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Julie
Dedicated November 2020

Family Member Drama

Julie, on March 27, 2020 at 5:58 PM Posted in Family and Relationships 1 13
So I try to think that I'm a relaxed bride. Now, I am indecisive and spend a lot of time before spending money on something, and I want everything to be right, but more on my end and dealing with vendors. In terms of the wedding party and families, we're really relaxed. We're going to DIY decorations and have them a bit mismatched, and the bridesmaids are going to pick their dresses (while staying with the same color and length and everything). I don't really want to delegate people on having to plan things, and instead just let them help where they want!



However, here comes in my fiance's aunt. We love her, and she's always been supportive. But lately has been flaky. She skipped my wedding dress shopping with almost no notice, she backed out on coming to his college graduation, and we couldn't even hand deliver the save the date because she went to home depot.... So it's been weird.
Well my fiance's sister is one of my bridesmaids, and the rest are my friends. Heres where I'll use letters to help: S - Fiance's Sister, A - Fiance's Aunt, C - Fiance's Cousin and Aunts Daughter. So S tells us she doesn't think it's fair that C isn't in the wedding and I should make her a bridesmaid because she feels excluded. Mind you, C is in 7th grade, and we're not really close. My fiance is mad that S even brought this up and tells her it's our wedding and if people are going to be more mad about not getting to be in the wedding than be happy for us, than that's their problem. S then says she'll just drop as a bridesmaid then because she doesn't want to hurt C's feelings.
Then today my fiance's mom calls him and tells him what A said. A said they just felt really left out by not being a part of the wedding, and that "Julie is just planning the whole thing and not letting Walker have a say". A said that C deserves to be in the wedding and shouldn't be left out. Maybe she can cut the grooms cake or brides cake so she has something to do.
Since then, my fiance and I have honestly just been mad and frustrated. We plan everything together, and a lot of stuff he doesn't have a strong opinion on so I make the final decision. But there hasn't been one thing we've done for the wedding that we haven't done together, since we are totally paying for it ourselves. Like it's really frustrating for family to be so entitled. We actually had wanted to ask A to help us with wedding flowers, but haven't seen her in over 3 months because she bails.
I mainly just needed to rant and get it out, but if you made it this far, I have two questions:1. Are we in the wrong? Like if I'm being a bit of a bridezilla, I want to know. 2. Is there any little job we could give the cousin? Like theres no way she's helping with cake cutting. We're not probably going to have programs or anything because we're trying to save money. And then if we asked her to help serve food or clean dishes, then we just feel like we're putting her to work which isn't fair. So is there anything that we could maybe include her in that I'm not thinking about? Like I don't want people to feel excluded, but it's also our wedding

13 Comments

Latest activity by Whitney, on April 20, 2020 at 1:06 AM
  • Julie
    Dedicated November 2020
    Julie ·
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    Oh goodness, all the text scrunched up after I posted it, sorry it's a bit difficult!


    I just needed to get it out more than anything. Like I'm frustrated, but I'm such a people pleaser that I've just felt so guilty this whole time and want to cry about it. Like I act tough and frustrated, but on the inside it's just driving my head crazy and making me feel so bad
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  • Karla
    Super February 2020
    Karla ·
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    I’m sorry, but is his aunt paying for the wedding? Why the hell does her junior high-aged daughter “deserve” to be in the wedding? I can’t even believe the nerve and entitlement some people feel. Lol


    Also, why would she cut either of your cake?! No, no, no! This is not on you. They sound so selfish and entitled to me and I was that bride who let out parents invite anyone they wanted and tried to make the wedding about our guests. However, his aunt sounds super manipulative to be telling his mom all this. Did she help raise him? I’m so confused on why she feels so entitled to be such an integral part of YOUR wedding. She can do this with her kids’ wedding when she’s helping pay for that.
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  • Kate
    Expert October 2020
    Kate ·
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    It’s your day, you do what you want because you need to be happy the day of. If they’re paying for it, then they have a say. Otherwise, I wouldn’t pay it any mind!!!
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  • Gen
    Champion June 2019
    Gen ·
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    Seems like his aunt is being ridiculous. Don’t let someone else pressure you into putting someone you don’t want into your wedding. Have who you want. Ignore the comments. If other people aren’t happy and/or drop out of their roles, that’s their choice.
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  • V
    Champion July 2019
    Veronica ·
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    His family is being ridiculous. It is your guys wedding so it should be the way you guys want it. His aunt, sister, and cousin need to keep their opinions to themselves. You guys are definitely not in the wrong. I would stand your ground. Unfortunately, everyone is going to have opinion and you won't be able to please everyone. If his sister does decide to drop out, it sounds like that might actually be for the best as it will eliminate the unnecessary drama.

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  • Julie
    Dedicated November 2020
    Julie ·
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    Thank you guys!


    She is not paying for any part of the wedding, neither of our families are. We're paying for it entirely on our own, besides a few helpful gifts here and there, but no one else is specifically covering any part of the wedding.
    Luckily, my fiance has totally been on my side and basically had the whole argument defending me before even telling me what was going on. They're still upset, but he thinks its ridiculous.
    I just am a people pleaser, so it's hard. And it's like his immediate family (while A didn't raise him, she was like a second mom) so we don't want there to be drama with it. But we're not going to cave either, it's our wedding. It's just been stressful!
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  • Jayne
    Dedicated June 2022
    Jayne ·
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    Are you having any candles at the ceremony? Back when Moby Dick was a minnow, there was a role of candlelighter and it usually went to the 6th-8th grade age group (appropriate for either girls or boys) because you could trust them with the job. We got to wear cute dresses, usually white with a sash of the wedding color. The candle lighter was the first down the aisle a few minutes before the actual processional.

    Just a thought.

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  • Julie
    Dedicated November 2020
    Julie ·
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    Thanks for the idea! Our ceremony is outside, so we probably won't have candles, but could maybe do something similar!
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  • R
    Devoted December 2020
    Rachel ·
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    I definitely don’t think you’re in the wrong here... especially because y’all are paying for the wedding yourselves. I don’t know why a 7th grader would feel left out. If y’all are having any ceremony readings she can do that? May not be a bad idea just to keep the peace but sometimes when you give people an inch, they try & take a mile. It also makes me cringe that she tried to say you’re controlling all the decisions without your fiancé’s input! Some people are just ridiculous
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  • Cristy
    Master May 2021
    Cristy ·
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    This exactly.

    You only get one shot at this! Do it the way you and FH want!

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  • Cristy
    Master May 2021
    Cristy ·
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    They will get over it. Or they won't. Either way, it's not your problem. They are being ridiculous and I'm sorry they are making you feel this way!! Try to ignore them!

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  • Tatiana
    Beginner July 2021
    Tatiana ·
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    Um... No ... A 12 year old doesn't deserve to be in a wedding. If you really feel like you need to make a place for her (which you don't) she can be in charge of the guest book? You also don't have to response to the passive threat of a bridesmaid stepping down. You can respond with, "I love you and I asked you to be in my bridal party because I want you up there. But I respect your decision and hope that you really think about it and let me know." ✌🏽 Good luck with this one. You are at the very minimum super accommodating. Not even an iota of a bridezilla.
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  • Whitney
    Just Said Yes November 2020
    Whitney ·
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    Running into similar family drama as well. I agree with your fiancé it is definitely your day and family should support no matter what. If you’d like to include her then maybe she can be a guest book attendant if you’re not doing programs? Just an idea.
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