Parents' divorce casts shadow on wedding

Dear Carolyn,

My parents recently went through a very ugly divorce. My mother cheated on my father, and a year later he?s still angry about it.

While their marriage was falling apart, I was proposed to by my soon-to-be husband. Wedding planning has been challenging. I am doing much on my own and am constantly worried about how my parents? families will behave at the wedding.

My mother and I don?t really have much of a relationship, but we are working on rebuilding it. Recently, my father asked me if I would be inviting her to the wedding (I haven?t made up my mind on that just yet). I explained to him that it?s a possibility.

He responded by telling me that if she comes he won?t be attending, which seems pretty selfish and unfair. I?m not asking him to sit at the same table with her; in fact, we plan to keep families separated as much as possible. I explained this to him but he doesn?t seem to care. He keeps saying this is ?his problem? but fails to realize the impact it has on me (therefore being my problem also). What to do?

? Overwhelmed Bride-to-Be

I?m sorry your happy occasion is shot through with sadness. Some ways to clarify things, if it helps:

(1) ?No, Dad, it?s my problem, too ? I have two parents, which hasn?t changed even though one hurt the other.?

(2) As painful as the prospect may be of a wedding-day feud, family stuff can only get to you to the extent you let it. Think about what?s really at stake here: Are you afraid your family will embarrass you in front of other guests? (No one worth impressing will judge you for it, I swear.) Do you fear reopening the wounds of your family?s dissolution? (Done deal, no?) Are you afraid any fighting will ruin the experience for your guests? (Assigning each parent a ?body man? ? a volunteer to help pre-empt trouble ? can give you peace of mind.) Do you fear ?rewarding? the wrongdoer?

(3) Take whatever fears you identify, and compare them against the idea of ex-cluding your mom, and of having your dad boycott. Project to 10 years from now. What?s your worst case? When the best outcome isn?t an option, it?s useful to think in terms of being able to live with yourself.

I realize this sounds un-appealing, but there?s no skill you?ll use more in marriage than the ability to sort out your own priorities from others?- and either bend or stand fast accordingly.

Email Carolyn Hax at tellme@washpost.com.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bostonherald/entertainment/~3/Bf32DVJs7bI/view.bg

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