Skip to main content

Post content has been hidden

To unblock this content, please click here

L
Just Said Yes October 2024

Parents ruining entire experience

Lisa, on June 28, 2024 at 10:42 PM Posted in Family and Relationships 0 5
I’m getting married this October but the entire experience has been ruined by my parents. When we got engaged last year, my mom had a meltdown that she wasn't included. They have always treated my fiancé like trash, and despite that he always made an effort and still asked for permission. Fast forward to this year, we’re planning a small wedding with a budget of 10k at a restaurant. The day we went to sign the contract, my parents interjected and said they want to throw us a big wedding and offered to pay for the reception. We said no, but they stressed that because they paid for my sister’s wedding, it’s only fair they do the same for me. I gave them so many opportunities to back out, saying I need to know if they can really do this or we will need to go back to our original plans. They affirmed it was all good so we moved forward.
A few months pass and save the dates are sent to 150 ppl. I involved my parents in everything because they had final say. But the tasting was the worst. Right after we finished what we thought was a good day my dad pulls us aside and says “the bill is due in two weeks. Things change and we’re not paying you’re on your own”. I was distraught, in shock. They left us with this bill they knew we weren’t budgeted for and were so mean about it. I invited more than double the headcount because they told me to. How do I not send an invite now when all these ppl are expecting it? It’s embarrassing. They also lie and said this was all our own doing.
We have to make cuts and now they’re throwing a fit that I’m not inviting kids. They just met my fiancés mom for the first time in 3 years (they had refused to meet for no reason) and told her they want no contact with her and are not decided on attending my wedding. I have a great relationship with my future MIL so Im hurt and embarrassed. My parents have been so unsupportive from the time we got engaged and routinely causing drama. They bent over backward for my sister when it was her wedding. It’s not about financial support for me. I feel short sided in every way, they even said I’m too old for a shower and it would be embarrassing (I’m 35). Nothing about this has been enjoyable for neither my fiancé nor I. He’s a great man and doesn’t deserve this from them. I’m seriously considering not allowing them at my wedding because it’s clear they don’t care about our happiness. What should I do?

5 Comments

Latest activity by Lisa, on July 7, 2024 at 3:51 PM
  • LM
    Super December 2022
    LM ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content

    You don't invite anyone abusive to your wedding which includes toxic parents. The last straw is insulting your partner's mother and threatening not to go to your wedding so they keep their power over you (even after yanking their money). Make it official and cut ties with them. For everyone else, you send cancellation cards in the mail because that event is technically cancelled. No explanation is needed.

    Go have a loving commitment ceremony with those who support you. Best wishes.

    • Reply
  • C
    CM ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content

    Your first mistake was they shouldn't have been allowed to be a part of your lives until they could treat your FI with respect. As far as paying for the wedding, what things changed? Why are they blaming you?

    I'd take any loss of deposits at this time, cancel the wedding as planned, reschedule something within your budget and go no contact until they can behave themselves and treat your future in-laws decently. Is there a specific reason they dislike FI and said what they did to his mother?

    • Reply
  • Sarah
    Savvy June 2025
    Sarah ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    Hi Lisa,
    I’m so sorry you’re going through this. Congratulations on getting engaged and you’re going to have a beautiful wedding no matter what happens, the priority is marrying your future husband! I know it might feel “empowering” to cut ties or disinvite them to the wedding for all the grief they’ve caused you…but try not to let your actions/choices in your wedding be detrimental. You love them, no matter what they’re your parents and they don’t have to pay or come to the wedding but what a shame it’d be to disinvite them. I would say to have a conversation with them, set up some healthy boundaries. Tell them that it’s hurts you when they say you’re too old to have a shower which you are not too old to have a shower, please know 35 is not too old to have a shower, I would never think that and anyone there would be there to support you. Continuing boundaries, I would tell them how you feel incredibly hurt by their actions, would love to have them there at the wedding & just need their support, love, and respect at this time. If they can’t do that then they don’t have to come, but don’t let that be on you that’s just going to stress you out further and in the future. I liked the idea someone else said about cancellation cards, that’s what I would do. People will understand & all you need to say is that you had some venue issues & you’re moving forward somewhere else.
    • Reply
  • L
    Just Said Yes October 2024
    Lisa ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    View Quoted Comment
    They won’t say what changed. I think it’s money issues and I completely understand if so. They were just so mean how they delivered it and tried to blame my fiancé saying he wanted a big wedding which was never true.. if they at least said they were sorry I would have received it much better. There’s no reason for them to dislike my future MIL, she has been so excited and trying to meet my parents for 3 years. She is a widow and treated me like family from day 1. My parents judged her before they met her, said she takes too many pictures and looks like she brags. It’s really cruel and I’m always defending her bc she’s a great woman and never did anything to deserve the trash talking. We have no idea why my parents behaved the way they did to his mom. They won’t talk to me or my fiancé. It’s just a mess, it’s embarrassing.
    • Reply
  • L
    Just Said Yes October 2024
    Lisa ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    Thank you so much ladies for your encouraging words on here. It’s really helpful and great advice to navigate this chaos. Thank you Smiley heart
    • 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