I need help! I am getting married for the first time this coming September to a wonderful man. We are paying for our wedding all by ourselves. Our wedding is only going to have about 150 people there, which believe me, with all our families and friends this is considered small. I do have 3 children from my Ex whom I was with for 13 years.

My problem is, I have a side of the family that I am not close with at all. In fact, growing up, their children and grand children were extremely mean to my brother and I because we were from a small town that they felt wasn't as "great" as there's. My Aunt and Grandmother feel that I have to invite at least my grandpa's sister and my great Aunt from this side of the family. These are the ladies that said (even recently) nothing but terriable, hurtful things about me and having children outside of marriage.

I really don't want someone there who feels this way about me. Do I have to invite them?

Honey, you can invite whomever you want, don't let someone tell you have have to invite someone you don't feel comfortable around, Remember this is your day.( Not theirs). My future mother-in -law tried that on me, and I told her it wasn't any of her bussines who I invited and who I did'nt ,She had her day now let me have mine. You should look at it that way. Besides if your aunt and your Grandmother really feel that way , chances are they Probrobly won't show anyway. Good luck and Best wishes!

My parents paid for my wedding - so there was more of a say on who was invited. (alot of their friends, etc.) We didn't care. But, if we had paid for the wedding - that may have been different. You figure you have to pay for them to eat, etc. And it's not someone you really like...
I wouldn't have them on the list.

I know this is a hard decission for you otherwise u wouldn't be here, but truly u are paying the choice is yours ;)

Don't invite them, and don't feel pressured into inviting them either!

What good can possibly come from having them there? Not much!

On the other hand, they could bring their spiteful comments to the happiest day of your life, and end up wrecking it!

Only invite the people you know love you and will support you on your day!

When people started telling me who I HAD to invite to the wedding, I asked them why they thought so. If the answer was "Well, they're your gramma's sister!" or something equally silly about the way they were related, I asked why that was so important that they should be included.

If the answer was something more along the lines of "They're the ones who helped you with that big test in college" or "They are the ones who gave you that table and chair set when you were first starting out"---that was different. They would obviously then have a connection to me more than just blood.

I would also accept - because they will give you a good gift. :)