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DEAR ABBY: My 33-year-old daughter is getting married, and the mothers have taken over her wedding plans.They want more than 200 guests, a full Catholic ceremony, fine wines, a full bar, plated dinner and a live band. My daughter wants to please everyone but is not a practicing Catholic.
She wants a small, intimate wedding with twinkling lights, a DJ and house wines from the California vineyard venue.Nothing she suggests is acceptable to the mothers, who see the ceremony as a means to impress their friends and business associates.I divorced her mom years ago, but I’m still involved in my daughter’s life.
How can I advise her to take control of her wedding? — DOTING DAD DEAR DAD: I tend to agree with you that a bride is entitled to the ceremony she wants, but sometimes there is no clear path to that end.No one will ever convince these moms to back off, and the repercussions of an elopement would be devastating. My advice to the bride and groom is to grin and bear it.
Let the mothers impress their friends (as long as they are willing to pay for it all), and the relaxation of the honeymoon will be all the sweeter.Your daughter can save her more intimate plans for a renewal of vows ceremony held on a milestone anniversary.Obviously, she will want to avoid telling the moms about it until after all the arrangements are in place! ** ** **DEAR ABBY: Our son, daughter-in-law and only grandchild live 1,400 miles away.
We are able to see them only about three times a year.We have a warm, wonderful relationship.
When we last visited, I noticed a picture in his room of our grandson, who is a year-and-a-half old, with his babysitter.There are no pictures of us with him in the entire house.
I would like our grandson to have pictures of us so he will remember us.Should I say anything? — REALLY HURT IN CALIFORNIADEAR HURT: Because you have a warm, wonderful relationship with your son and his family, the lack of photos of you with your grandson is likely not a deli...