Friendships/Weddings

This past weekend, my family and I went to a wedding. The wedding was nice although 45 minutes late, the processional was quick, nothing strange happened. It was destroyed in my opinion, by the ministers. There were two, the main guy tried to bring a message that made no sense, then the second person wanted to tell us info they had discussed in premarital counseling. He was also long winded.

They never said I now pronounce you man and wife. They jumped the broom and the minister stood in front and the photographer was unable to get a photo and the audience couldn't see it.

The groom was the son of my mother's childhood friend from church and school.

My mom was telling me she had been friends with the woman, "B" for over 50 years.

We went to Jr high and high school with B's children and my mother and B live 4 houses away from each other. I also went to college with the daughter. All but 2 of the groomsmen went to jr high and high school with us, so I guess the son keeps his friends too. I thought that was very nice.

My mother has another friend C, C's parents and my mother's parents grew up together in Bakersfield. Both C's family and my mother's family moved to Oakland at the same time, went to the same church and C and my mother.

So C, and my mother met B at the same time at church, and they went to the same jr. high through high school. My mother always has really nice stories about her and B growing up and hanging out. Whenever my mom and B get together, they will talk for hours and hours and hours and have lots of fun.

A few years ago B had a retirement party. B and her husband did quite well for themselves, have a fab home and nice children. B's husband got a promotion and began working in D.C. They bought a home there. B travels back and forth between the two states.

C asked my mother why B needed a house in D.C. and Oakland. My mother told C because they could afford it.

C was invited to B's party but didn't show up, she was in town and after the party she called my grandmother and tried to get details. My grandmother wouldn't give any details, she told her she should have come if she wanted to know about it.

C didn't come to the wedding this weekend either. B paid for the reception. It was probably around 30k or 40k for about 300 guests.

My mother instructed us not to give her the phone if C called looking for information about the wedding. She told us when you have a happy event, you can tell who is jealous by their failure to attend.

My sister asked my mother if B had went to C's son wedding, my mother didn't go and didn't know. My brother is C's godchild, he went to the wedding and said B wasn't there. I asked my mother why I wasn't invited to the C's son wedding and she said, the bride had only given C 10 invites because the plates were $100 each. My brother said about 200 people were at the reception.

Which leads me to my next point. I know people have wedding budgets. I realize I don't have to pay for my reception so I won't have this issue, but why would a bride limit the guests her groom can have? Why would she want his family and friends to be overwhelmed by hers. It's one thing if they don't come, it's another not to invite them because of money. She could have spent $50 a plate and doubled the guests. If my mother wasn't covering the reception I would figure something out not to limit his guests in favor of mine.

My mother said at her wedding reception she was able to invite everyone and she told me for mine I could have however many people I want. My groom's mother can invite whoever she wants and so can he.

What the heck is wrong with folks? What the heck kind of marriage is that? I need to check and see if they are still together.