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Rachel
Savvy November 2021

To invite or not to invite?

Rachel, on January 7, 2020 at 2:46 PM Posted in Family and Relationships 0 17

Hi y'all! I am about to lay it down for family drama and opinions are welcomed!


My dad and older brother are both pretty poor characters. My brother moreso than my father. My father is just selfish. My brother told my father that I only talked to him for money and that wasn't the case, so then my dad disowned me for like 6 months and I disowned my brother essentially. A year later I confront my brother and tell him I don't want drama and he is invited to my wedding and he says he hasn't spoken to me because he doesn't speak to people that talk poorly about other people. (playing victim... woohoo!) A few months later I invite him to the wedding which is roughly a year out at this point and he says my venue is an interesting choice and it is nearly impossible for him to attend because of work. I decide he gets no invite and my fiance is on board until my dad spends an hour today guilt tripping me about how I regret it and yada yada and now my fiance thinks I should invite him out of courtesy.


To invite or not to invite? My current stance is.... a wedding isn't a time for a relationship.

17 Comments

Latest activity by KAREN, on January 9, 2020 at 3:03 PM
  • Gen
    Champion June 2019
    Gen ·
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    If you don’t invite him you may never have a relationship with him again. Are you ok with that? If so, don’t bother inviting him. If you’re at all concerned or unsure, just invite him. Doesn’t sound like he’ll come anyway, and then that way you got to be the bigger person
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  • Amber
    Master February 2020
    Amber ·
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    Agree with this 100%. If you have hopes of a relationship in the future, invite him. Otherwise, don't invite him and just enjoy your wedding day without worrying about his drama.

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  • MrsD
    Legend July 2019
    MrsD ·
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    I wouldn't have any contact with him for the next year, other than mailing him an invite. If he comes, great. If he doesn't, you won't miss him.

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  • Rachel
    Savvy November 2021
    Rachel ·
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    Definitely won't be missed.

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  • Rachel
    Savvy November 2021
    Rachel ·
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    Y'all the other issue is... he is the type to say rude stuff behind my back and is it worth it to take that risk of an inviting a person like that? I am leaning towards that being my biggest concern. I do want to be the bigger person though, just not at the start of the future of my fiance and I's wedding.

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  • Amber
    Master February 2020
    Amber ·
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    If he's that type of person, I don't see why you would invite him because I assume that you wouldn't want to have a relationship with someone like that.

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  • Rachel
    Savvy November 2021
    Rachel ·
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    That is true.. I just feel like it is a little different since he is my brother. So, that is why I am on the struggle bus.

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  • Cristy
    Master May 2021
    Cristy ·
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    If he comes to your wedding and decides to trash talk you to other guests/family, then he will be the one who looks bad. Everyone else will be there to celebrate you and your marriage. One person talking trash just makes him look stupid.

    There should be enough other guests there that you probably won't even have to interact with him.

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  • Jodie
    Expert August 2020
    Jodie ·
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    I personally wouldn't invite him. That is not the day that I want drama filled people or situations around. When they can grow up and act like adults I'd consider it. But I will not invite people to my wedding that I do not 100% WANT to celebrate that huge moment with...regardless if it is a "courtesy invite" or family or whatever. If there is any desire to mend the relationship it needs to start well before the wedding stuff and there has to be effort from all parties involved. I get the whole "be the bigger person" but at the same time Maybe they should stop being a crappy person and then it wouldn't even be an issue. Family is not an automatic pass to be an ass and expect to get away with it. Actions have consequences and people need to learn that and actually hold them accountable for those actions and follow through with those consequences.

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  • Kelsie
    Devoted March 2020
    Kelsie ·
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    I would probably invite him, even though he said he wasn't going to come because he's your brother. My aunt told me that my cousins aren't going to be able to make it but I still addressed them on the invitation.

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  • Mcskipper
    Master July 2018
    Mcskipper ·
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    If you’ve already told him you’re inviting him, to rescind the invite would be the dramatic move here. He sounds like a jerk and you certainly shouldn’t feel obligated to invite anyone you don’t want to. But, definitely do consider the future of your relationship— whether there will be one, whether you want there to be one, whether it’s possible he might one day mature and you guys can rebuild and if that was the case would you regret not having invite him? Personally, as long as I wasn’t concerned he’d do any day of damage, I’d send him an invite, but not reach out otherwise, and (try to) be perfectly happy/fine if he chose not to attend. I’d basically go about my life being respectful/civil/polite, but not going out of my way FOR him and not expecting anything FROM him. It puts the entire ball in his court, and off of your shoulders. It does seem like he knows how get under your skin, so I’d try not to give him that satisfaction. You can leave the door open by sending an invite, but you don’t have to do anything else.
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  • Desiree
    Super March 2020
    Desiree ·
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    I'm far from one of those people that says that family is family, and they always deserve an invite. That is not true. If this person is downright not nice, makes you uneasy/nervous, generally not happy with their actions or their words, they do not deserve an invite. This is your day, and you should not be any more stressed than you already will be from planning it alone. And if that's all it takes to "ruin" a relationship with someone, then so be it. But it sounds like there never was a good relationship to start with. So what are you really throwing away....? (If you catch my drift.) This is your day, not your family drama's day. Smiley heart

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  • Rachel
    Savvy November 2021
    Rachel ·
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    It is refreshing to have someone look at this like a person and not a invitation needed because we are siblings by blood. I definitely think I will think about it but I’m leaning towards not inviting him.
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  • Rachel
    Savvy November 2021
    Rachel ·
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    Thanks girl!
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  • Desiree
    Super March 2020
    Desiree ·
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    I don't blame you at all. I'd feel the same way. Smiley heart

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  • Brittany
    Dedicated January 2021
    Brittany ·
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    Totally your choice, but if you do opt to invite him... what is the plan if he shows up and does something to upset you? Is there anyone who will be attending that could maybe be a neutral third party and help out if anything goes wrong? Mom, grandparent, cousin, etc? Go as far as telling this third party they might have to escort your brother out.


    I have some extended family that I have positive relationships with, but they don't necessarily have positive relationships with each other, so I've told my parents they have to be drama police haha.
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  • K
    Dedicated October 2019
    KAREN ·
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    I went through a fairly similar situation, except we decided not to invite 2nd cousins to our wedding because of the cost. I wasn't close to my aunt or cousin (my aunt is not a very good person and my cousin waited 3 days to tell us that her sister, my other cousin, had passed), but invited them out of courtesy. I had to have the awkward conversation with my cousin that her two children weren't invited (even though her save the date and invitation clearly did not include the children) . Now my aunt doesn't talk to my mom (she thinks my mom, her sister, told me to do this--she didn't) and my cousin isn't really talking to me (although the situation isn't any different than before).


    Honestly, I made the decision knowing it may cause issues with them, and was fine with it. I knew I didn't care if I had a relationship in the future because I didn't then and don't now. The only thing I feel bad about is that it has effected my mom's relationship with her sister, but she's told me many times that she's fine with it, as her sister has been distant for years now anyway.


    So long story short, if you don't c are about what happens after the wedding, screw it and don't invite your brother. If there's any doubt, invite him.

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