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Jenna
Just Said Yes October 2022

In-laws in wedding party?

Jenna, on November 8, 2021 at 10:46 AM Posted in Family and Relationships 0 13

Long post!! There has been a big debate with me and my FH on our wedding party. We are very close to our families, and the last thing we want is for someone to feel left out so we cannot make a decision. I was hoping to get a third party opinion and brutally honest advice!

We have my sister, and my brother and his brother (The three of them are best friends) in the wedding party, as well as my nieces. I am not including his brothers wife or his sister because we are nowhere near close enough.

My sister is my MOH, I asked her about it and her advice was that I should have her husband (they have been married 10 years) and my brothers girlfriend (They have been together 6 and I believe they plan on getting engaged soon) in the wedding party, but in the end it is my decision to make.

I am very friendly with my brothers gf, we text once in awhile, the 4 of us have gone on a vacation together, etc. However, I am not sure I would consider her a close friend. I do enjoy her company, she is a great person and we get along very well, and if I included her I know I would not regret it, so that's where I stress about her not wanting to be left out.

My FH and brother in law again, are not close. My sister said "he's part of the family," but they don't have that close of a relationship. I feel bad since his wife and girls are in the wedding party and it would be weird to exclude him since he has been in my life for 10+ years. But I also found out that he is basically expecting to be in the wedding party which is more stressful!

I know it's family and often they usually are included in the wedding party, but also my day so I should do what I want, but I really can't make a decision. We already have 6 on each side which is bigger than we planned! Me and my FH have agreed we do both or none, but we still can't make that decision. Advice? Smiley sad

13 Comments

Latest activity by Steph, on November 12, 2021 at 12:23 AM
  • H
    Master July 2019
    Hannah ·
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    Your bridal party should be your nearest and dearest. There is no need for siblings spouses/partners to be in the wedding party.
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  • C
    Super July 2020
    Cool ·
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    I would not allow your sister to dictate (or even lend her opinion to) who is in your wedding party. If there is anyone you aren’t 100% on, do not invite them. This is between you and FH to decide.
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  • Jessi
    Super October 2022
    Jessi ·
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    I wouldn't include them in your wedding party because your sister says they should be or because they're family, only include who you feel closest to. My FH's sister is a bridesmaid and her 3 kids are all in our wedding as well, her husband is the only one left out and that's fine. We're friendly with him and everything is cool, but neither of us are close enough to him to have him in the wedding party. It's not something to be offended about nor is an invitation required for everyone in a family.

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  • M
    VIP January 2019
    Maggie ·
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    It's FAR better for someone to feel left out (and remember, you aren't responsible for their feelings) than for you to choose people who AREN'T your absolute nearest and dearest and then deal with the consequences of lack of interest, clashing personalities, obligations unwillingly received, and expectations not met.

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  • Michelle
    Rockstar December 2022
    Michelle ·
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    Your bridesmaids and his groomsmen are the current closest innermost social circle/support system you have. A casual acquaintance or anyone out of obligation including in-laws should not be asked. Your sister is incorrect: just because people share blood does not mean at all that they have a close relationship. Some people are much closer to best friends than their own relatives.



    Contrary to what you read on WW, people in general are really not upset if you don’t ask them to be included as an attendant or other random role because they prefer being guests with no responsibility beyond having fun.
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  • A
    Expert September 2022
    Allie ·
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    Totally agree with Cool on this one! This is your call, NOT your sister's call

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  • Heather
    Super November 2021
    Heather ·
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    Exactly what everyone says!!! Don't let others opinions make you second guess what you do want and that's what it seems like is happening.. So, if you strongly feel like they don't have to be included then let it be! It really is YOUR day. If they have a problem about it then they are being selfish because they really are thinking in terms of THEMSELVES.

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  • KYLIE
    Super May 2019
    KYLIE ·
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    Do not have any obligatory bridal party members! I don’t know why your BIL would expect to be a groomsman when he’s not close to your husband. I like my brother's wife a lot. My brother was a groomsman and their son was a ring bearer. She was not a bridesmaid because she was not and is not a close close friend. Doesn’t mean anything bad for our relationship.
    I also would be very careful about considering the brother’s gf when they’re not even engaged and you don’t consider her a super close friend. Do you really want bridesmaids pics with her in them? What if they break up?
    You can still include both of these people in showers, bachelor/bachelorette parties if you’d like. But save your bridal parties for your closest friends and family!
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  • Sharon
    Super September 2021
    Sharon ·
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    I agree with everyone else. The reality is it's not feasible to include everyone in your bridal party. It should only be the people YOU and HE feel closest to, not who anyone tells you should be in it or how long you e known them. I'm close with my sister-in-law but didn't include her because we wanted to keep it relatively small. She was fine with it. If someone isn't mature enough to handle not being in the bridal party that's their issue not yours. Same with your brother's girlfriend. Whether they get engaged or not, is she someone you feel close enough to to be your support on the most important day of your life?
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  • J
    Dedicated October 2021
    Janae ·
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    Not up to your sister, it's your wedding. I changed things in my wedding because of other people, and regret that I did. Do what you want.
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  • Stacey
    Super May 2021
    Stacey ·
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    Sorry, your sister is nuts, Lol. You have no obligation to put your siblings partners in your wedding party. Only choose those who you are each closest to. You are thinking about it the right way. ❤️

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  • Jacks
    Rockstar November 2054
    Jacks ·
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    Yep this! Don't feel obligated.

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  • Steph
    Dedicated May 2022
    Steph ·
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    I don’t understand why some people are under the impression that you need to have couples in the wedding party. My sister has been with her non husband for 18 solid years and I love him dearly but he isn’t in our wedding party either! (She is also my MOH and my niece and nephew are in the wedding also) they are totally cool with it. On the other hand, my future BILs wife had a whole fit because she isn’t in the wedding and I was a bridesmaid in hers. (Thankfully, she’s now pregnant and will be 9 months by the wedding date)
    Tell your sister that it wasn’t a plan for him to be in the wedding party and that’s it.
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