I have looked everywhere and cannot seem to find the "proper etiquette" on inviting bridesmaids parents to the wedding.
I have 6 BMs: my sister, FI's cousin and 4 other girlfriends. Obviously the first 2 sets of parents are coming. As for the other 4 girls, 1 girl I have known my whole life and our parents are best friends too. 2 others I am close with their parents and would invite them even if they were not my BMs. I have only met the other girl's dad once and have never met his new fiance. She is also the youngest and is like my little sister. Do I invite them? We are trying (and have to) keep the guest list small but it is a destination wedding. Do I invite them and eliminate someone else from the guest list I would like to invite? I would hate if she felt bad that I didn't invite them.
If you are close to their parents or other family members, invite them.
I have three BMs who are not family.
I am inviting R's mom and brother but not her father, who've I've met only a handful of times, or her ex-step father, who I knew growing up with R. I'm not inviting the ex-step father because R's mother is closer to me than he is and she has a new, serious relationship. R's brother is invited because he was like an annoying little brother to me.
BM C's mother, her mother's fiance and C's grandparents are invited because I'm close with all of them. C's father is not invited, even though he lives down the street from my mother, because I never knew him well growing up.
But neither of E's parents or families, except her husband, of course, are getting an invite.
It all just depends on who has had an affect on your life and who you are close with now.
Thanks! I'm not sure if I was clear but ALL the BM's parents are invited for sure (because I am close to them). The only one I am questioning is the one girl's dad and dad's fiance.
Oh, ok. Well if you are inviting the dad, etiquette says you have to invite the fiance, too, as they are a serious couple. It's like my BM R's mother and her fiance. I don't know her fiance well, but he's getting an invite because R's mother is and I'm close to R's mother.
I'm actually just questioning if I should invite them (meaning, the dad and the fiance together). As my post said, I've met him once and don't know if the proper etiquette is to invite them because they are BMs parents.
I guess to make it easy, since I am inviting all the other bridesmaids parents, should I invite hers as well, even though I don't know them well?
I think it's simply a matter of whether you think your BM would be offended if all of the other parents are invited and hers aren't. I'm sure the dad won't care either way, but you don't want to introduce tension with your BM -- it's not worth it.
I have 8 bridesmaids. 3 are family and the others I invited all their parents but 1. It was hard but I was in her wedding last year and she didn't invite my parents and I knew they would be watching her 1 year old son so I think under certain circumstances its fine to forego inviting all the bridesmaids parents.
I find that most weddings I have been to, the only parents invited were those that the bride and groom were close to. I would not feel bad about not inviting parents that I hardly knew, if at all. I don't know whay they would really want to go to a wedding where they didn't know anyone. My sister has been a maid of honor twice, and my parents were not invited to either one. They were not at all offended, as they had only met one of them once, and knew the other bride while in she was in high school with my sister, but who they personally had not seen or talked to in about 7 years (she moved away for college).
Don't worry about inviting the dad (I am inviting 4 out 5 parent sets from my BMs myself-and I do know the 5th's, but just not close enough). Try to think of it from her dad/fiance's perspective- they know you as well as you know them, would them even want to come? If your BM is hurt by this you can always just explain the cost reason & your closeness to the other families. Don't over think it, in hindsight no one will think twice about it more than likely :O)
I have looked everywhere and cannot seem to find the "proper etiquette" on inviting bridesmaids parents to the wedding.
I have 6 BMs: my sister, FI's cousin and 4 other girlfriends. Obviously the first 2 sets of parents are coming. As for the other 4 girls, 1 girl I have known my whole life and our parents are best friends too. 2 others I am close with their parents and would invite them even if they were not my BMs. I have only met the other girl's dad once and have never met his new fiance. She is also the youngest and is like my little sister. Do I invite them? We are trying (and have to) keep the guest list small but it is a destination wedding. Do I invite them and eliminate someone else from the guest list I would like to invite? I would hate if she felt bad that I didn't invite them.
Thanks for any advise!
posted by LittleBear 80 posts 2 months agoIf you are close to their parents or other family members, invite them.
I have three BMs who are not family.
I am inviting R's mom and brother but not her father, who've I've met only a handful of times, or her ex-step father, who I knew growing up with R. I'm not inviting the ex-step father because R's mother is closer to me than he is and she has a new, serious relationship. R's brother is invited because he was like an annoying little brother to me.
BM C's mother, her mother's fiance and C's grandparents are invited because I'm close with all of them. C's father is not invited, even though he lives down the street from my mother, because I never knew him well growing up.
But neither of E's parents or families, except her husband, of course, are getting an invite.
It all just depends on who has had an affect on your life and who you are close with now.
Good Luck!
posted by BriLJL 99 posts 2 months agoThanks! I'm not sure if I was clear but ALL the BM's parents are invited for sure (because I am close to them). The only one I am questioning is the one girl's dad and dad's fiance.
posted by LittleBear 80 posts 2 months agoOh, ok. Well if you are inviting the dad, etiquette says you have to invite the fiance, too, as they are a serious couple. It's like my BM R's mother and her fiance. I don't know her fiance well, but he's getting an invite because R's mother is and I'm close to R's mother.
posted by BriLJL 99 posts 2 months agoI'm actually just questioning if I should invite them (meaning, the dad and the fiance together). As my post said, I've met him once and don't know if the proper etiquette is to invite them because they are BMs parents.
I guess to make it easy, since I am inviting all the other bridesmaids parents, should I invite hers as well, even though I don't know them well?
posted by LittleBear 80 posts 2 months agoI think it's simply a matter of whether you think your BM would be offended if all of the other parents are invited and hers aren't. I'm sure the dad won't care either way, but you don't want to introduce tension with your BM -- it's not worth it.
posted by busyDCbride 9 posts 2 months agoI have 8 bridesmaids. 3 are family and the others I invited all their parents but 1. It was hard but I was in her wedding last year and she didn't invite my parents and I knew they would be watching her 1 year old son so I think under certain circumstances its fine to forego inviting all the bridesmaids parents.
posted by pinklau325 119 posts 2 months agoI find that most weddings I have been to, the only parents invited were those that the bride and groom were close to. I would not feel bad about not inviting parents that I hardly knew, if at all. I don't know whay they would really want to go to a wedding where they didn't know anyone. My sister has been a maid of honor twice, and my parents were not invited to either one. They were not at all offended, as they had only met one of them once, and knew the other bride while in she was in high school with my sister, but who they personally had not seen or talked to in about 7 years (she moved away for college).
posted by bree72 89 posts 2 months agoDon't worry about inviting the dad (I am inviting 4 out 5 parent sets from my BMs myself-and I do know the 5th's, but just not close enough). Try to think of it from her dad/fiance's perspective- they know you as well as you know them, would them even want to come? If your BM is hurt by this you can always just explain the cost reason & your closeness to the other families. Don't over think it, in hindsight no one will think twice about it more than likely :O)
posted by tater 82 posts 2 months ago