Family Wedding Drama: To Invite Or Not?

It is not uncommon for couples to decide not to invite certain family members to their wedding. There are many reasons why a couple may choose not to invite certain family members, including strained relationships, budget constraints, or venue limitations. While it can be a difficult decision, it is important to remember that it is your wedding and you can invite whoever you want. If you decide not to invite certain family members, it is important to be compassionate and considerate of their feelings and be prepared for potential backlash or drama. It is also crucial to stand your ground and not cave to emotional blackmail or pressure from others. Ultimately, it is your day, and you should surround yourself with people who love and support you.

You don't have to invite your entire family to your wedding

It is completely okay to not invite your entire family to your wedding. Weddings are a very special and sacred ceremony that represents two couples declaring their love for one another in a formal setting. It involves a lot of time, effort, and money. When choosing who will be on your guest list, it's imperative that you consider people that hold a special place in your life, will support you throughout your marriage, and will generally be happy for you.

There are endless reasons not to invite a family member to your wedding. They could range from said members having bad attitudes, always trying to steal the show, or not respecting your partner. Here are a few reasons to not invite certain family members when you get married:

• They don't support your relationship.
• You had a falling out.
• They're controlling.

If you decide not to invite family to the wedding, do be compassionate and considerate of their feelings, whatever they may be. Stand your ground, and if you decide to not invite some family members to your wedding, don’t cave to emotional blackmail.

Dos:

• Surround yourself with loved ones.
• Be mindful and gentle with people's feelings.
• Think of other ways to include non-invited family members.
• Invite them virtually.
• Thank uninvited family members for gifts.

Don'ts:

• Argue about your decision.
• Give in to invite fishing.
• Allow yourself to be pressured.

Reasons for not inviting certain family members include: they don't support your relationship, you've had a falling out, or they're controlling

If you don't invite certain family members to your wedding, you should be prepared for the possibility of backlash. It's important to be compassionate and considerate of their feelings, but also to stand your ground.

If you're not inviting certain family members, be compassionate and considerate of their feelings

• Be honest and gentle with people's feelings. Understand that they may simply feel left out.
• Think of other ways to include non-invited family members, such as having a second reception or inviting them virtually.
• Thank uninvited family members for gifts.
• Don't argue about your decision. Give them a warning that it's something you don't want to discuss.
• Don't give in to invite fishing. Simply reiterate your decision and decline to discuss it further.
• Don't allow yourself to be pressured. Tell them you're sorry they won't be attending, but don't give in to them pushing you to change your mind.

Don't cave to emotional blackmail

It's your wedding day, and you should be surrounded by people who love and support you. If you have a family member who is controlling, has a bad attitude, doesn't respect your partner, or doesn't support your relationship, you shouldn't feel pressured to invite them.

If you're worried about the consequences of not inviting certain family members, there are a few ways to approach the situation. You could lean on reasons like venue or budget constraints, or be honest and direct about why you're not extending an invitation. It's important to set clear boundaries and stick to them. Remember, this is your day, and you don't have to invite anyone you don't want to.

Lean on reasons like venue or budget constraints

If you're not inviting certain family members to your wedding, you can lean on reasons like venue or budget constraints. Here are some ways to do this:

• Be honest and direct with your family members about why they're not invited. For example, you could say something like, "I love and respect our relationship/friendship, but I won't be able to invite you to my wedding because [reason]."
• If you don't want to be direct, you can give a vague reason like, "I'd like to speak with you about the guest list for my wedding. When would be a good time for us to chat?" This way, you can prepare them for the conversation without giving too much away.
• If you're dealing with a difficult family member who's pushy about wanting an invite, you can politely decline by saying something like, "I understand you feel hurt by my decision, but I would like you to respect it as I won't change my mind."
• Remember that it's your wedding and your budget. You don't have to invite anyone you don't want to, and you don't need to explain yourself. However, if the person is sensitive about the situation, you can explain that you had tough decisions to make but still love them.

Frequently asked questions