In a pickle with our invitations

sbc2013

Ok, let me preface this with the fact that my parents and I are foreign (but have been in the US for 15 years, so, no longer super-foreign) and my fiance's parents are not, so I have two different opinions going and I'm not sure what to do.

I am working with our invitation designer and we have changed how my parents and the groom's parents are addressed on the invitation a few times. 

It has been "Mrs. ForeignMom'sFirstName and Mr. ForeignDad'sFirstName ForeignLastName" and "Mrs. Groom'sMomFirstName and Mr.Groom'sDad'sFirstName Groom's Last Name." (Ex: Mrs. Jane and Mr. John Kelly) Then my FMIL said that it sounded "funny," which I agree with, and she usually sees it as "Mr. and Mrs. John Kelly," which is also how I have seen it. So, I changed it to what my FMIL suggested, and my mom was upset that her (first) name was no longer on the invitation, which I understand. So, then I changed it to: "Jane and John Kelly" and the equivalent for my parents, but my FMIL said that sounded informal, and the wedding is not.

I'm looking for suggestions--is there another way to write this that I haven't considered? I 100% understand where both mothers are coming from--I don't want it to sound "funny" or "informal" and most importantly, I do not want to offend my mother!

SlothGoals

What about "Together with their families" or "Together with their parents" ?

daveANDkristen

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_in-a-pickle-with-our-invitations?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:5bf9713d-b13c-4476-892f-e1b198e3f09ePost:0fa6ec18-b433-4e07-9291-52fe3cd75b8d">Re: In a pickle with our invitations</a>:
[QUOTE]What about "Together with their families" or "Together with their parents" ?
Posted by kristbot[/QUOTE]

This is what we did, but since your mother was upset at the notion of her first name not appearing on the invitation, I'm assuming she wouldn't be ok with no name at all.  Who's paying?  Honestly, I would just go with what you had originally or just no Mr. and Mrs.... I don't think that makes it sound informal. 

sbc2013

My parents are paying the majority, but FI's parents are contributing pretty heavily. On top of that, my family is Jewish, so it is tradition to have both parents' names, and on top of that, my parents adore my FI's parents (and vice versa, thankfully), so when the invitation lady told my mom it wasn't customary to put the groom's parents on the invitation, she "wouldn't think of it." 

Thanks for the suggestion so far, ladies. My mom definitely wouldn't be happy with "Together with their families"--I know she wants her name on there and I just really want to make everyone happy. Quintessential bride phrase, I know, but I do. 

db0197

I think the time of day of the wedding sets the tone of formal/informal more than listing parents names.  If listing your mom's name will make her happy, I think put her name on it.  Really there is no harm in it.