Dear Queenie,
My daughter has been living with her boyfriend for many years. They have two children, they both have good jobs and they own their own home together. They are planning to get married in December and my daughter expects me to pay for her wedding.
I have a small fixed income and cannot afford the kind of fancy affair they are planning.
Queenie, do I have to pay for it?— Strapped for cash
Dear Strapped for cash,
No. A wedding is a gift the bride’s parents usually give to the happy couple, but they are not required to do so.
Your daughter and her fiancé are on their own and apparently fairly well off, and can afford to pay for their own wedding. If you wish to contribute whatever you can afford, it would be a nice gesture on your part, but you are not obligated to do so.
If they cannot afford a fancy affair for some reason, they should be willing to settle for what they – and you – can afford.
