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Beatrice
Beginner October 2022

Expectations of the Wedding Party

Beatrice, on December 1, 2021 at 5:55 PM

Posted in Etiquette and Advice 26

Hello Everyone, I recently had a disagreement with my sister who was supposed to be my Matron of Honor because she wants to bring a date, which is not her husband. To start things off, when I initially told her that I was engaged and I wanted her to be one of the Matron of Honor's (my other sister...

Hello Everyone,

I recently had a disagreement with my sister who was supposed to be my Matron of Honor because she wants to bring a date, which is not her husband. To start things off, when I initially told her that I was engaged and I wanted her to be one of the Matron of Honor's (my other sister is the other Matron) she informed me that she told herself that she wasn't going to be in anymore weddings because she was supposed to be in my cousin's wedding, but they cancelled the wedding, went ahead and eloped later on and now they are getting a divorce. I'm not sure what my cousin's wedding had anything to do with mine, but ok. I scheduled to do a surprise brunch for my bridal party to formally ask them to be part of my bridal party and she didn't come. At first she told me that my niece (her daughter) had a game on the day of my brunch and she wanted to go to all of her games. Then weeks later she asked me about the brunch, I thought she was going to my niece's game, but she told me that she didn't say that. So she was planning on coming. 2 days before the brunch, she calls and tells me that her husband has to work that Saturday so if she comes, she would have to bring my nephew (her 2 year old son). This was supposed to be a brunch for just the bridal party. She expressed that she really didn't want to be on the road with a 2 year old because he can get restless (my mom also said that her husband works for the government so how does he have to work on a Saturday). So she didn't come, but agreed to FaceTime to be part of the celebration. I called her the morning of the brunch to remind her and make sure she would pick up the call around a certain time. During the brunch, I FaceTime her and she didn't answer. I called again and she picked up. She immediately told me that she couldn't stay on FaceTime long because she was putting my nephew to sleep. Everyone said hello, including my other sister. I'm not sure if she didn't hear her, but she didn't say anything in response. My bridal party and I discussed a day and time to go shopping for the bridesmaid's dresses and I created a GroupMe so that we can all chat and share information among the bridal party. She was included in the group, but hadn't interacted with anyone else in the group. We all have been positive and conversing via GroupMe except for her. So I let my sister know about the dress shopping day and time and asked if she would be able to join. She told me that she was not going to be going up and down the road to get dress alterations (she lives 2.5hrs from me) and to just let her know the style dress and color I decide so she can purchase the dress closer to where she lives. We also discussed places where I would like to go for my bachelorette weekend getaway and she told me that she wasn't going to be able to participate because she is also planning a trip for my niece's 21st birthday, which is in the same month as my wedding (she didn't even know when we were going on the bachelorette trip). She then asked me if I even thought about the date of my wedding when I chose my date because it's on my niece's birthday weekend. Her birthday is on a Wednesday and my wedding is going to be on a Sunday, 3 days before her birthday so she can also go on a trip the weekend after. At this point I decided to give her an "out", I told her that if this is too much for her and she doesn't want to be in the wedding to let me know, I'm fine if she doesn't want to be in it, but she tells me that she does want to be in it, she is just making it clear to me what she can and can't do. Next, we got into a discussion about who she was bringing with her to the wedding. She is married, so I put her husband's name on the list. My fiance' and I discussed a certain amount of guest we would like to invite at our wedding (we don't want a big wedding) and so we are not doing plus one's, but we are taking into consideration those who are married. She proceeds to tell me that she isn't bringing her husband and that she is going to come with another date because she is going to divorce her husband. My initial thought was that if he isn't coming, then I'm going to fill his seat with someone else who I would like to invite (I have a back up list). She tells me that he is not coming and that she is GOING to bring someone else (she doesn't even know who she is going to bring, she is just adamant that she is bringing a date). She doesn't care about anything that I explained to her even though I didn't need to explain a thing. So then she tells me that she needs to evaluate everything since she can't bring a date. I told her to please let me know what she would like to do. She tells me that she doesn't want to be in my wedding and that she will just be a guest lol. I told her that I will just go ahead and remove her name off the list altogether just to make it easier on everybody. So she said that was fine and that I now have 4 seats open. My fiance' and I also discussed that we can't accommodate any kids at our wedding and I was bending for my sister because she would be bringing my 2 year old nephew. I don't even understand what her problem is, but I felt like she was trying to control and dictate what I'm doing for my wedding. She said that she isn't going to pay to be in my wedding and not be able to bring a date. What she doesn't realize is that we have to pay for each person. We are inviting family and friends who we want to share our special day with us. I have other people who I would like to invite if a spouse is not going to come. To be honest, I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulder because I don't need any stress or negativity. I know that this is a long post, put just thought I would share this and get other people's thoughts about this.

26 Comments

  • Barb
    Just Said Yes May 2022
    Barb ·
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    I understand the financial burden, belueve me. But i think its a little much to invite someone, and not a plus one. Especially if the invites have children. Did you state in your invitations, No Children Allowed?
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  • Beatrice
    Beginner October 2022
    Beatrice ·
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    Hello Barb,


    It has nothing to do with "financial burden," it’s OUR preference. All of it will be stated on our invitations. We don’t want to have a big wedding with a lot of people. If I include plus one’s, then I would have to anticipate double the number, which would be way more than what we want. Again, we are taking spouses into consideration. I have people who aren’t even coming with their spouses. As far as children, again, it’s OUR preference! We will not be able to accommodate babies and young children at our wedding outside of the flower girl in our wedding party. If they don’t want to come because they can’t bring their children, then that’s fine. OUR wedding is NOT a kid's birthday party or that type of celebration and accommodation for children. We are not here to appease everyone for our special day. There are and have been plenty of weddings and events where there are no children allowed. Trust me, OUR wedding will not be the first nor the last. Be blessed!
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  • Jacks
    Rockstar November 2054
    Jacks ·
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    Wow there is a lot here.

    First of all, as Matron of Honour she wasn't obligated to go to dress shopping or to the bachelorette. It sounds like she felt like it was too much to be in the wedding at this time. She may have felt put on the spot a bit at the surprise brunch idea, and so decided to not attend. It does sound like she has a lot going on in her world right now with the divorce etc. I'm not sure I'd want to be in a wedding if I were getting divorced though. I'm not surprised she wasn't keen on shopping for BM dresses given she was reluctant to be in the wedding party in the first place. Same with her participation in the GroupMe.

    Re: the bachelorette, again, she wasn't under any obligation to go.

    The niece's birthday is probably more of an inconvenience than anything.

    The conversation where you gave her an"out" looks like she was letting you know what her boundaries and limitations are, which is an OK thing to do, is it not?

    Re: her plus one, I agree that you're not obligated to give her a plus one for another man. You say you're inviting spouses of your guests. A "plus one" though, is for truly single people. Anyone that identifies as being in a relationship must be invited with their partner, not just married people. That is being respectful of their relationship while they come to celebrate yours.

    Re: filling seats when people decline. This is called "B-listing" and is an etiquette faux pas. You risk hurting people who find out they weren't first choice, so I'd avoid that.

    She asked to attend as a guest, but you disinvited her to the whole wedding? I'm not sure what she did to deserve that actually, but I guess you had your reasons. I hope that doesn't end up tearing your relationship with her apart. You do have every right not to invite kids. However, I would avoid stating that on the invitations. It's rude to put who isn't invited on an invitation. If you're worried about making the message clear, pass the word around and put in on your wedding website.

    Whew. Anyway I hope it works out.

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  • Beatrice
    Beginner October 2022
    Beatrice ·
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    Good Morning Jacks,

    That's where I disagree with you about obligations. When you are in a wedding, especially as the Matron of Honor, there are certain things that should be an obligation. I asked everyone about a date for the dress shopping and they agreed. I have certain expectations when it comes to being part of a bridal party. To be clear, there aren't too many things I have for them to attend. As far as the surprise brunch, I simply invited everyone to have brunch as a way to formally ask my sisters and close friends to be part of my bridal party and to introduce everyone. How is that putting anyone on the spot when she didn't know that it was a "surprise" and that we weren't just going to brunch. I asked everyone about their availability before I planned anything to make sure everyone was available. The morning of the brunch, she was aware at that time what was going on and agreed for me to call her to FaceTime so she could still be included, which is what I did. Again, please reread what I put in my initial post, her husband had to work and she would have had to bring her 2 year old son, which is something that she didn't want to do and I was ok with. That's perfectly fine if she doesn't want to be part of a wedding if she is about to go through a divorce. Again, I told her to let me know if being in my wedding was too much for her and that I'm ok if she doesn't want to be in it, but she told me that she still wanted to be in it. What's the difference from being in a wedding vs not being it in but still being in attendance? She would just there in a different capacity, but still present at the wedding and still going through a divorce. If even just being there at a wedding is too much, then maybe just not come at all. Her not participating in the GroupMe with everyone else showed disinterest in being part of the bridal party, which wasn't a good look, not good team morale. In your response to the bachelorette party, ummm I absolutely expect her to be there because that is something that all of my bridal party would be planning and as the Matron of Honor would be the main one to plan it. My other sister and Matron of Honor understands her assignment as such. There is nothing wrong with letting her boundaries be known, but she was the only one telling me what she could and couldn't do, and no one else was being this difficult. I was even willing to make things work based on HER boundaries, but when she told me that she was still going to bring someone else after I told her otherwise, that is where I inserted MY boundaries. My fiancé's brother is in a relationship and he isn't inviting the girlfriend. I'm not about to ask if everyone is in a relationship to make sure to include someone who they are dating. Again, we are taking into consideration of those who have spouses because they are 1 as husband and wife. To each their own with having another list. For us, it is not necessarily for people who "decline," but a list of people who we would like to invite, but we are at our max so if there are available seats, then we can extend the invite. How would anyone find out? Do they know how many people we are inviting? This post wasn't tended for any nit picking of my every wedding details. I was venting about a disagreement with my sister when it comes to being part of my bridal party and being supportive. Yes, I uninvited her to avoid any stress, drama or arguments. It's NOT about her! If she is telling me that she is going to still do something after I told her otherwise, then to avoid any of that on OUR wedding day, I felt it was just best to uninvite. She did A LOT and said A LOT to deserve that! She is not going to dictate and tell me what to do when it comes to OUR wedding. Everyone wants their wedding to be a certain way and to their liking, I don't or wouldn't frown upon how someone else would like to have their wedding because it's THEIR wedding. Of course we aren't going to put "no children allowed" on our invitations smh lol. It would be worded in a respectful way.

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  • Jacks
    Rockstar November 2054
    Jacks ·
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    Hi again,

    Well thing is, once you involve other people, it's no longer just your day.

    B-listing is rude. People can tell because the first round of invites goes out earlier, and the ones with the late invites know they weren't first choice.

    I really do hope your relationship with your sister survives your wedding otherwise there will be a lot of awkward family dinners in your future.

    I did carefully read your first and subsequent posts.

    Again I really hope it all works out.

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  • Beatrice
    Beginner October 2022
    Beatrice ·
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    Hello again Jacks,
    Lol it is absolutely my fiancé’s and my day. Our wedding is about us! Everyone is there to celebrate us. It’s definitely NOT anyone else’s day or about other people whether we invite them or not. That’s your opinion about having another list as being rude, I’m not going to go back and forth about it. We actually don’t have “family dinners,” but there is no love lost on my end. Obviously she is fine with it. I just want things to be civil and peaceful. Positive vibes only! Thank you.
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