Friends as family

We call it "framily". It is especially common among people who have toxic families of origin, or are estranged/alone in other ways.

The only blood relative of mine at our wedding was my father. My mother and her family had been invited, but she and I have a very toxic relationship, and she took exception to the invitations, and made her whole family not come.

Turned out wonderfully - all our "framily" came, and they are the people who we are close to and love dearly. We had a great time.

Yup. I’m going to give them corsages to wear at the wedding.

Most definitely- they may not be blood but they’re family! My daughter just got married to a wonderful woman- they’re soo happy. Her father & her wife’s mother didn’t show for the wedding. I told them both that even if they did show, they would make the day about them instead of their wedding. The day was perfect!

I’m a firm believer that family doesn’t have to be related by blood. You should share your day with those that love and support you and your FH whoever those people are.

Yes for sure! I feel like between me and my FH we have so many family friends that we consider actual family

Yes! I'm inviting more friends than family, because those are the people in my life I'm close with.

Yep 100%. I'm closer to my FH's family than my own. Reason being that I'm the only one in my family living in Georgia, and I've seen my mother's side of the family a handful of times my entire life...my father's side I've only met a few of them once lol.

FH and I have so many family friends and friends that we're so close to! My mom had told me that she's upset 'my side' isn't represented enough on the guest list...but I can't do much about FH's family and our friend group being bigger than my family.

I'm only inviting my mom and her siblings and their families since I've actually met them more than once. My dad and his family will not be invited because I literally have zero ties to them aside from my dad.

View Quoted Comment

I agree. I always read posts about "prioritize your parents and grandparents over friends" and wonder what you're supposed to do when you don't have them.

I'm not quite in that boat as I'm also pretty close to my biological family. However, I definitely have chosen family that I'm super close to. One of my best friends and his girlfriend will be invited to sit up front with my bio family for our ceremony because of just that reason. They are family to me.

View Quoted Comment

Yes I agree with this 100%

I consider my closet friends as brothers and sisters since I've been friend with them since kindergarten
I wouldn't say they are #1 or #2 family but I love them as much as I love my parents, siblingsand 1st cousins I'm the closest to. The only one I love more than my closest friends are,besides my future wife of course is my twin sister.However I'm WAYYYYY closer to my friend vs my maternal grandma (the only one who's still alive).
Most people from my family believe in the blood is thicker than water thing but I don't as I always argue: "you can pick our friends, you can't pick your family besides your husband/wife and our own kids". They hate it everytime I say this but I trully believe in this'Plus: being closer to you friends doesn't mean you don't love your family.