Family reactions....

I'm back.... Yes I can hear the groans from here!

Family reactions were definitely a mixed bag. At the time of getting engaged (officially), we were staying at the parentals a la Debbie so they were aware of what was brewing and when we told them, they couldn't be happier! There were congratulations, champagne bottles being opened, cards and chocolates produced the next day and demands to see the rings for the next few weeks! Even now they get admired if they sparkle in the light :) I really couldn't ask for more supportive in-laws!

Now there's my parents..... And what a bag of problems that is! So you know we called them up and they took it surprisingly well but it's the aftermath that was a bit of an issue. We decided to go down the next weekend to visit, my Mum went halves on petrol and I thought 'ok, she's making the effort and so should we'.... We are there all evening and not once do they say congratulations, raise a glass at dinner toasting our engagement, nevermind ask to see our rings and the thing that stung the most was that when my sister asked to see them, they turned away and started petting the DOG!!! That was it really, we realized that they just weren't going to ask anything so we waited till the end of dinner then escaped for some tea and sympathy at my Grandma's! We carried on talking on the odd occasion over the phone but I didn't feel any connection with them, I felt rejected from them because they couldn't even be happy for me getting engaged; Their eldest daughter engaged yet they couldn't even express themselves over that, I mean, who does that?? It was 2 months later and I was moaning to poor old Grandma on the phone about this so she dropped a few subtle hints and lo behold, the next day, they said they were coming to visit me and Debbie and take us over to France for a day trip.... I thought great, maybe they are finally going to discuss our wedding and this was the start of getting things on an even par, how wrong I was! The whole day nothing was mentioned and we figured that if we were going to resolve this, we are going to have to do it ourselves so I piped up 'you like playing the organ Mum, do you want to play it at our wedding?!' .... After a 20 minute shouting match or 'heated debate' as Debbie likes to put it, everything was out in the open and they started talking weddings, suggested things we could do and were being really helpful! They are trying to help organise things back home like talking to the vicar so she changes her mind over having a blessing in our church which means so much to me and well.... They are just getting so involved!!

So there you have it, the 'reactions'!!!