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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

I didn’t invite my mum to my wedding.

79 replies

Farontothemaddingcrowd · 22/12/2020 17:01

I’m feeling awful, horrendously guilty, as I’ve hurt my mum. Due to Covid we have had a tiny wedding ceremony. It’s a second marriage and we had our dc and two friends as witnesses. We are intending to have a full wedding blessing and party next year when hopefully things are better and we can celebrate with everyone. We did have a bit of a celebration together in the pub. Unfortunately my mum found out - my fault entirely- I shared a pic that I thought was private and unfortunately my settings were not completely private and another relative told my mum. We are Tier 2 and Mum is tier 3 so it wouldn’t actually be within the law for her to attend a wedding reception anyway. Mum is crying and devastated. My brother texted saying that I am disgusting and he never wants to see me or my fat husband again. He said ‘no wonder your daughter slices her wrists.’ My teen dd has self harmed in the past and we are getting support from CAMHS. I try to give her a stable home with us. Brother does have aggressive tendencies and I try to avoid him, but that was obviously hurtful.

Mum has a history of becoming drunkenly abusive, particularly at events where she isn’t the centre of attention. She didn’t tell my grandad’s children from his first marriage that he had died and so they missed the funeral. At the funeral, one of her friends gave a eulogy that was all about how wonderful my mum was.

At a different event, she got so drunk that she started screaming and shouting and went off in her car!! I had to prevent her taking my dd with her.

She doesn’t see her grandchildren v often - maybe once or twice a year and she shows no interest when she does. She doesn’t babysit and offered no support even when I was a single parent and really really struggling.

She didn’t come with me to my wedding dress fitting because I wanted to bring my dds and friend (before Covid hit) and because I wouldn’t drive 40 minutes in the opposite direction to prick her up so she didn’t have to drive.

She wasn’t a great mum when I was a kid. Stepdad was violent, which she knew and did nothing about. She had affairs and used to bring me along as cover when she met up with these men. She has many many hangers on who adore her and she’s spent a fortune on surgery to look beautiful, but when I was struggling and the dc were small, she never came to see me - even though she lived 5 mins away.

When the rules were changed, I took the opportunity to tell mum that the wedding was postponed. I intended (and still do) to invite her to the blessing and party. But I just wanted to get married without worrying that she would get drunk and abusive, or make it all about her. I was going to tell her in person that we had a small legal ceremony. But now she’s hurt and she’s told all her friends how terrible I am. I’m on honeymoon but am just so devastated and guilty. I can never take this back. I’m meant to be having Christmas dinner with her Sad

OP posts:
Farontothemaddingcrowd · 23/12/2020 09:47

I will get some nice food in for Christmas as I suspect she will deliberately make it miserable if I turn up at hers.

OP posts:
bluejelly · 23/12/2020 09:55

Don't feel guilty. The way she has treated you she didn't deserve to be there. Well done for standing up to her 💪

billyt · 23/12/2020 10:03

@MMM2

Hmm if I was your mum I dont think I would get over it !
MMM2, Have you read the whole thread? Still think the mother ha s aright to be upset. If the OPs mother has treated her like that then I say that it's just desserts.

Op, I think that if you had invited her then you would be on here in a worse state feeling like shit that your mother had ruined your Wedding day by making a scene because it wasn't all about her.

I would immediately cut all times with her and your your nasty brother. Your life will be so much more satisfying without them dragging you down. Keep them around and you'll be made to suffer unless you toe their line. And be careful of the Flying monkeys, etc...

Many congratulations to you and your husband on your marriage. May it be a long and happy one.

And Merry Christmas

Hoppinggreen · 23/12/2020 10:07

Your family sound bloody awful
I didn’t tell my Dad I was getting married and I still feel not an ounce of guilt to this day and you shouldn’t either
You say “ but she’s my mum” , sounds like she doesn’t deserve that title. Being biologically related to someone doesn’t mean we have to put up with really shitty behaviour we wouldn’t from anyone else
Have a think about what relationship you are going to have with her in 2021, for your daughters sake if nothing else.

rollinggreenhills · 23/12/2020 10:48

@Farontothemaddingcrowd

I will get some nice food in for Christmas as I suspect she will deliberately make it miserable if I turn up at hers.
All the more reason for you to stay at home then. Smile
MoreCoffeePlease2 · 23/12/2020 11:50

Hi OP, congratulations on getting married! That's fantastic, I'm so glad it was beautiful and romantic, your love for your husband and his for you is the most important thing.
Something similar has just happened within my family - a small wedding just before tier 4 in London occured, organised at the last minute and brother spewing bile.
What's become clear through all of it is that your mum/my brother are looking to be upset, to a degree. Could more have been done on both sides? Probably. Was there extenuating circumstances? Yes. Is there any understanding that human mistakes are made? ....not really.

You can apologise but I wouldn't think that hour mum is after an apology, she wants grovelling. It's not about the wedding, it's about control and beleive me she'll use this as a whip on you for a very long time. By all means have compassion for the pain she's feeling, but it's not an excuse for her behaviour. Absolve yourself of guilt - you've given her a sincere apology, it's up for her to mature and accept it.

Again, I wish you all the best for your newly married life, may it be a happy adventure!!

Thinkingg · 23/12/2020 11:59

If you think that no contact would be best for you, then the way she treated you as a child is more than enough reason.

Congratulations on your marriage Flowers

JillofTrades · 23/12/2020 12:00

She wasn’t a great mum when I was a kid. Stepdad was violent, which she knew and did nothing about. She had affairs and used to bring me along as cover when she met up with these men. She has many many hangers on who adore her and she’s spent a fortune on surgery to look beautiful, but when I was struggling and the dc were small, she never came to see me - even though she lived 5 mins away.

She does not deserve your guilt. And you have nothing to feel guilty over. She sounds absolutely toxic and you did the right thing not having her ruin your day. As for your brother- he is utterly vile. That is just unforgivable.

pog100 · 23/12/2020 13:10

You sound absolutely lovely despite the horrific job that woman did of pretending to be a mother. I'm so glad you didn't ruin what sounds like a lovely event for everyone by inviting someone who hasn't earned the right to intrude into your adult life. You have protected your children from her behaviour and the test of the people from a distraction at best, a disaster at worst. Don't feel guilty, that would be ridiculous. Feel pride in what you have learned about yourself and relationships, and in turn taught your kids.
Join with your aunt and uncle in blocking her, and your awful brother, right out of your lives for ever more.

Farontothemaddingcrowd · 23/12/2020 15:19

Thank you for the kind responses. We wouldn’t have been able to marry for goodness knows how long if we hadn’t done it when we did. We are going into Tier 3 on Boxing Day, so who knows how long it will be before we can see family again. I’m not sure I want to spend Christmas at my mum's if she’s going to use it to make us feel bad.

OP posts:
hocuspocus1922 · 23/12/2020 17:05

Wow op I woundnt feel guilty for one second and as for your so called brother what a dick . I would phone your mother and tell her exactly why you didn't want her there . Also I would tell
Your brother where to go and have no contact with them . Why would you wear a relationship with people who get you down . Enjoy your life op with out them . Horrid gits

Farontothemaddingcrowd · 23/12/2020 21:04

I don’t know why it’s bothering me so much. I think it’s my mum's silence that is getting to me. Now she knows, I wish she would wish us well. But I know I’m being unfair there.

OP posts:
Farontothemaddingcrowd · 26/12/2020 13:06

So I went for Christmas dinner and my mum did not mention the wedding at all. Other family members who also knew acted as if they didn’t. No one congratulated us apart from my stepdad who congratulated us in secret and told us not to tell my mum.

OP posts:
Treacletoots · 26/12/2020 13:23

Hi OP. I think it's time to re-evaluate your relationships. Your mum sounds like mine, and I haven't spoken to her for the last decade and it has been wonderful.

You're clearly very stuck in the FOG cycle, I urge you to fight the feelings of fear, obligation and guilt because that is what she has trained you to feel so she can continue her abuse.

No-one in their right minds would expect you to invite someone who treated you the way she had to their wedding, she's put not only yourself bit you DC at risk due to her own selfish behaviour.

Mine treated me like shit from the day I developed an opinion, tried to ruin my life on several occasions and when I succeeded despit her, she took credit for everything ie. See I told you me threatening you with X made you achieve Y. Sad

I could go on for hours but the TLDR version is

You did the right thing
You need to consider going NC
You don't deserve a mother like this, but she isn't going to change. Put yourself first.

Congratulations on your wedding, focus your time and energy into your new family and quite honestly tell the others to fuck off. (Bit blunt, but it's probably the answer)

AtrociousCircumstance · 26/12/2020 13:27

You did the right thing, she sounds like a nightmare.

However don’t whinge about her not congratulating you when you did it in secret without her (understandably). It’s time for low drama, low reactivity, no whinging or hand ringing. Let it be and go NC or v low C with her.

Congratulations on your wedding Smile

Farontothemaddingcrowd · 26/12/2020 15:46

Thank you. I did get the kids to ring to thank her for her Christmas gifts but she didn’t respond and she read but didn’t reply to my message.

OP posts:
caringcarer · 26/12/2020 16:55

I would be devistated if my dd had not invited me to her wedding. To find out after the event from another person is just awful for her. The least you could have done was tell her to her face before the event. In that position I would refuse an invite for belated party next year.

akittencalledjesus · 26/12/2020 17:02

@caringcarer Did you read the thread? The OP was neglected by her mother when she was a child.

AliceMcK · 26/12/2020 17:10

She sounds toxic and nasty. Just get on with being happy, fuck her and your brother. It’s hard, but as someone with a very very similar story to yours, ignoring them and getting on with your happy life will be the best thing you can do x

Farontothemaddingcrowd · 26/12/2020 18:06

@caringcarer mum wasn’t legally allowed to come to any reception being in tier 3 anyway. If I had told her she was liable to turn up anyway. She regularly gets drunk and abusive, particularly at special occasions such as weddings. If you do that to your dd then I think it’s fair enough that she wouldn’t invite you. It’s not a party - but a full ceremony/blessing for all those who couldn’t come because of Covid. It matters less to me if she ruins that because of Covid.

OP posts:
Farontothemaddingcrowd · 26/12/2020 18:06

Sorry ‘it matters less if she ruins that because we are married now.’

OP posts:
ArrowsOfMistletoe · 26/12/2020 18:16

I think the time has come for you to take a decision, and I think you know that decision has to be going NC with your mum. She will never be the mother you need. She will never support you, behave decently at any special occasion, or be there for you. It's time to let go of those ties and embrace the ones that matter - the ones with the people who have shown by their actions that they are in your life and are there for you.

You may wish to look into some counselling to help you come out of the FOG.

I wish you well.

Farontothemaddingcrowd · 26/12/2020 18:21

Thank you. I think counselling might help. My mum has many many secrets of her own and I think what people sometimes fail to understand is that no-one would do what I’ve done in a normal mother daughter relationship. The fact that I did this means that something is wrong.

OP posts:
Farontothemaddingcrowd · 26/12/2020 20:05

I’ve been super anxious for days and wish I’d invited her. I’m waking up early anxious. My brother has sent money over for my eldest dd for Christmas which I don’t want to accept.

OP posts:
YesThatsATurdOnTheRug · 26/12/2020 20:13

Some people on this thread are absolute cunts. Ignore the victim blaming and those suggesting that you are 'justifying' and should have invited her. She doesn't deserve to have kids let alone be in their lives.

I know you won't be able to fully shake off the guilt that she has trained you to feel whenever you try and find some happiness, but just keep reminding yourself that you're a good person and you owe her less than nothing. If you can go NC, your mind, your soul and your heart will be so much more free.

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