So, I know a wedding invitation isn't a summons and just because you send someone an invitation doens't mean they will attend. I get it, really. But, when your extended family decides to fly across the county for your destination wedding, and then says they aren't going to the wedding, I think I get to be annoyed. Even if just for a moment.
We have opted not to invite kids to our wedding. FI and I don't have any kids, probably won't have any kids, and don't generally care to be around a lot of them that we don't know, even though we are related. I told people that what they do on their vacation is up to them, so if they wanted to bring other guests who would not be attending the wedding, I had no problem with it. I didn't really think people would extend that to children. It's now come to my attention that a number of my cousins are bringing their children, and my aunts and uncles aren't going to attend the wedding or reception so that they can watch the kids. I'm hurt by this. Family are skipping our wedding for their own family vacation on the same island.
I'll suck it up, and get over it. Again, people can do as they wish and an invite doesn't mean they have to go. But, I'm allowed to be a little bummed, right?
"There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness."
-Friedrich Nietzsche, "On Reading and Writing"