Wedding invitation - AIBU?

[Eeeeekyeeek]

We've received a wedding invitation from a friend.

It's from "Mr and Mrs Smith" inviting us to the wedding of their daughter Jenny Smith to our friend Mr Jones.

Our mate is nearly 50, his wife to be a few years younger.

Is it just me? Or is having your parents inviting people to your wedding when you're that age a bit, um, knobby weird?

[WorraLiberty]

Haha! It does sound weird

But some people just love tradition I suppose.

[DoughnutSelfie]

Awwww I think it's quite sweet. Bless.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

I don't see what difference the bride and groom's age makes TBH, you either want to do the traditional thing or you don't.

[NoArmaniNoPunani]

I think those kind of invitations are a bit old fashioned and odd at any age

[MrsHathaway]

The parents invite if they're paying. Might they be paying?

[fluffymouse]

Its just tradition yabu and a but mean to judge.

[BlinkAndMiss]

Oh they sound sweet and traditional. YABU and a bit mean.

[maddy68]

It's the correct etiquette. Fail to see the problem?

[Idocrazythings]

Is it Jenny's first marriage? Maybe she's waited all her adult life for this and has a set way she would like it done?

It would be very strange if her parents were no longer alive though!!!

[DecaffCoffeeAndRollupsPlease]

Maybe the parents want to do it that way and it seemed a small thing to do to make them happy? That's what I would think most likely with anyone I was friends enough to receive an invite from. I would also probably be more likely to be slightly jealous of the situation and think it sweet rather than think it knobby, but that says more about me and my family situation than anything else I'm sure.

[mymummademelistentoshitmusic]

Oh stop being so professionally offended. It's the norm.

[DuchessDisaster]

We were both over 40 when we got married. I arranged a very traditional wedding and the invitations came, in the traditional way, from my parents, although I composed the wording, did the layout, printed them and sent them and the RSVP was to our address.
I see nothing wrong or weird in that.
On the contrary, I am sure that friends and family would have been very surprised to have received anything whacky or "different".
If it makes any difference, we paid for the wedding ourselves.

[Bowlersarm]

I can see what you mean but yabu, it's their big day and they should do it any way they want to.

[Mehitabel6]

Very odd! However just accept that some people are odd!

[WilburIsSomePig]

I think if that's what they wanted to do then fine; It's certainly not something I would sneer at or bitch about. The only issue here is that perhaps your 'mate' seems to have at least one not very nice friend. Are you a little jealous if his wife to be or something?

[AuntieStella]

It's traditional for the bride's first wedding, where she (symbolically, at least and regardless of age) leaves her parents home for her husbands.

No one has to follow that tradition, and those who object to the symbolism of a woman being transferred from parents' (father's if still alive) ownership to husband's would I expect reject it firmly (along with other chattel symbols in wedding tradition).

It shouldn't really be used for second and subsequent weddings (even if you had to move back in with your parents after a split).

But as it's a widespread habit, I don't find it weird for any wedding whether it fits the traditional rules or not. Nor would I find not using it weird.

[BringMeTea]

I do think it's a bit odd but live and let live.

[Andrewofgg]

OP What does it matter to you? Go to the wedding and enjoy it.

[redexpat]

We had it on ours to keep mum happy. Its the kind of thing that was proper in her day, and not something that dh and i really cared about one way or the other.

[WD41]

I don't think that's odd at all, it's just traditional. If her parents are paying for the wedding, which they may well be doing, it's correct etiquette as they will be the official hosts.

[HedgehogsDontBite]

What I find weird is someone being sneery about about an invitation their friend sends them to possibly the most important day of their lives.

[fredfredgeorgejnr]

It's weird (and it's just as weird for an 18 year old bride), but YABU to think any other than "it's bit weird" but good luck to them all, there's lots of reasons why it's done.

[BananaLeaf]

I'd assume it means they are paying for it. Our wedding invitations were from ourselves as our parents did not contribute.

[Eeeeekyeeek]

Ha ha, I knew I'd get bitchy comments. No I'm not jealous at all, in the slightest.

I'm not a traditionalist at all - I really thought only relatively young couples would have their parents do the inviting. Even then, I personally find it a bit odd unless, like has been said, the parents are paying and they're a very traditional sort of family.

Also it's not the bride (or the groom's) first wedding, they have three previous marriages between them hence all the more surprising.

But clearly I am being very unreasonable, and a bit mean. I truly wasn't intending to come across that way, I just find it all very strange.

[APocketfulOfSpondulix]

Yes, it's a bit weird. But I think sending invites from my parents would be weird anyway.

Arf at the "professionally offended" comment!