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Step Daughter Marriage - Pictures taken without Step Mother - Discussed Months Prior to Wedding with Hunny

Peace 2's picture

Just had a beautiful wedding all paid for by Daddy. This man and I have been married for 8 years, I have 3 grown children and he has 2 grown children of which one is a girl. He has been divorced over 10 years, his EX has not remarried, nor does she have a "significant other". Hubby and I discussed months beforehand the order of pictures....(because this has happened before - graduations etc..) There would be a "family" picture made with all, including me, and then a picture of the wedding couple and us so that we would have a picture to at least put in a frame that didn't have his EX in it. He agreed, said that will happen I will make sure of it. There will be no pictures of Daddy and his EX alone with SD and new hubby....well guess what? That's exactly what happened. It was like my hubby and his ex had never divorced. One big happy family picture with the brothers, SD, her new hubby, EX WIFE and my hubby with the grandkids. Not one picture of me with the couple, or for that matter with my husband with them that didn't have the EX in it. Did my husband politely take a stand and tell his daughter I'd like to have a picture of you all with me and my new wife?? NO! So everything we had discussed prior to the wedding about the pictures was thrown out the window....WHY you might ask, well so did I as WHY? He said it was HER day and he just wanted to do whatever SHE wanted to do and that he didn't remember us having the discussion about pictures before they were taken. Which is just a lie. Which I understand it was HER day, I do...and I don't think I would be so upset had we not discussed it and it happened, that he couldn't control, but to deny it ever was spoken about and the fact that we won't have ONE picture outside of the SD and her new hubby alone to place on the mantel or anywhere else in the house, without his EX-WIFE in it...I find that troubling and disrespectful to me and cowardly on his part. i need some feedback...please tell me if I'm being petty or do I have any right to feel shunned?

zerostepdrama's picture

Yes I would most def. feel shunned. What kind of relationship do you have with your SD?

Let me share with you a story. I too am a SD. I love my SM and we have a good relationship.

I got married in October. I had a picture list. Same poses as you described. SM, Dad, Me and DH. Me, SM and my dad. Etc.

Well the day of the wedding it rained like crazy. So we were trying to get pics done in between the rain. And it was humid. So we were all miserable. Everyone who was suppose to be in the pics, everyone was running around. Everyone was thirsty, tired, hungry, needed a smoke.

So as much as I am a planner and had that list- everything went out the window. I was so over whelmed and tired and exhausted. If I saw that person and knew they were suppose to be in the pic I just grabbed them and took a pic. So if the pic was originally suppose to have 6 people and I could only find 4, well then that was good enough.

Not knowing what your relationship is with your SD, is it possible that she was just going with the flow of the photographer and didnt really think about it because it was such an over whelming day???

Peace 2's picture

The wedding was very laid back and the weather very cooperative, so it was not a hurried situation. Our relationship (SD) has been a rocky one. She has caused several problems for us and we have even sought counseling for them. My hubby acknowledges her issues and knows they are a problem but cannot bring himself to correct her. The counselor that we saw asked him to speak with her with me PRESENT, showing a unified front, that we were ONE, he said he would, never has. He has told me that he doesn't have that tight of a relationship with her (they live 4 hours away) and he doesn't want to sever that tie, so I end up paying the price by sucking it up and moving on. I do not hold her responsible for this, I hold him responsible. I do not know if it was intentional on her part, although I have my feelings that it was, just from past experiences. He said he made a mistake, I say he made a decision. I'm hoping that since she has married that daddy won't be that important to her and she can put her focus on her new hubby. Just from the past actions and how they have been handled by my hubby with her that this will continue forever. Some girlfriends and I have talked, they have similar situations, blended families with SD being issue. It just seems that respect was not taught early on in their lives for anyone, much less an adult, and not even your daddy's present wife. I have 3 grown kids, non of which would have ever excluded my hubby from a picture or requested that me and my EX hubby be in a picture together. Not that we don't (my ex) get along, just that we are not family in that way anymore. Separate pictures with EX's with couple is great. Pictures are forever, and this just didn't seem right to me.. Maybe my issue this time is with my hubby more than the SD.

frustratedstepdad's picture

Oh it's just an excuse. My DW tells me the same bullshit, that she doesn't want to correct her adult kids because she doesn't want to lose the relationship with them. It's all complete bullshit

svillemomof4's picture

I am all about it being the bride and grooms day and neither parent, whether they pay or not, should tell them the must do this or that. Except on a few points. Pictures being one of them. Your DH is at fault here. He showed your SD, SIL, and BM that he is not going to stand up for you. He showed them that you don't matter enough to have pictures made with just you, him and SD. That is so not right. If your SD knew you wanted this and didn't make it happen it could just be that she wasn't thinking at the moment, not meant to hurt you. Did you ask your DH before you left the place "What about our picture with SD and SIL alone?" If not, you should have.
Photoshop works wonders though. It is worth trying!

Drac0's picture

Hmmm....I'm probably not the right person to give advice here because I am trying my darndest to GET RID of pictures of SS in my house (Shhhht! Don't tell my wife). So if my SS gets married one day and decided he doesn't want me in his family photograph, I wouldn't be upset. I can't be hurt for not being in a picture with him when I am currently in the process of trying to get rid of pictures of him in the first place.

That being said, your husband is right, it is HER day, but I am little confused here. Why are you and hubby deciding who is in what picture? At my wedding (and every wedding I have been to) the photographer takes a multitude of family shots with a variety of combinations. This way there is a photo of everyone on this special day.

Peace 2's picture

The photographer was not in control when it came to the family pics and all together shots, only the ones of the wedding party and bride and groom together. The bride (SD) was calling the shots for the "family" pics. I will try to get in touch with the photographer and see if she can photo shop us a pic of the couple and us together. That is a good idea.

rainbow bright83's picture

I got rid of my Sids' pictures when we moved. I told my DH that after i hung all my pictures (of my kids) there wasn't room for the skids pictures and that i couldn't find the box we put them in (i hid them. I know its mean and low but i don't care) He would get pictures from time to time and try to put them up somewhere and i would slowly start taking them down. Now there are none. And my DH doesn't even try anymore.

20YearsAsAStep-Mom's picture

Duplicate

20YearsAsAStep-Mom's picture

It may sound bad, but I understand. I don't want to be reminded daily of the hurt and betrayals by my DH's DD's so I won't hang their pictures up either. If DH wants their pictures up on a wall he will have to buy a new house on his own with his own private walls.

It goes deeper than just "winning".

Edited to add: It has taken me 2 years to not have panic attacks regarding the OSD. I truly believe I had (have) PTSD and could not live with her face on my wall.

Poodle's picture

it's not about winning or a battle. It is about whom you both or each want to look at on your walls. If the spouse with the solo kids has a study or office then the pics can go there. I did not sneakily remove the ceremonial pics of my SKs I simply let them stay on the shelf for a while then cleared them away whilst reorganising the look of the place, as I frequently do. I really like one of my skids but don't keep hers up as it could look pointed. Our house is not their home (they weren't raised by us and we moved home when they were adults anyways) so no, our home contains my choice of pics as I decorated it all anyway.

luchay's picture

I have to be honest, we do have pics of the skids up in my house, but I am just careful how I place them. As mean as that sounds - no I do NOT want to look at SD's face - not even in a pic.

So, they are strategically placed so that I cannot see her face in them. Well, there is a large 3 pic frame which I cannot avoid, but they were both a LOT younger in those pics, so, a strategic candle in front and voila! All the pics I have up have stuff in front of them so it doesn't look pointed - you would never even notice unless you studied the shelves REALLY carefully - and the thing is, you can see them from different angles in the room - the doorway for example, or standing in front of the fire... but where I sit? Nope }:)

Regarding the wedding pics.

As a step-daughter myself - we had "arranged" photos.

I had a SM (who I hated BTW LOL) and a SDad - who I love.

I have pics of my (ex) husband and I with my dad and SM, Mum and SDad, Me with MY parents - no steps - they are still both my only parents even though no longer married. But I did include my step-parents - I have pics of both sets of "my" parents with us, my ex's parents, ALL the parents LOL - so many pics!!!

It was a painful process. At the end of the day I think your husband messed up - while it was fair and right for your SD to have pics of just her, the groom and her parents/his parents etc, YOU should also, as a common courtesy, have been included in some.

Drac0's picture

I've done the same with photos DW gave me of BS, BD and SS. I asked DW once for photos of our children to put up in the office here at work. By "our" children I meant BS and BD, but she included SS in there. So I have pictures of all the children thumb-tacked to the cubicle wall. I placed them one on top of the other, with BD at the top, BS in the middle and SS at the bottom.

Gosh darn it! You wouldn't believe the pile of paper work that keeps piling up on my desk! It piles up so high it keeps covering SS's photo!

blayze's picture

Oh my gosh! You have a right to feel like crap! You are not being petty. You and your husband talked about this beforehand. He didn't make your feelings a priority and since he PAID for the wedding, he should have spoke up!

I feel bad for you. Sad
My stepdad came around when I was 18 and I STILL can't imagine shunning anyone like this! His daughter, my "stepsister" did this to my mom and that is the basis of all issues between them... well, that, and the fact that stepsis had her mother and father seated together at the church (but my stepdad insisted he sit a row behind, with his wife).

Sadly, your husband will never understand what this means to us as women. The fact that he "forgot" the conversation annoys me...my SO conveniently forgets convos like this as well.

Be petty... have a petty party. Smile And for goodness sake, please stop calling yourself his "new" wife. Eight years is not "NEW" and you deserve better treatment from your man.

Peace 2's picture

He finally issued me an apology and admitted to me her lied about the discussion prior to wedding, but it took 10 days of me being mad about it. Good night! He just said he was trying to make her day and he didn't want to upset her by excusing himself from a picture or taking her aside and explaining y. I told him he should have discussed with her way before the day! This isn't the first time he has done something like this, it like choosing a side, when he didn't need to do that, just do what he said he would, easy and over with. Everyones happy.

Peace 2's picture

Exactly what I asked him!! I said "Who do you live with?" don't you think that this kinda stuff will have repercussions and they won't be pretty?? It wasn't a lot to ask I didn't think and since it had been decided on I wasn't in the mind set when pictures started to even address it with him had it not happened. I was pretty much stunned! Kept my cool with him thru the reception, was a perfect wife and guest. Then it hit the fan when we left.

Peace 2's picture

We get along, haven't had an "issue" in several years, I didn't think it a problem....but I wanted to establish some kind of protocol on us having a picture of them and us together without the EX beforehand, since it had happened with her before.

Poodle's picture

Peace 2, don't underestimate that it is a great breakthrough when your ~DH admits in this sort of situation that he lied for what he thought was going to be a quiet life. This leads to a lot more honesty in the relationship and the opportunity to discuss just how twisted his values have become. I came to this point after counseling that I had with my DH and he was able to admit to a number of significant lies and then move on. In a horribly ironic kind of way, I am pleased for you that he had the guts to fess up on this. It's the lying and dishonour of course that hurt you far more than the pictures themselves.

Ruby55's picture

If the girl had an ounce of class she wouldn't need her sad to tell her to include you in some photos. She should have naturally don't that. She basically made it crystal clear to you that you are not a part of the family in any way. What a brat! How are you supposed to behave toward her now?! It's not like you are her dad's girlfriend, you are his wife and you say you get along ok. It's just awful want she did!

Peace 2's picture

It was OUR money, we don't have separate except for "mad money". I don't have any problems with spending an appropriate amount on a wedding for it to be nice and she deserves it, but I in exchange would have like to have had one darn picture for a frame!

Peace 2's picture

I doubt I will ever get my hands on them to be able to burn them, they will prolly all come on a disc for us to print what we want off.....then I will destroy it! Smile

morethanibargainedfor's picture

I would of just simply said something to her myself. "Hey SD, lets get a pic of you guys and me and your dad. I'd like one to frame for the house". I doubt she would have said no to that....

Peace 2's picture

Had I had an opportunity to do that I would have, but I don't think it would have been welcomed. I feel as tho it should have come from him. But heck, if there's ever another wedding for her....I will! LOL

Peace 2's picture

Believe me, there will be no picture other than the wedding couple and that's it. I don't dislike his EX but I sure don't want a constant reminder of her in my home in a frame.... Smile

Patsy's picture

OMG! I would be upset, but my SD got hitched at 17 we weren't invited. For her second marriage who knows I might not even go. If I did go I think I would want a picture of just DH and SD to have. Then another one of SD and DD together. DO you think she might have pulled him aside or contacted him before that she didn't want a picture with you. Your right to be mad at him. If SD was calling the shots she might I thought you didn't want to have your picture taken with her.

Peace 2's picture

We are a very "picture taking" family usually. Just random pics when we are together with cell phones and all. it never seems to bother her unless her mom present. Then seems to me it becomes an issue of she doesn't want it to look like she likes me in the slightest to her mom. Even tho her mom and me get along fine, but it may all be a put on and who knows what gets told behind my back. Now I sound paranoid! I don't see anything changing, just simply because Hubby won't hurt her feelings or address anything he thinks might not be her idea.

Patsy's picture

I bet your right she didn't want to say anything if front of her BM. If it happens again have you considered speaking up when you see it happen?

frustratedstepdad's picture

That would irk me too, and I completely understand your frustration because it just makes you feel like an outsider. Most of the "family" pictures that get taken I'm hardly in any of them, so I completely understand how it makes you feel. Always makes you feel like 2nd class citizen.

Peace 2's picture

i can't say I won't go because hubby will have a come apart, then I am being the difficult one. I am supposed to be the ADULT....excuse me, so is SD an adult. Someone needs a lesson on keeping your word I think (HUBBY)
Life is way to short to be not respected by people you have shown nothing but respect.

twoviewpoints's picture

I don't agree with your opinions often, but yes, this is pretty much what I kept thinking as I read through this thread. As a bride I would want a picture of me with both my parents. They divorced each other, but they are still my parents and they didn't divorce me. Wouldn't matter to me if the two had to paste a smile on their unwilling faces and tough it out...suck it up, Mom and Dad. (Neither parent has to actually order this shot. While I would want one for myself, I would not be dense enough to think they themselves would want copies of it). I may not display a photo of Mom, Dad and me in my home on the mantel/wall out of respect for either parent and stepparent who might be visiting my home (if I thought it really upset that parent and/or their new spouse), but I sure would have one taken for my wedding memory book.

However, the father of the bride (who paid for this wedding) should have requested a photo of the marrying couple along with his wife and himself. Especially knowing OP wanted a shot of this foursome. What's one more shot if it keeps peace? Just as BM should have had a shot/s taken of just herself and the bride (a new husband if one existed included in BM's also). When the parents pay for the wedding and the bride readily took the money, the parents should be able to have a few shots of something for him/her that can be displayed and a good memory of the day if they so desire...otherwise the bride and groom should be entirely paying for the big day.

Having a photo done of OP, Dad and couple does not make OP the mother-of-the-bride anymore than one with Mom, Dad and bride/groom make Mom and Dad 'still a couple'.

sandye21's picture

Make a 'statement': Print out the picture with BM and the rest of the brood in it. Then take a very nice picture of you, copy it on a copy machine, cut it out roughly and paste it on top of BM. Make sure it's under the glass too. And then place it on the mantel for all to see when they visit - but not until just before the visit so DH can't remove it. Think of the pleasure you will get when you see the looks on their faces. OR give DH a choice of having you photo-shopped in to the photo in place of BM and paced on the mantel for all to see. Tell him it's non-negotiable. Period.

sandye21's picture

I guess the SD didn't know that the SM forked over money for the wedding. It was DH's responsibility to give SD that information and insist SM take part in the picture taking. It is sad though that SM was excluded from all of the pictures. No matter whose fault it was SM was the victim of extreme insensitivity.

Tough Dragon's picture

Yes, I agree a wedding day is for the bride and groom. However, it’s a day to show and share their love for one another. Not a day for the bride and DH to disrespect SM.

SM, I think it’s very sweet that you wanted to have a photo taken of your family unit, which includes you with DH, the bride and groom, SS and your own children (incl. grandkids). You were not being unreasonable at all with your request. DH should’ve made sure it happened as to not put you in an awkward position. He should be grateful you care about his children enough to want to put such a photo on display in your home.

I can surely relate to this post. Although the very aggravating circumstances during the weddings of my own SKs weren’t in relation to photos, I still got “Punked” in one way or another and my DH didn’t do anything to fix the situation or even bring it up afterwards. And, yes we discussed the issues in advance. So I thought everything would be covered without any drama on that “special day.”

I’ve had many years of my own experiences and have read about tons of others in similar situations. I found in most it’s the DH who seems to be too passive or afraid to bring up anything that may cause friction between himself and his children, even if it means disrespecting his life partner.

I feel badly this happened to you. Sad

SMto2's picture

I also feel really bad for you. I am so sorry to say this, but I think it was a major slap in the face to you not to have one of you and your DH with the bride and groom. That one logically should have come right after the one of BM and DH with them. I blame BOTH your SD AND your DH, as SD obviously didn't want to upset BM, and DH obviously didn't want to upset SD, but neither of them cared about how you would feel. I agree it was nice to include you in the group shot (I doubt I'll even get that if my youngest SS gets married--oldest SS eloped, thank God!) If it were me, I think I'd have a hard time displaying ANY photo from the wedding. Also, I sure would not bother to photoshop myself into a photo that didn't really happen & give her the satisfaction of knowing you were hurt.

Rags's picture

As a parent I do not give a crap what the bride and groom want if what they want causes pain to my spouse. I would very clearly speak in a manner that insured that I was neither misunderstood, or misquoted, or ignored..... "You two stand right here while my bride comes up for a picture with just the four of us."

dadsnewwife's picture

I agree with all of the other posters...what your dh did to you along with his daughter was beyond rude and disrespectful to you! I would be livid with my dh, but, of course you have to forgive him and move on, so Photoshop sounds like a brilliant idea! SS31 married when dh and I were still dating, so obviously I wasn't in any of the pictures which totally doesn't bother me. I have little use for my now 3 SSs due to their drug use. SS31's marriage only lasted a year and a half anyway, so obviously there are no wedding pics in our house...only pics of his now 6 year old son. MY DD28 is getting married this year and, being the mature adult she is, I have no doubt she will be very aware of what kind of pictures are taken. Her father has been remarried for 5 years and me for 3, but we don't speak to each other, so I'm sure she will be kind enough to not force us to be near each other any more than we have to. My guess is there will be pictures taken with her father and his wife and one of me and my daughters + SIL with me and dh. We have not been an "intact" family in 7 years (although we WERE for 25), so she won't try to pretend through pictures that we ARE (like YOUR SD did). I'll bet if her mother had a new dh, it would have been different, but since she's single, I'm sure your SD was just looking out for her mother's feelings. I thought of that...how would I feel at MY DD's wedding if I was alone and my ex was there with HIS wife. It would have been much harder. But, anyway, I just hope my DD28 thinks of these things and I can get a nice picture with my 4 DDs, new SIL, dh and I. The harder thing will be to see my ex's 2 Skids in their "family" picture. They blended with my DDs, unlike dh's sons, so needless to say, dh's sons won't be at the wedding. I doubt dh will be at all happy to have a picture taken like that without HIS kids there and will hate it if I display it at our house. He already hates that there are more pics of my DDs in our house than HIS sons, but I'm a mom and have lots of pics of my kids. He was a single father who didn't have alot of pictures, so too bad. 2 Christmases ago, my in-laws came for the day and took "family" pics of dh, his sons, and me and how uncomfortable that was for ME. I was screaming in my head, "THIS is not my family! My DDs aren't here!" I hated it. My MIL has that picture in HER house and when we visit, I cringe. Needless to say, I do NOT have it in MY house. Probably the only picture I will be able to display from the wedding is the one of my DD and her new husband. But, if there IS a picture with my dh and my kids, I'll definitely print it out to put on my desk at work. THAT'S MY family. Smile

I love my Pitt bulls's picture

I didn't want to be in any of her wedding pictures nor expect her to ask me so there was no disappointment there. we did not pay for her wedding, she was 30 or so an had lived with her hubby for over a year. we did give them 2000.00 for their honeymoon. we got no thank you nor did I expect one from her. The people in her wedding party were strangers to her dad and me, and I honestly don't care. Our youngest son, her half brother and our oldest son, her step brother were not in the wedding, which made me even more justified and glad we didn't contribute financially to her tacky wedding.
I didn't buy any wedding pictures so we have none in our home.

jmvilen's picture

Actually, what upsets me most about this story, is that the husband told his wife to her face and was agreeable to one thing, and then turned around and did another. To me, he should not get a free-pass for that. I think there may be a little of this going on in the household: And Dad's house may become the "no rules" household-meaning there are few rules about treating stepmom with respect, both because he is fearful of alienating his kids, and because of his ex wife's influence. When a wife or partner with stepchildren attempts to assert her right to being treated fairly in the household under these conditions, her husband or partner may not support her position. This causes tension within the couple. . . Sound familiar? I think dad basically threw her under the bus. It made him look good to his kids, and made his wife look like a witch, who even dad could not take seriously. The issue actually has very little to do with picture-taking or whether or not it is someone's special day. The issue is about a couple--dad and step-mom--who are not on the same page.

still learning's picture

The wedding day is about the couple, their parents, extended families etc. Often step parents are not part of the equation, pictures, honorifics, etc. Oh well. If ss30 ever gets married I would rather NOT be in the pictures. I'd be happy minding the bar while everyone is sitting in their place of "importance." To even pretend that I am some kind of "mother" to ss30 gives me the hives. I'm DH's wife and that's where my title ends. I'll get 5 chances to flaunt my motherhood status when/if my own kids get married.

DH can be in all the pics he wants, BM and him together, their "intact" family, whatever. DH doesn't even like being in the same room as BM so it would be fun to watch from the back of the room with a glass of wine in my hand. And putting up pics of the atrocity in our home. HA! I don't know if DH has ever placed a pic in a frame. Pics would sit in a dusty envelope in some dark corner just like all the rest of his pics. I kinda hope it all happens this way. I couldn't buy better entertainment.

jennaspace's picture

I think SD wanting a picture with her parents is legitimate. Divorced or not, they are her biological parents. I've been in that situation and I made sure this photo was taken for stepdaughter's sake. My DH and his ex stood on either side of his dtr so it eliminated them looking as much like a couple.

That said, it's very rude not to include you in other pics. You and your DH with the bride, then bride and groom, then just you and DH etc... Your DH is at fault for letting you be passed over.

Ruby55's picture

I am SO sick of this "it's her day" crap! Since when is having a wedding someone else is paying for an excuse to act like a spoiled bitch?! I would be livid, mostly at DH! How dare he allow this brat to disrespect you? I grew up with divorced parents, a crazy ass step mom to boot. Here's what happened at my wedding which my dad paid for:
There was ONE photo of me and my mom and dad before they both walked me up the aisle
Family photos after: us with my Mom and immediate family, us with my husbands mom and immediate family, us with my dad and step mom and immediate family (same as the ones with my Mom - siblings,niece etc.
NO photos of the whole family with mom and dad - it never even occurred to me to request that! They are divorced, his wife is his family!
There was the big album which included lots of photos of the above combos and then a framed collage of shots for mom, dad and step mom, and husbands mom.
What is with these bratty brides trying to pretend a divorce didn't happen, how incredibly disrespectful to leave you out of them all and for your husband to stand by and allow it! If be really angry and I'm sorry you were treated so poorly.

Ruby55's picture

And in addition the one photo of me and mom and dad, while in my album, is not framed in the house. Why would it be? Sure it's nice to have one of all 3 of us but I was a freaking adult when I got married, they were long divorced. If either of my awful skids ever gets married, not a dime of my money will go toward it, I won't attend invited or not and if my DH has any "family" photos taken with bio wench except maybe just one of the three of them and maybe their son, he doesn't need to bother coming home. And there is no way any photo with BM face in it will ever be displayed in this home and it would be seriously sick for anyone to expect it to be!

Ruby55's picture

Lastly, the ONE photo of me and mom and dad...they stood on either side of me and looked nothing like a couple! And they didnt hate each other at all, they simply have separate lives!

jennaspace's picture

"Believe me, there will be no picture other than the wedding couple and that's it. I don't dislike his EX but I sure don't want a constant reminder of her in my home in a frame."

You might want to rethink that one(having a wedding photo of SD up). You could let your DH have this wedding picture in his office at work. This picture will serve to remind you, in your home no less, of a time you were shunned by your SD and DH eagerly stood by letting it happen.

I used to have these sort of photos around my house. Photos of people who had been mean to me in DH's family, smiling at me from my Fireplace mantle. I put them up because I thought I should, wanting to prove that I was a family person. This, despite the fact that I knew some of them would never put up my picture in a million years.

The day I took all those photos (I had put up) down and handed them to my DH, was a very liberating one indeed.

Our home is our sanctuary. Why put up mementos of people or occasions that made us feel put down and less than? Your DH caused this problem, now he can figure out where he can put the photos so that you aren't reminded of this event on a daily basis.

dood's picture

I think you're 100% in the right, Peace... That was just a shit, shitty thing for your DH to do. It's cowardly, disrespectful and just not a nice thing to hurt your feelings that way. Just another example of Dear Dad sucking up to his child... and a GROWN UP child, no less, to not damage some dysfunctional crap that likely has been going on for YEARS at your expense.

Just.Not.Cool.

I wouldn't photoshop anything, that's even more insulting. And I wouldn't acknowledge the wedding or ANY photos of it going forward.

Overit1960's picture

Yes, I learned that I was far too generous with the evil SDBee from the beginning. Generosity, it seems, is to be taken advantage of and then you (*&^ upon the generous person.

My therapist told me I expected too much... REALLY? All I ever wanted was to be treated civilly like a human being and with the respect that you give another human being.

sad-stepmom's picture

Your husband just showed the lot of them that he's not willing to stand up for you. I would be humiliated and hurt too.

By the way, seeing all the posts about people taking down pics of their step-children... It occurred to me that my husband only has pics of his kids in his home office and work-office -- no photos of me. What a total fool I am, honestly.

tired and stressed's picture

My husband loves to make sure he doesn't make waves for his skids, no matter how much it hurts me. He likes to ask for forgiveness later than to ask for permission before hand. This is why he always gets mad at me if I try to plan things ahead of time. WE have been together almost 13 years...he is very predictable this way.
My SS was getting pictures after a sporting event and there was a supposed to be a family pix...our kids, DH & all SKIDS and BM..I was asked to leave the pix by the photographer (he didn't know)...before I realized that my kids were still in the picture, the picture was already taken...I was beyond pissed...my husband, kept saying "What did you want me to do?" I know his SKIDS had a good laugh about that one.

Justme54's picture

OMG!

No Name's picture

When my SD was married I too was not included in any of the photo's.
But at the end of the day, that is OK with me because I wouldn't want to feel obligated to display it in my home anyway and I know my husband would have insisted on it.
What ever happened to treat people the way that you want to be treated?
I am sure that my SD would have preferred that I not even be at the wedding.
It's all good when I am helping her or spending money on her or buying her gifts but other than that I am just the woman that is married to her Dad. Slowly but surely I am getting over it.

ldvilen's picture

tommar24365, I loved your comment: "My parents. MINE!" And, I agree with you completely that every child deserves to have a picture of them with their parents at their wedding, divorced or not. However, your comment is a little bit ironic in that this is how a lot of step mothers feel about their husbands: My husband. MINE! Yet, we often do not get to be with our husbands at our step-children's wedding. We are supposed to act more like co-workers. (Yes, I actually saw that on one site as 'advice'--for step-moms to go to their SK's weddings and act like a co-worker.) Geesh! At my SD's wedding, the photographer was my SS. Boy, I found out what hell was that day, is all I can say. I was totally blindsided. Just thought I was going to SD's wedding with husband to celebrate her special day. They were invited, so I brought my parents (in their 80s) to her wedding, as SD and SS had been doing things with all of us for years. Anyway, SS basically refused to take any pictures that included me, them, anyone in my family. That wasn't the only big surprise in store for me that day either. It was bad. I was pretty much kicked, beaten, and then hung up to dry. Anyway, seriously, I am seeing a counselor to deal with the many issues that sprung from this event, including husband looking the other way while I took my lickings. Trying to figure out where to go from here. This site has been very helpful--to see that others wrestle with similar issues too. Then I don't feel so alone. Because, believe me. I did not see it coming at ALL!!

JLRB's picture

My husband's son got married nearly 2 years ago. We weren't married at the time, but were very much in a committed relationship and were living together. My husband spent several thousand dollars on this wedding, including the rehearsal dinner for 50 people that included an open bar. His ex was supposed to contribute half, but she bailed out. I had to stand by and watch him being posed in the family photos like they were still one big happy family. He and his ex are not on speaking terms whatsoever. He asked if there could be a couple of photos with just us and the newly married couple. Two photos were taken, but then when the bride posted her wedding pictures on Facebook, there were none that included me. It was ok when they were taking money from my husband, but they couldn't even respect us with one picture that included me.

Ruby55's picture

There is no way in hell I'd allow myself to be treated like my DH coworker. I find it ridiculous and immature for anyone old enough to be married to expect their divorced parents to pose in family photos together. And if my husband's money, which is OUR money, is going to pay for this wedding, you better believe I expect to be treated with respect and as his wife! Not only do I have divorced parents and never behaved this way I have been to many, many weddings of friends whose parents are divorced and never was the stepmother shoved aside and divorced parents posed as if they are still married. I can understand one photo of the bride and their parents but how self-centered to expect that because it's "their day" paid for by someone else, that they can treat people like crap. Were these people raised in a barn or something? Absolutely, positively ridiculous!!!

ldvilen's picture

That's good to hear Ruby55--"Not only do I have divorced parents and never behaved this way I have been to many, many weddings of friends whose parents are divorced and never was the stepmother shoved aside and divorced parents posed as if they are still married."

Even though I’m older, I actually haven’t been to that many weddings involving steps. I always wonder who the instigator is of some of these odd occurrences. Is it SK, BM, wedding planner, officiate, etc.? Probably a combination of the above. Some people try to quote wedding etiquette, but really, that is all over the board, and trust, me, I have researched step-mother wedding etiquette in depth. Isn’t the main thing just to treat everyone with respect at your wedding? And, if you can’t take a couple of pictures of dad with his wife AND give them to him, especially if you have done things with them for years, then to me common sense should tell you that is skank. I always think the way to tell would be to simply reverse it—for example, if you were at a kid’s wedding with your wife and someone only wanted you to be in family pictures, how do you think your wife would feel, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, how embarrassed would you be that your wife was being punked. That is something else that bothers me too—how the dad’s feelings are zero taken into consideration either. I mean, it is one thing to punk your step; but, you are basically sticking it to your dad too. I truly believe it is a maturity thing, after doing a lot of looking into this. Younger SKs getting married, who, granted, will still be a lot under BMs control, think it is fun to stick it to step-mom, not realizing this will negatively affect their relationship with their dad. I think what I’d tell these young people is what is more important to you: Sticking it to step-mom or having a good relationship with your dad? You can’t have it both ways.

Ruby55's picture

I completely understand how you feel and would feel exactly the same way. The one photo taken of me my mom and my dad, was not a planned or posed photo it was just the three of us getting ready to walk down the aisle and a nice photo op presented itself. Each parent on either side of me, looking nothing like a couple. I would not have dreamed of asking them to pose in other shots together as if they are still married. Nor would they have wanted to. Just completely bizarre in my opinion. If my husband even thinks of doing this should either of my skids ever find anyone to marry them, he can plan to not bother coming home. I really don't mind one, with each on either side of the bride, but that's it, that's as far as it goes.

Ruby55's picture

My mother is not remarried but my dad is. He has been since I was a little kid. Believe me when I tell you I had the wackiest of all stepmothers. Alcoholic, bipolar, made life very difficult for us. That being said, she was invited to the wedding, sat with my dad of course, and was in the family photos with my dad. There was only one photo taken of just me and my mom and my dad. I had both of them walk me up the aisle and there is one photograph of them on either side of me just before going into the church. This was not pre-planned ahead of time nor was it a big deal to anyone. Cannot for the life of me imagine after the ceremony where all of the family photos were being taken, to ask or expect my stepmother to just sit out on all of this. How freaking rude can you get. I really don't have any issue with the bride wanting a shot or two of herself with mom and dad, but as far as the rest of all the family photos go stepmom should be right by dads side in all of them. I truly think that's the way the majority of people do it.

SavvyKim's picture

I am exactly in the same situation, my partner constantly runs around after his daughter, I too, can never get near him when she is around, even though she will be 30 years old next year.

She calls him several times a day, even though she has just got married to her partner of 3 years - and that is another story!

I have been with my partner for 11 years, I have always thought I have done the right thing by his kids, 3 grown up boys and the 'little princess' brat of a daughter. I always thought I got on with them well.

Saturday, she got married, daddy paid for absolutely everything, she did not talk to me about any of the wedding plans. So we turn up for the wedding, I could see all the family members being given corsages, I asked my partner where mine was, to be told that she had not got one for me - that was the first slap in the face, however, I put on a brave smile and continued into the ceremony, my partner's mother was sat at the front and she spoke to me so I sat down next to her to talk, his eldest son came over immediately and told me I could not sit there and moved me almost to the back of the venue - slap number 2.

After the ceremony, we went out for the photos, they all milled around together, including my partner and left me standing alone for some time. They then called my partner and his ex down for photos, leaving me there. My partner realised after about 15 minutes I was not around, then came back for me - slap number 3.

The final straw was when we went into the venue for the meal, I was not put on the top table which really upset me, I had to sit on another table with the cleaner who works for my partner and other guests, however, on top of that - they moved me again so my back was towards the top table - slap number 4!

During the interval, my partner came out and could see I was upset, when we had words, he could not see why and said, why does it matter where you sit? Really! I was fuming by this point. We went back in and they started the speeches, you know what, I was so damn p****d off by this point, I kept my back to them and only raised my glass when I had to.

My partner and I have had a huge argument over this as daddy's little girl can do not wrong. I put a quote up on a social media site regarding being not thought about, the little brat's older brother saw it and my partner came home and was livid and told me to take it down - I refused point blank as she needs to know how much she has upset me. We have been arguing ever since and I told him things have got to change, I am sick and tired of playing second fiddle to his kids, if he continues to molly coddle them I am out of here. She totally humiliated me at the wedding, she is either very stupid or very calculating - I think I know which I think she is.

My friends have put photos of me up at the wedding, I have messaged them all and told them I do not want to remember that day and got them to remove them. I have deleted the few that I have took and told my partner I do not want any photos of me at the wedding and will be speaking with her when she comes back off holiday, if she wants my friendship back, she will have a lot of making up to do, to be honest, I don't know whether I will ever be able to forgive her.

I have also said, I do not want his kids and their partners around all the time, I am putting my foot down - if he doesn't like it -simple - I will leave - I really have had enough , especially with what I have done for those kids in the past! :jawdrop:

SacrificialLamb's picture

Hi Savvy,I think you have experienced some crap that quite a few of us have had to deal with. However, this post is over 2 years old and likely not to get looked at. I'd recommend you start a new post with this same information in the Adult Forum. I promise you will get some great feedback and advice!

But here is my summary....you don't have an SD problem, you have a partner problem. Your SD does not consider you to be part of her family. But your partner has shown he does not care about you feel. There was no reason to post anything on social media to prove a point to SD. The only person you need to care about is your partner, and right now he is showing you that you're a second class citizen when it comes to his children.

ldvilen's picture

Actually, some of these Steptalk posts stay out there and circulate longer than I think many realize. That is how I actually found Steptalk. I googled something like Stepmother Wedding Etiquette and up popped a post from four years previous. It wasn't this particular one, but I see I posted on this one on 6/8/15.

Many of these SM topics are still relevant 2, 3, 4, 6+ years later, and the multiple comments provided can give a lot of insight. My hope is that someday there will be no more posts about SMs being treated like invisible hos at their SKs weddings, because no SK will even think of treating them that way any more.

SavvyKim, you have right to be upset. You and your DH are married, and you'd think at a wedding, married couples would be treated like married couples. For me, as I think for most SMs, just being seated with your DH throughout the entire event (ceremony and reception), and being in a couple of pictures with the bridge and groom together, is good. No need for a corsage, and it is okay for bio-dad and BM to be in some pictures together with their kids. But, I don't want to minimize what you are feeling.

You have to decide how you want to handle the situation. Yes, I do think your DH probably set you up for this somewhat over the years by not being proactive in promoting you as his wife. Has happened to most of us. But, now you get to decide. His children, as adults, have shown you where you stand in their eyes. And, I'm assuming from what you said, since your DH had to go around looking for you, that they did not even care enough to give their father a heads-up to their plans for him or their plans for 86'ing his wife. I'm sure like most, they just assumed pops would have to problem throwing his wife under the bus for them and hanging out with his ex- and putting on the ritz all day long, while his wife (for XYZ years) didn't exist.

Anyway, not going to go into it much, but the way both my DH and I were treated at SD's wedding wound up with neither of us going to his son's wedding. Personally, now, I don't care whose plan or fault it was--SKs, BM, minister, and so on. All I care is that it did make me royally pissed at my DH and think less of him for months and months, and I'm still working on getting things back on a level playing field with him. I don't give a shiatsu what anyone else thinks about the situation or how it should have been handled, and so on. I don't give a shiatsu about what his adult SKs think any more either.

I look at my marriage to my DH as a personal bound between him and I. If no one else gets it, too bad. In the future, anyone tries to challenge that in public, there is going to be hell to pay. Because, I was already embarrassed to hell and back by his relative connections, so next time around, if anyone is going to be embarrassed, it ain't gonna be me.

P.S. Just like you, I actually confronted my DH at the actual wedding too, in the women's restroom! Looking back, the only thing I would have changed is I would have stood up and said FY, I'm leaving, a lot earlier.

SavvyKim's picture

Thank you ladies, I was really thinking I could be over reacting, but now I have read some posts on here, it seems the norm where little brat daughters play this game. When she gets back from her honeymoon, I will ask why she felt the need to do this, then I will distance myself and make excuses not to be around, I am sure she will soon get the message and so will her brothers. They are really going to miss coming to our villas in Florida and my slaving away providing parties for them with great food - oh well, their loss, she should have thought more about the consequences of her actions. As they say, for every action - there is a reaction Blum 3

SacrificialLamb's picture

I am not sure I would ask her. She will immediately cry to daddy that you were upset about her special day. How dare you! And that will cause a further problem....with him.

My OSD tried to get me to wear white to her wedding and tried to get me to sit in the spot next to the aisle where her mother should be sitting. I refused to do either. Her goal was to get me to stick out like a sore thumb and embarrass myself. Do you think she would have been honest about her real goal? No, and either will yours. Your SD either had a plan to embarrass you or to make sure you knew she doesn't think you are family. She will tell everyone that you were so selfish complaining on her special day. Many of us either spoke up or sent letters, and many of regret it. Trust me.

Just distance yourself. She will in time realize you are no fool. I have not seen my OSD in almost two years. I do nothing for her and her kids anymore. No more parties, DH buys their gifts, which is not his strength. OSD does not see her father as much or even as much as her sister does, who I have a respectful and usually pleasant relationship with. OSD didn't want me as family, she got what she wanted, but she loses in the end.

sandye21's picture

^^^THIS!!!^^^ "When she gets back from her honeymoon, I will ask why she felt the need to do this---" Don't give her ammunition to make you look bad or give her confirmation (and the sadistic thrill) that she got to you. As you wrote, there are going to be consequences for her actions - and YOUR actions will speak louder than words.

still learning's picture

Agree with these ladies, don't ask her. All it will do is create an unending loop of drama between you, DH and her. She'll tell on you to daddee. Wah! You know she's a jerk, she showed you exactly how she felt about you at the wedding so now it's time for you to let go of the idea of *blended* perfection with DH's family. Disengage but do it quietly. Big announcements only cause big blow back.

SavvyKim's picture

Yes I agree, I have to disengage, we had another huge fight again Sunday night, I have now hurt my partner with what I said about his brat of a daughter, but to be fair, enough is enough, I really do not know if we can survive this, I now hate her with every bone in my body. I hope I can cool down to protect my relationship, she is probably having a great time on holiday having a laugh about me.

I think I will have her father there when I talk to her and I will box clever, just a few questions asked correctly should show her for what she is - a scheming little cow! It is so difficult as my partner invites his kids round at every opportunity, I am sick and tired of this, they invite themselves on holiday with us, I am not even asked or consulted, just told they are coming, they always cause arguments when they come, they will do something to annoy their father - he then takes his rage out on me! If I refuse to do something - like having a party, go on holiday etc, he rants at me, he has thrown things at me on one occasion on holiday because he had a go and I retired to the bedroom. We were planning to move to Florida, I think I just need to keep my cool, slowly disengage and wait it out then I can completely distance myself from them all. The problem will then come when they want to visit - I will just have to disengage and make out I have to be somewhere or be doing something.

His bitch of a daughter constantly reminds me the home where I live with my partner is 'her dad's house', brings her daughter round and completely takes over the house and yes of course - he enables it, I feel a stranger in the home when the skids and their partners turn up, they sprawl themselves over all the sofas and he wonders why I go upstairs out the way, simple, I have nowhere to sit but on the floor. They also take over the remote control, youngest son and my partner's mother watch football constantly with my partner - he sees nothing wrong with this, he said my mother can watch whatever she wants, so bloody sick of this situation.

I arranged to cook a meal at Easter for his mum, his aunt my sister and partner - the full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, on the Friday night, he invited all his kids, friends and told me I was cooking for 18 people - I was livid and upset, he said I was not allowed to do it in 3 sittings that he wanted it dished up all at the same time, please answer me a question here - am I being bullied by him - I think I know the answer! Sad

Sorry for going on, but by writing on this forum, I think I am starting to realise, I have allowed him to push me around for years, put me behind his kids, even now his new son in law - just so bloody sick of it and I know I should have stood up to him sooner instead of letting him walk all over me :sick:

SacrificialLamb's picture

He THREW things at you? I missed this in your other post. I wouldn't give this guy another thought. In addition to violence, you are put last. He parades his entourage through your home so you have no peace. He invites people over and expects you to cook for them. You can't even have a peaceful vacation without the entourage tagging along. And the worst thing is that your partner doesn't care how you feel about it.

Move to Florida alone and fulfill your dream. He will quickly become a distant memory.