I've always felt my dad is a really selfish man and since moving out I don't have much contact with him. Only when I have to.
Growing up he always pleaded poverty, but he would take holidays abroad every few months. We since found out he had a foreign mistress and he was spending a fortune on her, while his family struggled. He only gave my mum £80 a month, which didn't go very far as there were four children. I remember having holes in my school shoes and only three pairs of knickers as there just wasn't the money to buy anything. My dad made out we should be grateful as there was a roof over our heads and food (always tesco value).
I would also add he never did anything with us (kids or as a family). He was always on his computer to his mistress, out of the country or with friends.
Obviously he didn't help me with university, which meant I had to live at home as his income meant my loan was small. He always makes out he did my a great favour by letting me live there. After uni he made me pay £100 a month towards bills which I guess is fair enough.
Now I'm engaged to get married this year, and he expects to be invited and put on a great show in front of people pretending to be an amazing dad etc. I told him we're only having a registry office affair and that's it. We are hopefully getting a mortgage to buy a property soon and we won't have any money for a wedding. He says I should invite x and y and have a bigger do, but it's not like he's going to help with the costs is it? Not that I expect parents should pay, but if he expects me to have a big do to make him look good while not paying a penny I think that's too much.
He's well off. No mortgage, good job, holiday abroad every two months. But helping his daughters is never on his radar. This isn't really about the wedding or money, more about the past and how hard it was growing up with a father who didn't think spending money on his children was important.