My cousin is having a destination wedding (we are not going), with an at-home reception in July. I need to decide if we should attend the reception or not. Here's some info:
- the reception is 3 hours away and we would stay at my grandparents' house, so just the cost of gas and gifts
- the reception starts at 7:00; DD goes to bed between 7:30-8:00
- I am not close to my cousin (she did not attend our wedding or send a gift)
- I will be 29 weeks pregnant in the middle of summer
- the reception will have a cash bar and homemade food; supposedly my aunt (the MOB) is cooking everything herself
- DH's name was spelled wrong on both the STD and the invitation (maybe petty, but still rubs me the wrong way)
Honestly, I really don't want to go, but my mom is convinced that I will ruffle some feathers if we don't attend. Also it would be nice to see my grandparents, who are getting older and in declining health.
We try to go to family weddings if we can; like countthestars said, we usually like to see other family too. It sounds like the expense will be minimal. I'd bring a small gift and go. You can always bow out early and blame DD's bedtime.
Is it a fun town 3 hours away? A summer resort town? I think I would go for an hour and then use DD's bedtime as an excuse to leave early. Then I would spend the next day visiting with grandparents and/or doing up north small town things.
I have ten first cousins and while I'm not crazy about all of them I attend and will continue attending all of their weddings because I want to see my extended family. Also being 29 weeks is a far cry from being 39 weeks.
You sound kind of judgmental about the alcohol and food.
It sounds like you wouldn't have a nice time, so just send a card and call it a day. I'd visit the grandparents another time.
Aren't 99% of wedding-related posts on GBCN judgmental in some way or another? Lol. The cash bar is not my style, but it's a fairly common occurrence in the Midwest. However, I do think it's completely crazy of my aunt to prepare food for almost 200 people on her daughter's wedding day.
Is it a fun town 3 hours away? A summer resort town? I think I would go for an hour and then use DD's bedtime as an excuse to leave early. Then I would spend the next day visiting with grandparents and/or doing up north small town things.
I wish. Small town in the SW part of the state. Very boring.
I would, just to see family. I'd also stay until about 8/8:30 and just keep DD up. By 2, DD was able to stay up past her bedtime without becoming a holy terror, especially if she is playing with cousins.
I will tough it out and go to almost anything, so I would go. See your family the rest of the weekend and just stay until your daughter needs to go to bed. Or send her back with her dad and stay and socialize.
I don't think you have any obligation to go, if that's what you're asking. You don't want to go so don't
I would provably go because of the excuse to see the grandparents and other family at the event. I really don't see how the cash bar or homemade food are relevant. Yes, I think it's crazy to want to cook for 200 people, but someone else's decision to do so would have zero impact on my decision to attend.
You sound kind of judgmental about the alcohol and food.
It sounds like you wouldn't have a nice time, so just send a card and call it a day. I'd visit the grandparents another time.
Aren't 99% of wedding-related posts on GBCN judgmental in some way or another? Lol. The cash bar is not my style, but it's a fairly common occurrence in the Midwest. However, I do think it's completely crazy of my aunt to prepare food for almost 200 people on her daughter's wedding day.
I had a very small wedding. My mother insisted on throwing us a fake wedding (my words not hers) after my wedding for family. They set up a tent in the driveway. She cooked all the food. It turned out better than I ever would have imagined. The food was amazing, the tables beautiful, and every one had fun. The booze was free though .