dad turned 60 shortly after this dinner meeting and he pretty much demanded that my parents and brother were invited he liked them so much. It was a great time as well.

Good luck with your parents and future in laws meeting. I'm sure it will go well.

courtneyclare103

My parents met right after we got engaged. My situation is basically the EXACT same as yours, except that we don't even have religion in common--I'm Catholic and FI is not! It will all be fine--everyone in my situation gets along great, but it's not like they hang out all the time as they don't have much, if anything at all, in common.

michellep1

Thanks for the advice everyone.  I feel a little ridiculous for freaking out so much, I'm going to try to remember that everyone's adults and can hopefully not be socially awkward.  Maybe its just because I have a small immediate family, but both sets of my grandparents have always been at all our family functions and they get along great, and also both my parents call their in-laws "mom and dad" so I really just want this to go great.  I know his family doesn't really do the whole calling the in-laws "mom and dad" thing, but I wish we could one day be comfortable enough to!

I remembered since I posted this that our other roommates' parents will be up as well, so hopefully that will take some of the pressure off during our nothing-to-do time.  Anyway, thanks for all the support and I'll keep you updated if there's anything newsworthy that occurs on Saturday!

TeamMoriarty

congrats on graduating Michelle!!!  our parents haven't met yet, and more than likely they won't until the wedding because we live in 4 different states.  If FI's rents come out from MA, then my parents will come over from WA, but don't know if it will happen before next summer.  Remember, they have family in common- that's what you and FI are becoming!  And with how friendly you are, I'm sure everything will be just fine!

AshnRobo

Congrats! 

Maybe you could go bowling?

My parents and FI's parent won't meet until the week of the wedding...possibly not until the rehearsal. I won't meet his mom until this August!