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AIBU?

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DDs being left out of the wedding

518 replies

Shambrigade · 11/02/2025 20:24

FIL is getting married this spring to his mistress (only mentioned as background and as she loves to cause rifts)
We have been civil to her throughout their relationship despite the issues she has caused as we wanted to be the better people and allow our children a relationship with their grandpa.
We don’t support their marriage based on how they became a couple, but DH wants a relationship with his dad. If he doesn’t accept her then his dad will go NC. This upset DH as he was very close to him before so he keeps quiet to keep the peace despite his mum’s feelings, they assume we are happy for them as we keep our opinions to ourselves.
OW has been friendly enough, but slowly in the past year she has been segregating our children. DH has a DD from a previous relationship and we have 2 together. OW has sent DSD an invitation exclaiming she will be her bridesmaid. She’s 9 and very excited. However the younger two haven’t been asked and are aware OW has left them out. They’re almost 7 - twins. They have seen DSD bridesmaid dress in photos and are upset they won’t have the same ‘princess’ dress. I’m livid that she’s leaving out 2 children and that FIL is allowing it.
AIBU to refuse to go to the wedding? DH will still want to go but I don’t think it’s fair for my DDs to be subjected to favouritism. FIL states it’s up to OW who her bridesmaids are and he won’t get involved.

This is the first time I’ve let it out after holding it in to keep the peace, but I’m sick of this woman causing divides. I’ve been friendly to her and never expressed my disgust, but I’ve had enough. I wish DH would tell them all to F off tbh and defend his children instead of wanting an easy life.
WWYD from here on out?

OP posts:
Owl55 · 12/02/2025 19:44

You are being unreasonable

FallOfTheHouseOfUtterlyButterly · 12/02/2025 19:42

Dramatic · 12/02/2025 19:14

In my opinion it is spiteful.

It's not unless you think they genuinely want to hurt DT?

SheilaFentiman · 12/02/2025 19:20

Dramatic · 12/02/2025 19:14

In my opinion it is spiteful.

Against whom do the bride and FIL hold
spite? Spite has a target, by definition.

Dramatic · 12/02/2025 19:14

FallOfTheHouseOfUtterlyButterly · 12/02/2025 18:15

Because you are looking at it as excluding the DT rather than what it actually is which is including DSD

It's not spiteful

In my opinion it is spiteful.

FallOfTheHouseOfUtterlyButterly · 12/02/2025 19:11

LaundryPond · 12/02/2025 18:47

Well, according to the OP, the twins have been bridesmaids on several occasions already.

I wonder if every other time they've been a unit of 3 ...

arcticpandas · 12/02/2025 18:57

Buy your girls dresses with your Mil's picture on it. 😁

LaundryPond · 12/02/2025 18:47

FallOfTheHouseOfUtterlyButterly · 12/02/2025 18:36

Exactly
9 is getting to the point where she's not "cute" for photos but too young for "real" bridesmaid work
6, almost 7, has time to be a "cute" flower girl

Well, according to the OP, the twins have been bridesmaids on several occasions already.

Pretz123 · 12/02/2025 18:44

I would leave DH to attend solo and do something fun without your 3 daughters elsewhere. It's cruel to deliberately leave 2 out so I'd get them to choose a fun treat between the 3 of them!

FallOfTheHouseOfUtterlyButterly · 12/02/2025 18:36

SheilaFentiman · 12/02/2025 18:30

Yep. And one day there may be a family wedding where a relative wants flower girls and the DSD will be too old.

Exactly
9 is getting to the point where she's not "cute" for photos but too young for "real" bridesmaid work
6, almost 7, has time to be a "cute" flower girl

OKNerd · 12/02/2025 18:35

FallOfTheHouseOfUtterlyButterly · 12/02/2025 18:33

This is about as thoughtful as calling anyone who disagrees "a man"

Never been a wife of any kind and highly doubt I've been the OW either...

Morals are a made up concept which vary by life, nationality and a bunch of others factors

I think the only thing that telling here is the bigger exes calling us all OW because we don’t happen to agree with the OP and aren’t crying in despair over someone else’s affair

FallOfTheHouseOfUtterlyButterly · 12/02/2025 18:33

Livelovebehappy · 12/02/2025 18:21

Funny on here all the 'ow' and second wife's jumping on the post to defend one of their own. They instantly recognise someone who is as immoral as themselves and want to make excuses for their behaviour, because theyre projecting. As said, OP or her dh do not need to like fathers gf, but obviously choose to go to the wedding for dhs fathers benefit. So it's really irrelevant to bleat on about why op would want to go anyway if she dislikes his gf.

This is about as thoughtful as calling anyone who disagrees "a man"

Never been a wife of any kind and highly doubt I've been the OW either...

Morals are a made up concept which vary by life, nationality and a bunch of others factors

OKNerd · 12/02/2025 18:31

Livelovebehappy · 12/02/2025 18:21

Funny on here all the 'ow' and second wife's jumping on the post to defend one of their own. They instantly recognise someone who is as immoral as themselves and want to make excuses for their behaviour, because theyre projecting. As said, OP or her dh do not need to like fathers gf, but obviously choose to go to the wedding for dhs fathers benefit. So it's really irrelevant to bleat on about why op would want to go anyway if she dislikes his gf.

How do you know who’s an OW or second wife? Or are you presuming?

SheilaFentiman · 12/02/2025 18:30

BettyBardMacDonald · 12/02/2025 18:27

Training the twins that they deserve to be the bride(smaid) at every wedding and the corpse at every funeral is not going to serve them in the long run.

Older children get invitations and privileges and relationships that smaller children do not. Everyone experiences that. It need not be such a source of drama.

Yep. And one day there may be a family wedding where a relative wants flower girls and the DSD will be too old.

BettyBardMacDonald · 12/02/2025 18:27

Training the twins that they deserve to be the bride(smaid) at every wedding and the corpse at every funeral is not going to serve them in the long run.

Older children get invitations and privileges and relationships that smaller children do not. Everyone experiences that. It need not be such a source of drama.

SheilaFentiman · 12/02/2025 18:24

Livelovebehappy · 12/02/2025 18:21

Funny on here all the 'ow' and second wife's jumping on the post to defend one of their own. They instantly recognise someone who is as immoral as themselves and want to make excuses for their behaviour, because theyre projecting. As said, OP or her dh do not need to like fathers gf, but obviously choose to go to the wedding for dhs fathers benefit. So it's really irrelevant to bleat on about why op would want to go anyway if she dislikes his gf.

I am neither an OW nor a second wife.

The fact that OP dislikes the bride is very relevant if OP would need to be around the bride more on the day to supervise the younger girls. Whatever the origin of this relationship, the couple are now getting married and don't have to martyr themselves on the altar of DIL's dislike.

Livelovebehappy · 12/02/2025 18:21

Funny on here all the 'ow' and second wife's jumping on the post to defend one of their own. They instantly recognise someone who is as immoral as themselves and want to make excuses for their behaviour, because theyre projecting. As said, OP or her dh do not need to like fathers gf, but obviously choose to go to the wedding for dhs fathers benefit. So it's really irrelevant to bleat on about why op would want to go anyway if she dislikes his gf.

LaundryPond · 12/02/2025 18:18

FallOfTheHouseOfUtterlyButterly · 12/02/2025 18:15

Because you are looking at it as excluding the DT rather than what it actually is which is including DSD

It's not spiteful

Yes, exactly. It also suggests that for all the OP’s protestations that she treats her DSD as her own child, she clearly doesn’t. If she did, she’d see this as a nice inclusion of one child, rather than the shit-stirring exclusion of two.

FallOfTheHouseOfUtterlyButterly · 12/02/2025 18:15

Dramatic · 12/02/2025 16:30

In my eyes it is a spiteful action, but that's where we disagree about it I suppose.

Because you are looking at it as excluding the DT rather than what it actually is which is including DSD

It's not spiteful

Yellowpens · 12/02/2025 18:06

I suspect this is not about the fiancée deliberately treating your girls differently from your DSD but more about how you and your husband make her feel. The fiancée is not stupid, we all know when people like us or are merely tolerating us.

If she knows in her gut that you don’t like her and you make her feel ‘less than’ (whether intentionally or not), why would she want you to be so close to her on her wedding day? Most brides I’ve known only want people around them who love, respect and support them.

The fiancée’s feelings are going to be more important to your FIL than his DS & DIL’s, he left his first wife for her - do you really think he will let you create drama in his relationship, particularly around his wedding?

If you and your husband are going to progress from this point it has to start with you both showing respect towards her. Calling her his mistress does not do that I’m afraid.

muggart · 12/02/2025 18:02

Surely having twins for sisters means the oldest kid will be the odd one out all the time? The twins will have all sorts of adventures together that DSD won't be part of. Let her have the moment and take it as a teaching moment for the other 2.

It is annoying though, so I do sympathise.

Bushmillsbabe · 12/02/2025 17:43

Dramatic · 12/02/2025 12:56

I am well aware no one has to include them, but funnily enough my family wouldn't want any of them to feel left out so treat them all the same. We are a blended family, not all of them are mine biologically but even so my parents and wider family treat them equally

Equally doesn't have to mean the same, it can mean equivalent. So DD1 gets to be flower girl for Auntie, DD gets to be flower girl for cousin, DD 3 for their godparent etc etc. If DD1 gets to do it every time and others not at all, that doesn't feel fair, but can take turns.

Dramatic · 12/02/2025 17:31

Twonewcats · 12/02/2025 16:54

Many people 👍
It's almost like you're being deliberately obtuse 🤦🏼‍♀️

Or maybe I just disagree with you.

jannier · 12/02/2025 17:07

arcticpandas · 11/02/2025 20:56

They don't even understand what bridesmaids are. You can tell them they have a special task to perform during the wedding (like throwing petals or whatever) and call them flower girls and get princess dresses for them. It's so easy to make them happy that age, you just need a little imagination 😉

Why do you think 7 year olds don't understand what bridesmaids are? Did the op say they lived off grid?

Twonewcats · 12/02/2025 16:54

Dramatic · 12/02/2025 16:33

Who has a child as a best man?

Many people 👍
It's almost like you're being deliberately obtuse 🤦🏼‍♀️

Dramatic · 12/02/2025 16:34

OKNerd · 12/02/2025 13:55

It’s perfectly avoidable. Dont let the oldest go on. And it would seem very unfair to smaller kids unless you decide not to make it a big deal

A theme park ride is a perfect way to teach them that you can't always do the same thing as your siblings, they will be able to go on bigger rides when they are bigger themselves. They won't get to be bridesmaids at their grandad's wedding though will they.

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