DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My granddaughter’s first wedding was a courthouse ceremony followed by a brunch at a local café for just the immediate families.
Sadly, that marriage didn’t last but two years, and after a few years of being single my granddaughter, Jess, met a truly decent man who asked her to marry him at Christmas.
I am happy as can be for Jess and Connor, but it’s a little unreasonable that she’s getting a big blowout of a reception this time around.
Her parents are going to take out a home equity loan to pay for this shindig, even though the bride and groom and his family have offered to help with the costs and are more than able to.
At almost 30, my granddaughter is not a young, blushing bride, so why would she be in line for a full-blown event? I think it’s because she is the only girl and it’s her parents’ last chance to do a big, showy wedding, which doesn’t cut it for me as a reason to go into debt. --- DOESN’T NEED THE BIG TO-DO
DEAR DOESN’T NEED THE BIG TO-DO: I understand your concern for the strain the upcoming wedding will put on the bride’s parents’ finances, and hopefully they’ll take advantage of the offers of help from the couple and the groom’s family.
Ultimately, though, this is what they appear willing to do for their daughter and future son-in-law, perhaps as you speculate, if for no other reason than that they’ve always wanted to throw a grand celebration. Now they have the opportunity, they’re running with it.