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A new step in StepLife

classyNJ's picture

SS26 is getting engaged next weekend.  Well he is asking her anyway.

Her parents and the mothers boyfriend are to attend as well, but it will awkward for them three. Seems they cant be in the same room without arguing.

We don't really know the parents too well.  We have tried on multiple occasions to engage them in conversations but it always goes like this:

Us:  so how are you?

Them: fine

Us: great, so (insert any question at all here to try to get to know them)

Them: answers and then walks away.

It is very frustrating.  Its the same as trying to get know the new soon to be SDIL.  We ask about her but she just gives one word answers and dog forbid she ask anything about us. 

DH has tried to get SS26 to wait a few more years.  They have only been dating a year and a half, but all his friends are getting married, having babies, etc.  UGH.  She is only 23 and SS26 is her first serious boyfriend.

Sad, but I am happy that I dont have to deal with DBDB since neither boy has talked to her in years.

I know I will cry at the proposal, I'm a sap, but wondering will they be happy tears or sad?

Happy Friday Steppers.  Just needed to tell someone.

Comments

JRI's picture

Well, it sounds like it will be interesting.  How is your relationship with SS?

classyNJ's picture

SS26 and I are close.  Much love for each other.  We have always had a wonderful relationship.  He is joking he wants me as a groomsman.  

ImperfectlyPerfect's picture

@ClassyNJ - try your best to remove yourself from the situation. I went through SKID wedding hype/drama/nonsense - you are damned if you do, damned if you don't. If in doubt, SIT IT OUT. Go through motions but the extra stuff? Mostly DIL and DIL's mommy will be running the "vision", just protect your wallet. 

As for DIL and DIL's parents stonewalling you...this seems to be the common occurence. Males of the family bond deeply with their wife's family and break off from their existing family. The inlaws really don't care to know you because you have nothing that they want and they already know they've got your son in their palm so...why even try? I suggest being cordial and leaving it at that. 

You may feel some frustrations pop up at how one-sided this deal is for SS but in the end - it's his problem, not yours. 

From what I remeber you've clearly laid out your boundaries - i.e.- when SS thought he would be getting a handsome inheritance from you - you directly and boldly corrected him. I would keep being direct and not get into any gray areas with the wedding stuff. If they ask for money or stuff or whatever - you make it clear what you are giving is a one time deal or if you are not contributing at all then be clear from the start. We ran into asking, asking and more asking - flowers flown in from thousands of miles away (that were not pretty by the way), extra special this and that- and then when the wedding essentials needed to be paid for DIL and DIL's family were quick to try to place it all on us. Our only saving grace was we took a strategy of paying for ONLY what the groom's parents pay for traditionally.

We put on a catered rehearsal dinner - absolutely gorgeous with fireworks to boot, grooms stuff,  paid for flower arrangements, etc- they really didn't keep a good budget and overspent (I had asked SS to create a quick budget and stated I would help him- he didn't and the whole thing was fairly disorganized.) 

So what did DIL's family do for the wedding? They served water and 1 cookie at the wedding (no meal, no nothing.) The reason I found out it was 1 cookie per person was I went up for a second cookie after 8 hours and the family running the stand told me "We saw you eat a cookie after the vows were exchanged, you're not permitted another one!" 

The irony is everything WE paid for was first class, DIL's family on the other hand didn't even hire a DJ they had our SS be the DJ. It was pretty interesting. It showed how one family was expected to really put out a great deal of resources while the other family felt entitled that we would cover everything and when we didn't they cut every corner imaginable - maybe it was to punish us ? But for the 300+ guests that they invited it reflected on them. To this day I typically avoid SS's rents - when I have seen them post-wedding they are typically screaming about the pandemic being a hoax, conspiracies left and right and spreading as much disinformation as they can discover from unprofessional news sources. I literally had to walk away when the DIL's mom started chanting bizzarro stuff in a parking lot after an event we were all at - she began demanding everyone join and I watched as SS, DIL and all these younger children from her different relationships were shouting her new chant. I looked at my partner and I didn't have to say a word...it was all too bizarre and that was the moment I released myself from feeling any type of way but indifference. 

 

classyNJ's picture

The SS22 was the one asking about the inheritance, etc.  SS26 never asked.  He just told us that he will take care of us when we are old.  *air_kiss*

DH has already stated that the only thing he will pay for is the bar at the wedding and the rehearsal dinner.  From the sounds of it, SS26 and STBSDIL are going to try to pay half and her parents pay the other half for everything.  We will see, but SS26 knows that we will not go above and beyond that.

I am relieved if STBSDIL do all the planning, etc., except for the rehearsal dinner.  The only thing I want to do is see the picking of the dress LOL  since I am a self declared Kleinfeld professional.

DH is blessed that SS26 doesnt seem to swing closer to her family.  He calls DH every day on the way to and from work, they play golf together and comes for monthly dinners even tho he works 6 days a week.  

DH and I are going to sit back with our cocktails and popcorn and watch. 

 

ImperfectlyPerfect's picture

"DH and I are going to sit back with our cocktails and popcorn and watch" if you take THIS attitude you will enjoy the show ! Also having a clear and stated boundary of what you guys are handling for cost will save you a huge headache. Enjoy the show!

Love that older SS is considerate - it makes a difference. My SS became controlled by that other family and he still doesn't "see straight" ever since. Sometimes he will shine a light on what he's gained from being with this new group of people and 9 times out of 10 it's some strange doomsday apocoplypse conversation that if I didn't know him I would wonder if he needed to be put into some rehabilitation program to re-enter into society. SInce he joined the clan he likes to discuss evil vs. good and how sometimes Satan knocks at his door and he's learned through the glory of this new found family how to ward off the evil. My DH actually thought he was joking with some of his insight that he was giving us and started teaseing him not realizing that the kid truly believes what he was saying. Needless to say, now we hear less about condemination but I think it's because we are outsiders who "don't get it." Ok by me. :) 

classyNJ's picture

The kool aid with some of these clans runs sweet.  So sad

AlmostGone834's picture

Holy he-.... Little Idiot will be lucky if she gets me to pay for sandwiches at the county park when she gets married.

ImperfectlyPerfect's picture

LOL @AlmostGone834 - and you know what? It did NOT matter. They were UNHAPPY with what we provided and fully HAPPY with what DIL's family did not provide. It was just another example of how SKIDville is upside down - what right is wrong and what's wrong is right. 

thinkthrice's picture

Its awkward to say the least.   Both DIL's parents are introverted/very shy.  I can only imagine what they think of the boisterous Chef!  I have only made small talk with DiL's mom as they are very large and close knit family and seem to only associate with immediate family members.

Rags's picture

Be confident, be radiant, and make this part of living your best life.  If FSDIL's family are the cockroaches they appear to be, they will run for the dark corners like roaches do when a light is thrown on in a dark roach filled room.

You and SS are close, Leverage that dynamic to stay close following the wedding.  Keep in mind that an engagement is no guarantee that there will be a wedding.  I My first engagement did not make it to a wedding.  

Keep investing in your relationship with your kid, the SDIL will get on board, or not. Either way, make you about your family relationships.

While some marriages certainly align the marriage more closely with the brides family, that is not a given.  My first marriage followed that model.  Mostly because my famiy was international and my XW and I lived in her home town. My XMIL was the dominant partner in that marriage, my XW tried that in our marriage. I am a product of a partnership marriage. So, XW trying to dominate was not how it played out.  Not that it really mattered considering her extracurricular activities.

I learned and never again would I call anyone mom or dad but my mom and dad, never again would I tolerate a marriage that isolated me from my family.  We have always been close though we have been spread across multiple continents.  My parents made our closeness an absolute regardless of geographic proximity.

We have never really had to navigate anything remotely similar to the dynamic in my first marriage IL configuration.  We met in a different State than my DW's family was rooted in and a different continent than where my parents were.  My parents retired to our city and built their retirement home between our home and my brother's a couple of miles from each of us.   My DW and my parents have an exceptionally close relationship.  Our marrital relationship with my ILs is good but the woman my DW has grown to be has little in common with her family.  Her epiphany, not mine.

So, bank on your family relationships, welcome SDIL if she actually makes the cut, and give SS the support of knowing his foundation family relationships are durable.

The variables in IL relationships within a marriage are an interesting study.  

Growing up, our family tended to be closer with my mom's family when we were younger. As we moved into our teens, that shifted heavily to being close with dad's parents.  In our marriage, my parents are SS's absolutely dedicated GPs.  My MIL and FIL for whatever reason generally do not get particularly close with their GKs or even with their own kids once their kids reach 18.  The SpermClan is a viper pit of manipulation though for some reason half of the SpermIdiot's spawn wallow in the pit, while two detest him and have some clarity and independence from that crap.  SpermGrandHag is the domineering matriarch.  Apparently SS escaping shook the foundations to that shit show causing some durable instability in the dynamic that was in place before SS wrote them off.  SS is not in a life partnership, He may never be.  His standards are so uncompromosing that I am not sure he can build a partnership that will meet his expectations.We may never need to get into the balance between ILs arena as Parent-ILs.

 

JRI's picture

As parents of 5 kids, we've met 7 sets of inlaw parents.  On a compatibility scale of 1-10, they've ranged from 3 to 8.  (I wonder how they'd rate us.  Lol.)

I'm civil and polite to them all, regardless.  Some have continued to be in the picture, no death or divorce.  I know there's always the chance I'll have to be interacting with them at gkid events.  A couple of them have been wonderful Influences and helps in our kids lives, others are inactive.  Whatever but thanks for the good ones.

Rags's picture

Paying per the traditional cost distribution can keep the drama down. If the Bride's parents want the princess bride extravaganza, they can pay for it.  The Groom's people cover the flowers (wedding party, church, and reception foliage), the tuxedos for the Groom's party, and the rehearsal dinner.

If... BIG IF.... both parties are respectful and reasonable, collaboration on a different cost distribution can happen.  However, any crap and ... nope.  Back to the historical cost breakdown.

My XILs approached my parents to split the cost of the wedding. My parents were amenable to that on the condition that each set of parents cut a check to both XW and me and we choose what to do with it. Buy a house, invest, wedding, or some combination.  Hell no. My XMIL told my parents that her daughter was having a top notch wedding. So, back to traditional cost application.  Karma... was that we married on Jan 2 at a Catholic Cathedral and the holiday arrangements were still fresh and in the Cathedral. So, that got my parents out of $Thousands in flower costs.  Meanwhile rip off her employer for even more and back at the ranch, XMIL charged a ton of crap to the business accounts of her employer, they remodeled their house to show off to their relatives from back East, got the business owner to do all of the meat for the reception, he is an award winning BBQ cookoff champion, and they tried to push me to provide all of the booze from my restaurant. Nope, can't give away ABC tagged liquor since it is taxed based on revenue for bar sales.  I probably started that marriage in an XMIL shit puddle now that I think about it.  Breaking the law was not something she thought a thing about avoiding. 24yrs later she went to Federal prison for embezzlement.

Harry's picture

It could be a long wedding.  Everything depends on how crazy the MIL is going to be and the bride.  Expenses of a wedding can go crazy .  Just for party that lasts 4 hours.  There are marriage that break up before the wedding is payed off.   Try to stick to your guns on how much money you are going to give. Plus's 10% more.    
'Try to stay out of it as much as possible.  Because everything is going to be your fault.

GOOD LUCK.  CONGRATULATIONS 

Rags's picture

My first marriage is one that broke up in short order.  2.5yrs total from wedding to final divorce hearing.  That wedding cost $12,000 per year of marriage.

DW and I eloped to Lake Tahoe.  Total cost of the entire wedding, including the road trip, hotels, etc... is $16.67 per year of marriage and dropping daily.  

Dad dropped a bit of wisdom on me regarding weddings.  "The cost of a wedding is not indicative of the quality of the commitment."

My mom and dad also eloped.  I would estimate that their cost of wedding per year of marriage performance is ~$0.97 and dropping.

I have been to some beautiful weddings.  Some were extravagant but I would not necessarily call them pretentious.  Those that were pretentious were made so by the behavior of the people in them.  My first wedding certainly was. By design.

My XMIL was hell bent on it being the social event of the season.  My XFIL was on the city council.  My XMIL was just one of ... those.... people.  There were 500+ guests.  Less than 30 of those were mine.  To balance the massive Cathedral where the wedding was held it was clearly stated on the invitation that seating would be balanced throughout the church.  The attendants seated everyone in a balanced manner.  As soon as people were seated they started migrating to the bride's side.  A picture from the choir loft at the back of the cathedral has the L side nearly fully packed with a few people even standing on the far edge.  The R side had a row and a  half of my friends and family with another couple of dozen sprinkled throughout the rest of the pews. Some of the sprinkles were my people, some were XW's people.

It got sticky over a couple of things. My great uncle was a nationally recognized and award winning gospel tenor. He sang The Lord's Prayer from the choir loft as part of the ceremony. XW's sister, and some family members did readings.  My mom's family are Southern Baptist. My XW's family are Catholic.  Apparently the Catholic version  of Our Father ends with "... deliver us from evil." and does not include  "For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen." at the end.  My MIL got all cranked up that my great uncle sang the Protestant version Vs. the Catholic version.  I doubt my Guncle even knew there was a difference.  The priest who officiated thanked my Guncle profusely for his singing and on how beautiful it was in the accoustics of the Cathedral.  He truly had an angelic voice and had several albums published throughout is young and later adult life.

The reception had some drama as well.  First was when some of XW's extended family attempted to kick out some of my employees.  Nope, I shut that down. One of the XIL extended clan was an undercover LEO in narcotics.  Apparently, unbeknownst to me, I had some waiters and bar tenders who supplemented their wages by selling pot. Something I did not learn until after the wedding.  My XMIL and my XW decided they were embarrassed by my intervening in ejecting people I had invited rather than by their clan over stepping.  Finally, my XW's family decided to do a dollar dance where people pay to dance with the bride or the groom.  Not something I find appropriate, but... generally not something I particularly care about one way or the other. While we were dancing during the dollar dance my XW's aunt crammed a handful of money down my pants and grabbed and stroked my junk.  I took exception but of course.... "Why do you have to make a big deal out of it, she was just joking."   My stance was that if one of my family members had tried fingering my wife during the dollar dance it would have been game on.  Based on her serial skank whore adultery career during out entire blessedly short marriage, she probably would have enjoyed it. It might even not have been the only time she was paid for it.

I get that weddings are important. We had a beautiful ceremony for our vow renewal on our 20th.  However, by then we could afford it. The timing of having it on our 20th Vs the more traditional 25th was due to my concern that my FIL would not live to our 25th. Sadly, I was right.  He passed a year before our 25th. At a beautiful winery/vinyard in her home town my wife got to have her dad walk her down the isle. Even with two DDs that was something he had never done before. My ILs declined to attend ou announce Lake Tahoe elopement. My SIL and her baby daddy and later DH eloped, just the two of them. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

All of this to say, there is no duty for a parent to pay for a wedding and that choice is entirely the choice of the parent. No one else. The parent that chooses to pay, should have more class than to beg for wedding money from anyone else.

IMHO of course.