Sounds like my husbands nephews wedding
Big posh 5 star Belfast wedding, food was piss poor, drink was non existent - nothing to toast with and just one small glass of wine with the meal, and her family were pigging ignorant.
I realised I knew them ( I used to work as a chef at a very popular pub ) and I knew I had seen them but when I said oh you eat at such and such I was told in no uncertain terms they had never darkened the door and the mother of the bride actually turned and walked away from me. Same happened about 6 months later when we were sat at the bar and they came in as a family and tried to hide under the table ( very weird family ) lol Marriage never lasted 5 years
We the extended family on the grooms side, of which there was just 8 were left to get on with it, totally ignored. So we got on with it and had our own party at our table :) First time Id been to a wedding and the kids were in jim jams by 8pm and parents taking them up by 9
Seriously though its not the norm. Our daughters wedding was a blast. We as the hosts made sure we spoke to everyone and thanked them for coming - we knew next to no one, we ensured everyone was having a good time, we introduced those looking lost to ones who would take the time to bring them out of their shells, we checked that they were happy with their rooms and knew where to go for breakfast, sat and chatted to whoever. The grooms family were also great mixers so everyone who attended had a good night and hopefully left feeling they were a valued guest
Sons wedding, well again we were the spare parts but at least that was tiny and we were all living together for 3 days so had to get along, but there were divisions - the NI contingent mixed with the Scottish and the English and the Australians stuck together
I personally hate weddings and usually decline, esp if we are just "the works lot" , they become as excruciating as the works do. If we do attend cos we really have to, its £100 gift unless its family