Should Parents Help Plan the Wedding?
Ah, parents. You have to love them, at least if you’re lucky enough to still have them in your life. Of course, with that said, sometimes parents can get a little overbearing. In some cases, they might even try to take charge when it comes to your Maui wedding! And, depending on how you feel about them taking charge or even just helping, this may or may not cause tension. Plus, some couples worry about the etiquette of having the parents involved. While there are no right or wrong answers in this situation, there are a few helpful tips worth keeping in mind.
What You Want Matters
The first thing to understand is that, ultimately, your wedding day is about you and your significant other. You two matter more than anyone else on your special day, so consider what you both want when deciding the involvement level your parents should have. If you’re very close to your parents, for example, and love having them involved in the planning or even heavily involved, go for it . . . providing they don’t mind. If you’re not super close or if your parents like to take too much control, then it’s also okay to limit their planning involvement to a level you feel comfortable with.
Money Matters
Of course, with all of that said, if your parents have contributed a great deal of money to your wedding, then things get a little murky. Parents who have paid for a lot really do deserve to have some say in how the wedding turns out. This isn’t to say that they get to take over the whole wedding just because they invested in it, but their wishes should at least be considered. If they gave you money and asked you to use it in a certain way, for example, you should try your best to honor their wishes. And, if you don’t want your parents getting overly involved, then you might just have to turn down those offers of financial help.
Weddings bring families together, and sometimes, that can cause problems. Try to think of your wedding day, though, as a joyful occasion for everyone, and try to make it that way by following your heart on how much you want others involved, by being open and upfront with your parents, and by tailoring their involvement level to suit your preferences and their rights and feelings. If you treat everyone with respect and fairness, chances are that there will be no drama on the big day.
