Wedding Planning Blog by I Do! Wedding Favors

This is a topic that is not always easy to bring up. It is nice to ask your future in-laws what they would like you to call them, but it is also important to consider what you feel comfortable calling them. No, it is not acceptable to use any four letter words (at least in their presence).

When you marry into the family, will you call your new in-laws Mom and Dad? Does this feel odd? You have your own Mom and Dad already, right? Or perhaps you have lost one or both of your parents and you are excited at the idea of having a Mom and Dad again. But are your future in-laws comfortable being called Mom and Dad? Maybe they insist on it. Will your future mother-in-law be offended if you do not call her Mom. You have likely been calling them by their first names throughout your engagement, so it would seem natural to continue to do so after your marriage.

It is not unheard of for in-laws to expect to be called Mr. or Mrs. (insert last name here). This is very formal and is not common, but there are some people that will expect this from their future son or daughter-in-law. If this is the case then it is likely that there will not be a close relationship!

So, where do you stand with your future in-laws? Have you talked about what you will call them after the wedding? What would you like to call them (remember a PG rating!). Have they expressed any thoughts on what they would like to be called? What about your parents? What will your future spouse call them? Do you have any advice for starting this discussion? Do you have any good stories? Let us know!

Is it a cliché? Is your future mother-in-law going to drive you crazy? Will she enjoy torturing you endlessly? Well, maybe. There are definitely some women out there that will drive you right to the mental hospital. There are also women that are going to embrace you as part of the family and ask you to call her Mom.

Every mother is different. Some become so protective of their sons that no woman is ever going to be good enough for their little boy. The most that we can hope for is that our mother-in-law will at least not be completely opposed to the marriage. When a mother opposes a marriage, she can make all of the planning very difficult and full of drama. We all know that there is enough drama when it comes to wedding planning without adding fuel to the fire with a future mother-in-law that stands in the way at every turn.

Shelley and Adam were planning their wedding almost a year in advance so that they could try and plan as stress-free as possible. The church was booked. The reception venue was booked. The invitations were ordered. Then Adam’s mother demanded that the date be changed because it conflicted with her vacation with some of her girlfriends. This was a trip that was planned after the wedding date had been set. Did she do it on purpose? Sure seems like it. Luckily for Shelley, Adam spoke to his mother and would not give in. She whined and moaned and made the wedding planning a nightmare, but in the end the wedding was still beautiful and Adam’s mother went and had a pretty good time.

Where does your future mother-in-law fit in? Is she welcoming or is she causing drama? Will you be calling her Mom once the wedding is over? Perhaps you are already calling her mom. We want to know about your relationship with your future mother-in-law.