Q.
I am getting married in the fall and will acquire three sisters-in-law. However, I literally can't stand one of them. How can I avoid being around her at the reception -- I don't want her to ruin my wedding day!
A.
No matter how concerned you are about having to spend time with a less-than-favorite guest at your wedding, it's guaranteed: You'll be too busy and excited to think about it! You'll be hugging your grandmother, Macarena-ing with your college pals, and smooching with your new husband. You might have time to smile at your sister-in-law, or maybe give her a peck on the cheek to be polite, but you won't have to spend an hour talking to her.
That said, you need to come to terms with the fact that this is your fiance's sister. It's unfair of you to ask him not to invite her to the reception. Whether you like her or not, she will soon be related to you, so get used to it! You might want to spend some time figuring out just what makes you dislike her -- whether it's grounded in fact and past experience or not -- and consider how you two can eventually get along.
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bethandjesse
It's so true that if you have to have someone you can't stand at your wedding, it's more than easy to not even notice them that day. My sister in law showed up to the wedding in a long light pink pageant gown -- totally overdressed for the wedding. It really looked like a wedding gown. the good thing is that I didn't notice it until I saw the wedding video. Although, several friends who were kind enough not to mention her at my wedding, did ask after we returned from our honeymoon if I was mad at her for what she wore. I really didn't notice it that day because it was all too easy to ignore her. I just wish I had told the videographer to try to keep her out of his shots. There's a really disturbing part on our wedding video where she takes my husband to the center of the dance floor and caresses his neck, and holds him closer than I had held him all night. It was diturbing. It's like she's trying to pretend for just one minute that she is the bride. Pathetic. She sure dressed like a bride and apparently everyone was making comments. My husband was embarrassed but his parents couldn't stop talking about how beautiful his sister was that night. None of them congratulated me or said anything about me looking nice that day. They are so strange -- all of them. It's like they thought it was her day and she was marrying her brother. So incestuous and disturbing! I hate to say it, but I really do hate my sister in law.
itutton
I'm in this exact same situation, except with my step-mother in-law to-be (hyphen much?) My fiance's dad was remarried only a few years ago and my fiance has ZERO relationship with his father's wife. He dislikes her very much. There was an incident close to a year ago where she personally attacked me and said the most hateful and hurtful things I have ever been told in my life. It let me mildly traumatized to say the least. I accidentaly saw her once and burst in to tears and could not stop crying for hours afterward. Neither of us have had any communication since the incident and I refuse to be in the same room with her. That being said, my fiance insisted she be invited to the wedding, simply for the sake of his father whom he loves very much. Our wedding is in 25 days and with each passing day I dread more and more having to see her. I'm just convinced she will literally ruin my entire day and the only memories I will have of the experience will be negative ones. Help?
itutton
I'm in this exact same situation, except with my step-mother in-law to-be (hyphen much?) My fiance's dad was remarried only a few years ago and my fiance has ZERO relationship with his father's wife. He dislikes her very much. There was an incident close to a year ago where she personally attacked me and said the most hateful and hurtful things I have ever been told in my life. It let me mildly traumatized to say the least. I accidentaly saw her once and burst in to tears and could not stop crying for hours afterward. Neither of us have had any communication since the incident and I refuse to be in the same room with her. That being said, my fiance insisted she be invited to the wedding, simply for the sake of his father whom he loves very much. Our wedding is in 25 days and with each passing day I dread more and more having to see her. I'm just convinced she will literally ruin my entire day and the only memories I will have of the experience will be negative ones. Help?
nht2424
I recently got married and I can honestly say I have the sister in law from hell. She has done mean and malicious things to me along with outright disrespecting me all the time at Christmas and every chance she gets. She was horrble during the wedding planning process BUT the day of my wedding I was so happy and so busy I did not see her at all except at the end of the night to say goodbye. There will be so much fun and excitment she will not even cross your mind. Just relax and enjoy your day
RByrne
I'm actually in the same position as you are, except its just one sister-on-law instead of three! But, she's had a history of being rude and an absolute burden on my fiance and myself, so I've established with my mother-in-law and fiance that my sister in law isn't invited to the reception because of a) b) and c). Because I had legitimate reason, it hasn't caused an issue. If it's really such an issue for you, sit down with your fiance and let him know what you're comfortable with- after all, its about you two, not the sisters. Good luck!