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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Mothers not coming to my Wedding because she's won a comp..

200 replies

CheekyBambi · 13/07/2011 09:51

Hi I will try to keep this as straight forward as possible!
Me and DM always had up and down relationship.She walked out on me when I was young to have an affair.Made me homeless in my later teenage years.She's been very selfish.
Move forward some years I've had 2 small ds's and df and house etc.
We've built bridges and she's brilliant with my LO's(although we live 200 miles away from eachother).
When she sees them she's the perfect hands-on Nanny.Couldn't fault her in that aspect.
Anyway I'm getting married very soon.Very very small day.My mother and father can't stand to be in the same room and he said he'd rather not be involved in my wedding.Thinks marriages means nothing and he would rather die than give a speech etc!
Anyway because of complicated families and not to mention cost of Weddings we've decided to have just us and our DC.
My DM was upset and asked to be involved.I actually wanted my DM to be there as it felt it was important.I started planning hair and photographers etc.
I asked if she was certain she wanted her hair done by a stylist who will visit our hotel on the day and she said yes.She saw the hundreds of images of the hair designs that I sent her and she knew how much it cost.I've paid for it now.
I also showed her images of the photographers work.We were going to have 'mother daughter' pictures etc.
I also have a lovely War Veteran who after waiting quite a while got back to me and said he'd be delighted to be a witness and has kept this day in his diary for us.
The official documents have come through saying our time and date confirmation etc.
DM has since won a competition with a magazine.She had to nominate a special person.She chose her niece.(Not surprised as I bought her a pampering day for 2 and told her it was for us but she took said niece-couldn't really moan it was a gift for her after all)
The comp is same day as Wedding.She wanted me to change my day nearly a month later(she has a holiday booked after comp).
The comp involves her getting her hair and make up done going to an beauty awards show and being photographed for a double spread in a magazine.All expenses paid.
She rang my registry office and tried to find out what other days were free.She found out the next day was free(which she could make)but it costs 5 times the amount of our registry office.Not to mention changing the witnesses,photographers,hair stylists,df's day off etc.
Yesterday she said she knew nothing about hair stylists being paid for and pretending she knew nothing about photographers!(Selective memory)
My birthday is 2 days after my booked date and me and df thought it would be good in the future to have two good dates close together so we could go celebrate for two reasons(say long weekend etc).
He also said on principle why should we change our wedding day just because of my mother.
Me and DM had a horrible fall out y'day.She thinks I'm in the wrong and I could change my day whereas she can't change the date of her competition.
Both me and df understand she's caught between a rock and a hard place.
So sorry for the rambling!Just wanted to see what you would do??
Shall I change my day or have my DM not involved?
Thankyou so much for readingSmile

OP posts:
mo3d · 13/07/2011 10:13

Don't change your day. Have the best wedding ever with your dp and dcs.

Your mum has let you down again and again. Don't cut her off but have a relationship with her in future by your rules.

Congratulations on your wedding. Have a fantastic day Smile

Blu · 13/07/2011 10:13

She is not between a rock and a hard place.
No normal mother would consider accepting this stupid prize to get her hair done in public over her dd's wedding day.

Admittedly she may feel she was an optional extra because originally you were going to do it without her, but having then built a different wedding, she had no business to renege on it for such a trivial self-centred reason.

Tell her that if she would rather attend a hair dressing event than your wedding that's up to her. And then try and separate yourself from being intricately involved. Your DH sounds lovely and more than capable of celebrating your futire b'days and wedding anniversaries - he is your family now.

Does your cousin live close to her? Is that maybe why she took her to the pampering event?

barbie1 · 13/07/2011 10:15

Sell your 'awful mother' story to the same magazine and pocket the 250 story money Wink

Ps congratulations on the wedding

Birdsgottafly · 13/07/2011 10:15

Is she also worrying about how she will explain to her friends that she hasn't gone to your wedding. It is generally on special occasions that people realise that they have let others, who they should have been there for, down.

She may have had good reason to have ended her marriage and not have had as much contact as she should have done with you but the non attendance of your wedding cannot be justified.

She could quite easily put your needs first, but she is choosing not to, for her own selfish reasons.

munstersmum · 13/07/2011 10:22

barbie you just made me splutter my drink

diddl · 13/07/2011 10:28

Well, you´ve let her back in & she´s shit on you again.

Have the day that you originally planned.

Nagini · 13/07/2011 10:34

ring up and rearrange the competition? If you really want her there, but...

It's your wedding day FFS. Your wedding. and she won't let you be the most important thing in her life on your wedding day. Angry

TBH I'd cheerfully tell her that you are happy as now you can have the day you wanted, and she should enjoy the day with her niece. And then turn your phone off forever.

She's a self obsessed bitch. I know she's your mum, but it is your wedding!

Nagini · 13/07/2011 10:35

barbie you are a genius :)

WhereYouLeftIt · 13/07/2011 10:38

Don't change the day. It is about you and your DF, not her. For interest sake, tell her you'll change it if she pays all the deposits you would lose etc. Bet you anything she'll look offended and say no.

"We've built bridges and she's brilliant with my LO's (although we live 200 miles away from each other). When she sees them she's the perfect hands-on Nanny. Couldn't fault her in that aspect."
I'd beware of this. You can't fault her NOW. But look at what she has done to you in the past, and how it affected you. I would think that she will cease to be the perfect, brilliant grandmother the instant it no longer suits her (as attending your wedding no longer suits her). How hurt do you think your children would be when (and I think it is a when, not an if) she does that to them? How will it affect them? How will they feel about you having known how she could behave, and not protecting them from her?

SongBirdsKeepSinging · 13/07/2011 10:47

Definitely do as suggested by barbie genius idea!

barbie1 · 13/07/2011 10:47

I know Wink

Just think of what a brilliant story it could be! Bride looking sad in her wedding dress, standing outside of the venue....crying bridemaids. The works!

fastweb · 13/07/2011 10:47

This is not a case of you having to chose between wedding dates.

You have a date. It is fixed and there is not a need for it to be changed unless there are extreme events beyond the control of any of the participants that would make a change of plan desirable and worth the hassle. This is not the case here.

It is for your mother to chose. To come to your wedding OR to go for her prize. She gets to pick. She gets to live with the consequences of whatever she does pick. You need to see what she picks and be alert to any attempt to make you pay for her having created a situation where she had to pick. It is a shame it is centered around your wedding day, but vital information to have in any case given that she is in your children's lives.

Your choice comes into play when she has clarified what her priorities are and made any displeasure clear.

I am so very sorry love. I personally would be cutting ties at this point (I am actually estranged from my mother), but I appreciate that is not a desired oputcome for many people.

I doubt she planned winning a competition, but I am wondering if she was not exactly against creating circumstances that would lead to strife and and upset in the run up to your wedding.

Does she often find it hard when she is not the centre of attention ?

Does she have a tendency to create crisis and drama where there need be none ?

StealthPolarBear · 13/07/2011 10:47

Just to let you know that a normal mother would say "thank you very much for the competition prize. I was wondering whether the day can be transferred, or can I pass it on to someone else, as it's my daughter's wedding that day, and it obviously has to come first". Just thought you may not actually know this

emmanana · 13/07/2011 10:53
Your day, your choices!
ChickensHaveNoEyebrows · 13/07/2011 10:59

Sod her. Don't change your day. Have a wonderful wedding with just your DF and DC. No one, mother or not, should try and cause fictions at a wedding. I'm sorry she isn't the mother you deserve x

fastweb · 13/07/2011 11:00

Excellent illustration of "normal" from StealthPolarBear

mycatthinksshesatiger · 13/07/2011 11:01

You know what, she sounds like a deeply narcissistic person, who thinks the world revolves around her, can guilt-trip you into including her in the first place, and places personal gratfication over and above your feelings.

Your wedding day is YOUR (and future DH's of course) day, not another occasion for her to make all about her needs. If you did change it, she'd no doubt come up with another reason to cancel the new date. She is trying to make you jump to her tune to stroke her own ego - a classic narcissistic trait, IMHO.

I realised my mother was a narcissist on my wedding day. I had naively thought surely this would be the one day of my life when she would allow my wishes and choices to be respected, where she might pay me a compliment? No such luck. She disregarded all my choices and changed venue, menu, invitations behind my back. She chose my outfit and told me to have my haircut in advance as the stylist would be too busy on the day (doing mum's hair of course!). She made her own grand entrance as mother of the bride at the reception, whilst I was given her bag to carry. I was stupid to allow myself to be treated that way but realise now it was a lifetime of conditioning to be doormat/scapegoat.

There's some good threads in relationships on emotional abuse by mothers and narcissism. I suggest you have a look around there and see if anything sounds familiar.

The fact that you are even questioning this to me suggests you are conditioned to put her needs before your own or you are subconsciously seeking her approval. There is much to be learned on these boards which will help you understand these relationship dynamics.

In the meantime, enjoy your wedding and remember it's your big day, not hers!

PorkChopSter · 13/07/2011 11:04

What Stealth (and Barbie) said - she wanted you to change your (perfectly acceptable) plans so she could be there, now she is choosing not to be (and costing you money and lying about the plans as well) - she is not the mother you need right now.

Go ahead as you had originally planned. Stop looking to please her and gain her approval: however much you do, however hard you try, it will not be enough.

spookshowangel · 13/07/2011 11:05

your mum if she was a normal mum would not be stuck between a rock and a hard place at.all.>>>>> normal mums reaction>>>>>> yeah i have won a competition. CRAP, its same day as daughters wedding. wonder if i can change the competition date.

EuphemiaMcGonagall · 13/07/2011 11:05

OMG what a toxic woman! I wouldn't change my plans if I were you - she's made her priority clear time and time again - herself!

Undertone · 13/07/2011 11:08

I used to sort out competition prize winners for a magazine - we always offered a choice of dates! Sounds like a crock of shit that she can only take her prize on one day. Has she fabricated the whole thing to be awkward?

In any case - she is being utterly awful and should not be included in the event, full stop. Imagine what a narcissistic nightmare she will be on the day! She will RUIN the whole thing, probably, and for what?

fastweb · 13/07/2011 11:15

I realized my mother was a narcissist on my wedding day.

Must be one of those pivotal moments, cos my (second) wedding day was the day I realized that either my mother has Histrionic Personality Disorder (with distinct narc and dependent elements), or does an fucking amazing imitation of it.

MyMamaToldMe · 13/07/2011 11:19

Have your wedding on the day you have organised it for and enjoy it. Your mother sounds like my mother. My mother did however attend my wedding, but ruined it with her 'me,me,me' attitude. It sounds like already you have made YOUR day about your mother, and really, it is about YOU. So you go ahead and put the guilt you are probably feeling aside, and just get on and enjoy your special day.

yearningforthesun · 13/07/2011 11:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WhipMeIndiana · 13/07/2011 11:23

don't change your day.

I feel for you, she sounds quite selfish - couldnt she give the comp prize to the beloved niece.
gah.