Wedding Etiquette Forum

Not sure where to post...

Sorry if this doesn't fall into the correct category, let me know if I should move it.

First off, I have asked family members and friends and everyone says it is ultimately my choice and I should do what makes me happy, however, I don't personally know anyone who has been in a situation similar to mine. I'd love to hear from someone who has been through a similar situation or just outside perspectives, I am so on the fence about this.

Here's the deal: My family is crazy(like so many others). My Grandfather raised me because my Mother was a drug addict(shes is now clean and sober, but still fairly unreliable, shes just flighty.) I have really struggled with wanting her to be at my wedding and be part of the planning as our relationship has been so strained, but I've done a lot of thinking about it and decided that I do want to include her in this part of my life.

Now here is the issue: My Mother has one sister. While I was growing up I always did things with my Aunt and her kids, but since I've been an adult she and I do not see eye to on a lot of things and have had some arguments over the way she treats others in the family. She and her Husband do not invite me to family functions, call me on holidays, or anything like. My Aunts daughter and I also do not get along very well because she is very immature and has a history of taking advantage of my sisters kindness.  I am fairly certain I do not want to invite them to my wedding. Since I feel like you should invite people to your wedding that love and support you and people that you want to be part of your future lives as a married couple, and these family members do not fit that bill.

Is this too mean? or too harsh? if I do not invite them they only family I will have at my wedding is my Mom and Sisters. (My grandfather will try to make it but his health isn't great.)

One more thing to add, I've asked my grandfather what he thinks, and he said he thinks these family members resent me because I'm the only one that has left our home town and "done well for myself", while everyone else just kind of follows the same circle. He thinks its best that I invite them to show them "what they are missing out on" then cut them off. (He is sometimes wise, but spiteful.) I don't feel that is the right thing to do at all.

Sorry so long....

I guess long story short, Do I invite family members even though they aren't really close to me and don't seem to want to be close to me?

Re: Not sure where to post...

  • Thank you!
  • My husband and I didn't invite anyone who was not in our lives on a regular basis, and that included his maternal grandparents. You should not feel obligated to invite people with whom you have no relationship.
    What did you think would happen if you walked up to a group of internet strangers and told them to get shoehorned by their lady doc?~StageManager14
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  • Your grandfather is completely wrong about inviting your mother's family "to show them what they are missing out on" and then cutting them off.  If you do that you might as well cut them off now, because that's how they will treat you.

    Since you have no relationship with them, just don't invite them.
  • This isn't just a case of not being close to these relatives; these people have made it pretty clear that they're not interested in being a part of your life. Don't waste the spots on the guest list on them.
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  • Don't follow your Grandfathers advice.  That is just not cool.

    If you don't really have a relationship with this Aunt and her daughter then don't invite them.  But definitely don't invite them to rub your successful life in their face, like your Grandfather suggested.

    FWIW, H and I did not invite some of his cousins to our wedding, but did invite others.  We rarely see them and when we do we don't have much to say to them because we don't know them that well and kind of don't care to get to know them that much.

  • Thanks everyone, I appreciate the feedback! Almost everyone I know who has had a large wedding has invited every single family member ever, so its a relief to know I'm not crazy for wanting to not invite them :)
  • adk19 said:
    Thanks everyone, I appreciate the feedback! Almost everyone I know who has had a large wedding has invited every single family member ever, so its a relief to know I'm not crazy for wanting to not invite them :)
    Some of us here at TK know that "Family" does not necessarily constitute everyone you have blood ties to.  I have friends who are so close they're Family.  And I have relatives that are not Family.
    This. We had about 110 people at our wedding, and I did not invite one of my dad's sisters or her daughters because I have no relationship with them, and his sister is a total bitch. 

    I also did not invite any of my dad's cousins because I never see or speak to them. I did, however, invite all of my mom's cousins because we're all very close and keep in touch. And the majority of the "family" I invited aren't actually related to me at all. 

    Invite the people closest to you, that you care about the most. There are no obligations to invite people you're not close to just because you happen to share some DNA with them. 
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  • You are absolutely not obligated to invite them. I have no relationship with my father whatsoever, so he and his wife (who I have never even met) are not invited. Family isn't always about blood :)

  • H and I didn't invite several members of our family.  I did not invite my dad's youngest brother because he has intentionally cut himself off from our family and had no contact with us other than his parents' funerals for most of my life.  H did not invite one of his aunts for the same reason.  He also chose not to invite his sister because they had a huge falling out after his father passed away and she was exceptionally cruel to his mom and a family friend.

    A wedding is a joyous occasion.  It is about celebrating love with your nearest and dearest.  If you have family members who don't fall into this category, don't invite them - especially if it would make you unhappy to have them there.
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  • MegEn1MegEn1 member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its First Answer
    We have some family that aren't coming because they tried to steal WWII memorabilia from FI's grandfather's house during the wake. 

    Just because you share some genetic material does not mean they need to get an invite to the wedding, even out of spite. Just purge yourself of the nonsense. 

    Achievement Unlocked: Survived Your Wedding! 
  • SP29SP29 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    You are under no obligation to invite ANYONE to your wedding.

    Invite those whom you are close to, who love and support you.

    Based on your post, don't invite these people.
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