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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Family member has planned 2nd wedding to coincide with our baby's 1st birthday.

212 replies

saythatagaintome · 25/04/2023 19:16

I'm trying to be the bigger person, and was doing so well at it until my husband suggested we celebrate our first child's FIRST birthday on another day. I basically said that wasn't happening. I told him HE can chose to attend the wedding and skip out on our baby's First if that is what HE choses to do. For his sake I hope the times don't coincide.

I am planning her bday as an open house type of party, where friends can pop by in the late am for tea, and then meet us at a nearby beach for late lunch. I was planning on taking that day to celebrate our baby and us for making it through the first year, alive and well.

The couple in question eloped some months back. They are generally secretive people, and seem to like to keep family members at arms length. We wouldn't have even known that they had been planning to marry had my husband not asked them.
To be fair, we don't have much details other than the fact that they have chosen that day to celebrate their union.

They just sent the family thread a text asking us to "save the date." I know I don't own that date, I'm just peeved my husband seems to think that we should celebrate this very important milestone on a different day, when it's been known for weeks that we are planning a small party to celebrate her 1st as well as our first year as parents (and before you say "first bdays are for the parents", yes you're correct! it's OUR First).

Some context: this family member (middle son) is a sibling to my husband (who's the younger son, and boycotted our wedding some years back. My husband and I are a mixed race couple and I have always felt that he hasn't ever valued me as a person. I mention the race dynamic because it very much was relevant at the time.

We (BIL and I) aren't close at all, but are very civil with one another. He and my husband have a relationship, but it's taken many years of repair (we were extremely hurt over the wedding situation, which lead to years of not talking to one another).

AIBU? to be peeved that they've chosen this day? More so, AIBU to be upset at my husband for suggestion that our baby's First bday isn't as big of a deal, and should be planned AROUND family members 2nd wedding celebration?

and re the family thread text that was sent to everyone: No one replied to it, when they shared the date. My MIL also mentioned to my husband this am "They planned their wedding celebration on the baby's first bday---"

I'm going to remain stoic, but I do plan on moving forward with planning the day I'm envisioning. And as I wrote previously, hopefully the times don't clash for my husbands sake.

OP posts:
SunshineGeorgie · 25/04/2023 20:03

But you will be ensuring your DH side of the family.....all of them, not just BIL....cannot come!!

They will all be at the wedding

SunshineGeorgie · 25/04/2023 20:04

And a beach for a first birthday? Is it U.K.?

OldFan · 25/04/2023 20:06

@saythatagaintome I would assumed they had forgotten that's the baby's birthday.

Could they change the date now they know?

I don't blame you for being resentful about them not coming to your wedding etc.

HeadNorth · 25/04/2023 20:07

SunshineGeorgie · 25/04/2023 20:03

But you will be ensuring your DH side of the family.....all of them, not just BIL....cannot come!!

They will all be at the wedding

It’s not the racist fuckers wedding - they eloped.

Enjoy you baby’s first birthday, there is no need to make any changes to accommodate a racist’s unnecessary party.

Lemoncakefortea · 25/04/2023 20:07

Just reply “Thanks for the invite. We already have plans to celebrate X’s birthday that day, so won’t be able to join. Have a great party and look forward to catching up soon!”

whynotwhatknot · 25/04/2023 20:08

Theyre not having a wedding its a party and no i woldnt go either

Botw1 · 25/04/2023 20:10

Did they know about the birthday party?

I wouldnt be going to their wedding either way but you do sound a bit ott with the bday

Carla224 · 25/04/2023 20:12

I don't think you're unreasonable for having a 1st birthday party. I get it - it's not for the baby, it's for you and all the family.

We had a bloody big bash purely for the photographs (not photos for social media - I don't use SM) but because you never know with aging Grandparents and I'm bloody glad I did. We got pics of all the family and a few months later I lost a parent. At least my DC will have that photo when their older and we will be able to say that's your Grandparent who passed away just after you were 1yr old.

Plus it's a lovely memory - the decorations, the first birthday cake, having all the cousins together. We'd never have the whole family together like that unless it was a planned event.

However, I didn't do it on the actual date because that fell on a working day. We did it the closest weekend.

Anyway I don't know if your unreasonable or not. If you haven't booked somewhere and you haven't reserved the date - it's easily moved. I guess it really does depend on what you think the motives are. I struggle to believe someone would deliberately plan a wedding on a babies birthday as some sort of racially motivated attack - but there are some weirdos about, so what do I know?!

But yanbu for planning and looking forward to a big milestone and having a party!

Snaaaaacks · 25/04/2023 20:14

You do realise a baby has no idea it's their 1st birthday 🤣 you have built this up in your head as a "thing" you could literally do something the day after, the week after your baby still won't know what's going on! Your bil can have their wedding reception on whatever date they chose, I'd have thought it'd be nice celebrating with family at a wedding? My friend had her 30th at my wedding I made sure we all sang to her, maybe they could sing to your child after the speeches?

ChunkyCheese · 25/04/2023 20:17

Your baby’s first birthday celebrations are as important to you as their wedding renewal is to them. If I were you I wouldn’t over think it, I would just tell them unfortunately you can’t attend because you have your child’s birthday plans that you have already invited people to. I wouldn’t go in your shoes. You won’t get your child’s first birthday back, and I understand the importance of wanting to celebrate it on the actual day. They are reliving something they have already done if it’s a wedding renewal.

Justalittlebitduckling · 25/04/2023 20:17

Just for clarification, did BIL already know you were planning a party for this day and was already invited?

HarrietStyles · 25/04/2023 20:17

If your brother in law is racist, then absolutely have nothing to do with him. On that part, you are definitely NBU.

The wedding is a separate issue. Most people don’t have their party on the actual birthday, usually within a few days. Without the racism issue, I would see no issue attending a wedding on my baby’s first birthday, then having a party a day before or after. On that part YABU.

Justalittlebitduckling · 25/04/2023 20:19

maddy68 · 25/04/2023 19:39

You are being ridiculous. No one cares about your child's first birthday. Even your child doesn't!

I don’t think that’s true. Grandparents often care a great deal. My DCs did, anyway.

SunshineGeorgie · 25/04/2023 20:20

So you are going to just have your side of family attending?

The other side will be at the wedding

PaperwhiteTheGhost · 25/04/2023 20:20

YABU to expect anyone other than you, your husband and possibly both sets of parents care as much about your baby birthday as you and to expect people not to marry on any day they want.

YANBU to want nothing to do with a racist, and I'm very sorry for you and your child that you have to put up with that.

SunshineGeorgie · 25/04/2023 20:21

It won't be both sets of grandparents at the birthday though

Op by going ahead regardless you are stopping your kid having grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins attend

shutthewindownow · 25/04/2023 20:22

I really couldn't be bothered to even make a fuss over this If you don't want to go then don't. Your baby has no clue what day it is so I wouldn't mind doing it the day before or day after but I wouldn't go to a wedding if I didn't like the people

Hayliebells · 25/04/2023 20:22

GloomySkies · 25/04/2023 19:17

I was going to say that you're unreasonable but then I read it all and they're clearly doing it on purpose because they're racist fucks.

Yep same here. It sounds like you're right to be upset.

Lcb123 · 25/04/2023 20:22

They’re 1. They don’t have a clue. Celebrate another day… honestly the worries people bring upon themselves is insane

farahway · 25/04/2023 20:22

GloomySkies · 25/04/2023 19:17

I was going to say that you're unreasonable but then I read it all and they're clearly doing it on purpose because they're racist fucks.

FFS.

WhatToDo2023 · 25/04/2023 20:25

It's a birthday. One your baby won't remember. And you are grown up enough to just celebrate on another day. A wedding celebration is much more important. It's fine if you don't like him and don't want to attend since he hasn't been nice to you. But you are being unreasonable to use the 1st bday as an excuse and to be so harsh on your husband. So YABU.

IScreamAtMichaelangelos · 25/04/2023 20:28

<just checking that this isn't another Meghan/Charles thread as the details seem to fit>

Skankoot · 25/04/2023 20:29

Babies don't care about their 1st birthday, they don't even know what a birthday is.

I agree with everyone else that these are 2 separate issues though. If your BIL is racist then why would either of you go to his wedding.

But on the other hand this is all very PFB about the 1st birthday and I'd possibly be rolling my eyes at it if I knew you. This is very much a party for you, not your DC or your DH.

You'll probably roll your eyes in future when you look back!

saythatagaintome · 25/04/2023 20:29

I was very clear in my original
post that this day means a lot to me, having been the day my child was born. I know she won’t remember this. I genuinely believe that first vida ya really are for the parents, which is why I’m peeved they’ve chosen that day… My daughter was born before they eloped… and we have been planning to celebrate the day with her library friends, as well as with OUR adult friends later on in the evening.

so, am I trying to ruin their “wedding”
or are they trying to shift the focus of that day?

OP posts:
ACynicalDad · 25/04/2023 20:30

Turn their party into a birthday party for your kid, get a cake etc.

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