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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Brother’s wedding reception

406 replies

VitaSackville · 11/09/2019 15:25

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3671262-Brother-s-Wedding

I don’t know if my first attempt at a link has worked.

Last time I posted some people complained that my post was incomprehensible. I hope that I do better this time.

Essentially my brother eloped a year after my father refused to go to his wedding because he didn’t extend an invitation to my husband.
Last time people accused my father of bullying and trying to buy spaces at a small wedding because I was upset at my husband and children not making the cut. I refute both of these interpretations.

My brother had wanted a civil wedding followed by a meal at a restaurant owned by a celebrity chef. Well an invitation has arrived now at this restaurant but again for my parents, my two cousins and me. No invitation for my DH. It is an invitation from my SiL’s mother and step-father.

I don’t want a repeat of last year but I am hurt. We have asked my dad not to get involved but my mum has asked if they could pay for 3 extra places but my brother said there was no room around the table.
She asked him if he would be upset if his new wife was excluded from cousin’s forthcoming wedding. He conceded that he would because cousin is inviting partners but He isn’t.

He went on to ask her if she was suggesting that he didn’t invite some of his friends in order to invite my DH. Mum felt that a celebration could include more than one table!
My eldest cousin has said he is going without his wife so there is no drama between them. My cousin who is getting married hasn’t replied. I just don’t know what to do. I am really upset and embarrassed that my DH and my children have been excluded like this.
I thought we had recovered from the engagement/wedding drama but now this.
Brother has said that he will be hurt and embarrassed if my parents don’t go.

OP posts:
LovePoppy · 11/09/2019 23:13

I find not inviting married partners horrifically rude. Children less so.

But the fact remains, it’s his day. Go or don’t go. Its really up to you

FireBloodAndIce · 11/09/2019 23:22

Did your parents cash the cheque your DB/SIL returned to them? Or do your parents still have it?

CallmeAngelina · 11/09/2019 23:24

I don't care what "the majority" of people may have said on the previous thread (and did you count?). I disagree.

CallmeAngelina · 11/09/2019 23:28

I'm not joined at the hip with my dh and we do plenty of socialising both with and without the other. But, whilst I can just about understand not inviting other halves to say, a work colleague's evening do, it is a whole different ballgame to not invite a brother-in-law to a small, intimate family do (and priorities friends' partners).
It is SO unreasonable and rude, that there has to be a back story that we've not been told. Why don't they like him, OP?

FireBloodAndIce · 11/09/2019 23:33

And that's your opinion. That's not a fact, nor is mine or anyone elses a fact.

But if you haven't read the whole previous thread i would suggest you do as it appears this family was never so close and a lot of crap was said (some of which the bride and grooms fault, much the families).

OP sleep on it and decide like you wanted but do what you choose. You don't have to accept but if you choose too then I'd keep out of all the family chat this time. Last time, gossiping and upset behind peoples back (your own back included) that's what really made things worse. Best to accept or decline and let others make their choice without involvement.

CallmeAngelina · 11/09/2019 23:47

I read the previous thread.

HappyParent2000 · 11/09/2019 23:51

You can't exclude close family members from big life events like this and expect everyone to just go "ah well, that's fine- congratulations, here's a card"

You can and should be able to in modern times, we as a society need to move on from these layers of entitlement.

TerribleCustomerCervix · 11/09/2019 23:56

Mumsnet takes me to the fair sometimes.

People telling posters that they’re unreasonable and selfish for not being included in family events, that OF COURSE you’re entitled to tell your entire family not to darken your door for two months after popping out a baby or that it’s totally normal and reasonable for a set of grandparents not to want to babysit when the OP is trying to recover from childbirth/flu/bubonic plague.

The same people are then shocked and confused when family members don’t have much interest in them and their offspring after years of basically telling their nearest and dearest to bugger off until it suits them.

Yanbu OP. Childfree weddings- by all means, knock yourself out. Excluding a BIL? Unless there’s a massive backstory your brother is being a short sighted bellend.

CallmeAngelina · 11/09/2019 23:58

What have modern times got to do with it? Hurtful behaviour is hurtful whatever the date is.
And it's not entitled behaviour, unless you're the self-centred wedding couple trying to justify shitty decisions by blaming those they exclude for being hurt.

BackforGood · 12/09/2019 00:05

But, whilst I can just about understand not inviting other halves to say, a work colleague's evening do, it is a whole different ballgame to not invite a brother-in-law to a small, intimate family do

This ^
I go out without dh quite a lot.
His volunteering and his hobby (and work to some extent) take him away quite a lot. Alos, I like parties and most social functions, whereas he is less keen. I think it is perfectly acceptable - indeed, eminently sensible - to invite a group of team mates or a group of colleagues to an evening wedding party without other halves, you just don't exclude your brother in law from what is a small wedding party. You just don't.

redappleandaquamarinebow1987 · 12/09/2019 00:16

Not inviting DH and children to the wedding is beyond rude. Even if it is a small wedding you invite immediate family together with their family before anyone else. This is not some social work night out or dinner with friends. A wedding is a major family event. Personally I would not go

latexsalesman · 12/09/2019 00:27

*Ops brother has not invited his sisters husband to his wedding and people are saying that’s OK?

I think you should invite your siblings married partner to your wedding?

Agree with what someone said above - how will he feel if you invite everyone apart from the wife for Christmas / any other family occasion.

I don’t get the whole “It’s all about ME” thing at weddings these days*

Yeah in the real world you don't exclude your sisters husband. But on MN 'it's THEIR day' which means you can be as rude as fuck to anyone you like.

Mermaidoutofwater · 12/09/2019 00:28

All these posters telling OP to ‘get over it’ must live very strange lives.
Of course it is rude not to invite your sisters husband to your wedding. I understand that sometimes a wedding isn’t appropriate for children and a sit down dinner would be pretty boring for them. But the man your sibling has been with for 10+ years? How can you expect your family to make your new spouse feel like a part of the family of you yourself have excluded other in laws??

Durgasarrow · 12/09/2019 00:31

I understand not inviting children. But inviting husband is important.

IsItThough · 12/09/2019 00:45

Db is rude and op isn’t unreasonable to find his decision is hurtful

nonetheless the only reasonable way forward is to accept and attend. Anything else will escalate this into a full on family rift. It’s actually in OPs power stop everyone kicking off and having to be rushed to A&E, ....or not if she prefers the high stakes tension and drama to continue. Her brothers proved he’s an arse. She can prove she’s not

k1233 · 12/09/2019 00:50

Personally I wouldn't go. Your cousin's wife could take your spot, just to make sure there isn't a vacant place at the table. I would say I was busy. If I were to be particularly bitchy I'd book a table for my family at the same restaurant, but probably wouldn't bother putting that much effort into making a point. Point being if family not invited, I won't be coming.

You could be me. Cousin got married. My parents and sister were invited to the wedding, I wasn't. Not the first time it's happened. Other occasions have been people I really can't stand, so no issue. But cousin doing what he did was a bit of a prick really.

Aridane · 12/09/2019 00:50

Oh goodness- what persistent drama about nothing. Stop drying to gate crash the uninvited to a small intimate meal. Interfering already led to DB eloping (good on him) and frankly if he goes LC for an easier less drama ridden life, who can blame him!

TatianaLarina · 12/09/2019 01:22

It’s fine not to invite kids to a wedding, but it’s super rude not to invite your DH.

Just don’t go. Don’t make a fuss. He’ll learn his lesson next time if there ever is one.

TatianaLarina · 12/09/2019 01:30

He obviously has zero social nous and no manners.

His celebration is again causing offence and upset within the family.

His wife wants something uptown and as he chooses to not invite parts of his family to facilitate it. They could have just done something cheaper.

I don’t think it’s worth you or your dad getting upset about - he’s clearly a tit.

MangosteenSoda · 12/09/2019 02:05

I think your brother has behaved poorly.

First with the announcement. No problem doing it the way they wanted, but they should have organised that themselves rather than trying to disinvite your family from a planned event.

I’m pretty relaxed about wedding etiquette, but think that not inviting a sibling’s spouse is a strange thing to do. He’s making it clear that he’s not that bothered about family. He should have, at least, had a private word with you at the outset about why he wasn’t inviting your dh. You would probably have still felt sad, but it’s better to say something first rather than not receive an expected invitation.

You mentioned in another post that he hasn’t been very interested in your kids. Some people aren’t that interested in other people’s kids, even their own family. I can see how that’s hurtful for you, but as above, he’s obviously not that big on family. I’d say that this particular event doesn’t sound very child friendly, so I’d not be that bothered about them not being invited.

If I were you, I’d go and smile and be friendly. But I’d privately feel sad that my sibling didn’t really care about my family (or didn’t care enough about me to pretend to care for my family).

I don’t think your dad should have refused to go to the first wedding and I think he should go to this party without comment or complaint. I understand how he feels, but he also needs to plaster a smile on and get on with it.

Re the money: I think that money given in these circumstances can be used as a contribution to a wedding or as a gift for getting married to be spent in whatever way the couple choose. So I don’t think your brother was wrong to spend it on other things, but it would have been polite to explain to your parents that they were not planning to spend that money on the wedding. Taking 5k then saying they can’t afford to include your husband doesn’t come across well. I think the MIL offering the money back is weirdly passive aggressive.

Your brother’s behaviour is a reflection on how he views wider family - it’s just not important to him and now you all know that. I wonder if he will expect his new wife and any future children to be included in your future events? Or if he will be ok with you showing them the same lack of consideration he has shown your family.

BTW, I totally understand that it’s fine to have exactly the wedding you want. But I think he went about it clumsily and without care for wider family feelings. That in turn caused a rift with your parents who reacted to his clumsy behaviour with poor behaviour of their own.

As I said above, I’d go and be pleasant, but I’d be sad to know that I didn’t have the kind of relationship with my brother that I thought I had. I’m sorry you’v Had a bit of a kicking from some posters, but I think it’s normal to feel sad about this.

DecomposingComposers · 12/09/2019 07:25

He clearly doesn't care about, nor respect, your marriage so why should you respect his and want to go and celebrate it?

I honestly cannot understand his mind set here. I wouldn't go to this meal but I wouldn't make a drama out of not going. I would simply send a card back declining the invite - wouldn't give a reason- he can take it from it whatever he likes.

I would encourage my parents to go though. Tell them that you appreciate that they've tried to stick up for you and that you don't see them going as them siding with DB then just say nothing more about it.

Any rift that results from this is on your brother in my view - you can't just do whatever you want in life and expect others to just accept it. What he's done is hurtful so he cannot be surprised when people are hurt by it.

Aridane · 12/09/2019 07:27

It’s fine not to invite kids to a wedding, but it’s super rude not to invite your DH*

It’s not a wedding

Aridane · 12/09/2019 07:28

It’s a dinner for x5 people hosted by DB and his wife!

DecomposingComposers · 12/09/2019 07:39

It’s a dinner for x5 people hosted by DB and his wife!

Hows it for 5 people? Db,, sil, parents, pil, 2 cousins, op, 2 friends - that's 11 just from who's been mentioned on here. Plus it isn't hosted by dB. The invitation was sent by the parents in law, so in line with traditional wedding invitation. It's intended as the replacement wedding breakfast so is to all intents and purposes, a wedding. Exactly like couples who marry abroad and then hold a celebration for family and friends once home.

Aridane · 12/09/2019 07:43

an invitation has arrived now at this restaurant but again for my parents, my two cousins and me