Skip to main content

Post content has been hidden

To unblock this content, please click here

Stefanie
Beginner January 2020

My parents adding "good" friends to the guest list

Stefanie, on August 2, 2019 at 4:56 PM Posted in Etiquette and Advice 0 4
So, I originally wanted to go get married on the sunset cliffs in San Diego. No decorating, our best of friends and immediate family show up with a photographer and the gown get married at sunset no seats just a little music possibly and that gorgeous background and then go have a nice dinner. It would be more complicated than that but that's the gist. And the great part? I don't have to invite my million first cousins or aunts and uncles who I don't actually talk to just so I can invite the two that I do. But my immediate family is too big and I didn't want to ask them to sacrifice their time and money to make that happen so we chose a beautiful venue here on a Monday to also help make the first list smaller. However, it's still easily 200 people by the time you get our first cousins, immediate family, and close friends. And then my parents come up with another 47 "close" friends they want to invite. And my parents are paying for a large portion of this wedding..which I want them to invite their closest friends, they raised me and I know this is special to them too...but 47 people?! And that's on top of their close friends that I consider important and my aunts and uncles (most of whom I am not close to but it's kind of the rule and I know it is important to them). My dad, the introvert I have no idea what happened to, is like, "it's okay I will throw in more money," and I'm like,"it's not just about money..that's a factor..." I explained to them that we don't want to have so many people to focus on that we can't enjoy and celebrate with those we are actually close to...and that I don't want to spend time small talking and greeting 47 people who I don't talk to. I explained that at my graduation party I barely saw my parents because they were so busy hosting the people they had invited. I explained part of why California was appealing, how Monday shared some of the same appeals that fewer people come to Monday weddings. The response I get? "Oh well they want to be able to congratulate you on your day and tell you you look beautiful!" Along with, "it's not just your day," (and it isn't bit I'm not saying no friends I'm saying truly close friends) And I'm like, "I don't give...any foxes. Do I talk to them on a regular basis? Do they call me? If not, we don't have a relationship I don't care. At all. They don't need to tell me anything on my wedding day. I don't want my one wedding day to be a chore of hosting people who I don't care about; I'm sure they're lovely, but it isn't their day." We have been round in circles about this and I don't understand why they are so insistent on inviting people that they see maybe once a year. Closest friends? Fantastic. Absolutely. But if you haven't gone out of your way to have dinner in the last year...no.

I asked my best friend's mom about this, because my best friend is getting married three weeks before me....her mom is inviting literally one person, by her choice.

I never thought my parents were going to be the stress of my wedding.

So how much of a bridezilla am I being? They're paying for the wedding and aside from that they raised me and I get that they want to invite some of their friends but it seems like a table or two should be enough. They think that it won't affect my day to have extra people there...and I can't get them to grasp that it doesn't work that way, I don't get to ignore people as the bride just because I they weren't on my invite list.

4 Comments

Latest activity by Osha, on August 2, 2019 at 10:50 PM
  • Cyndy
    Master May 2019
    Cyndy ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    Wow. I have to say that’s a bit crazy. My son just got married and I didn’t ask to invite ANY of my friends. They wanted an intimate ceremony and a small reception and we all respected their wishes for their big day. I would have a big talk with them and tell them this isn’t what you want.
    • Reply
  • Grace
    Dedicated December 2019
    Grace ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    Unfortunately, if they're paying, it's really their choice. I think it's unfair and that you should be able to have your day be special to you, but depending on how strongly your parents feel about this, they could pull their money if you don't do what they want.
    You're not a bridezilla at all though, you should be able to make your own guest list, your parents are being unreasonable.
    • Reply
  • Cher Horowitz
    Master December 2019
    Cher Horowitz ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content

    I agree that your parents are being very unreasonable. This might be difficult, but I would revoke their help/money and plan the intimate ceremony you wanted initially!

    • Reply
  • O
    Dedicated October 2020
    Osha ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    I told my Mom and FMIL that they both could invite 5 people of their choice.
    • Reply

You voted for . Add a comment 👇

×
WeddingWire celebrates love ...and so does everyone on our site! Explore how we embrace diversity

Groups

WeddingWire article topics