Does a wedding join two people or two families?

[NHdisneylover]

A marriage is between two people. Families don't go to the courthouse together to get marriage licenses and only the wedding couple is named on the marriage license.

After that, depending on tradition and the cultural norms within your extended family, the blending of two families may or may not happen.

We live down the block from our son's girlfriend's parents. In 10 years, we have met them a couple of times. When they get married, we will remain cordial but there will never be a blending of families due to extreme differences in beliefs. My son rarely goes over there himself because they do not approve of him as he is not part of their religion. The only reason they have not married yet is that they will not give their approval (they have been joined at the hip for 10 years now, all through high school, college and now grad school.) They have decided to wait a bit longer until they are more established before she alienates her parents and gets married.

Poor girl, how awful to have parents who you know you will alienate simply by marrying you you love.

 

[Ress76]

It totally depends on the situation. My marriage it was definitely two families. My DH and I lived with his parents to take care of them, help with the house etc, and we included my mother and niece in a lot of dinners, cookouts, holidays, birthdays etc. My DH has been gone over 3 years now, but my mom still keeps in casual touch with one of his sisters. My mom is apt to run into one of my former in-laws at the grocery store or just around town.

Now, if I were to marry my bf, it would be two people, plus my stepson for my first marriage. My mom is in NY, my niece is grown, his parents are in NC, and his siblings are in NJ, PA, SC and WA. I doubt if our parents will ever even meet more than a few times.

Ress