My Future MIL Excluded Me from All Family Dinners & Photos – She Soon Got a Taste of Her Own Medicine

My fiancé's mother would often tell me to my face, "Once you're married to Joaquin, then you'll be family." She was basically implying that until the wedding bells rang, I was just a temporary fixture.

It was hard not to feel sidelined. However, I didn't feel singled out since Joaquin’s brother’s girlfriend endured the same cold shoulder. Despite my future mother-in-law's actions, I never harbored any resentment towards her because, frankly, it seemed to stem from a place of fear — fear of losing her boys to their partners.

She used to be all about keeping her “little boy” — yeah, that’s my fiancé — to herself. She literally cried for days when we moved in together and even faked a heart attack when he proposed! Can you imagine? We were floating on cloud nine, and then suddenly, drama.

Even after Joaquin proposed, his mother’s attitude remained unchanged. For three years, she wouldn't invite me to family dinners, not even for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Her reason then was the same; it was because I was "only the fiancée" and it was supposed to be "family only."

Don’t get me started on the family photos; I was always left out. I felt pretty rotten to be standing there, watching them snap away, knowing I wasn't welcome to be in the picture. It honestly would have been great if they had a family picture and another with the significant others.

But guess what? Recently, everything changed when she suddenly started begging to be included in our plans. So, future MIL caught wind (thanks to Joaquin blabbing) of my wedding dress shopping plans.

The wedding dress shopping was an intimate, girls-only moment with my mom and sister. She called me up, assuming she was invited. When I told her it was just going to be us, there was dead silence.

"Hi Claudia, I heard your wedding dress shopping will be this weekend. Where and what time should I come?"

"Oh, yes, it is this weekend. It will just be my mom, my sister, and me. It's for family only, I'm sure you understand.'"

It took about a minute before my future MIL could speak. After a while, she finally said, "Oh, okay. I have to go. Bye."

Joaquin, his brother, and his brother’s girlfriend couldn't stop laughing when they heard about it. They thought I nailed it with the “family only” line. However, Joaquin's youngest brother thought I was being too harsh on their mom, saying I should've considered her feelings since she has no daughters to share these things with.

I understand, but after all the exclusion, I just wanted one day without any drama. After all, she never treated me like a daughter, so why should I include her?

Not long after, she tried to pull this stunt where she sent Joaquin a list of “appropriate” dress styles for me. It was basically a list of gowns she did not like. Some included no strapless, no halter, no sweetheart neckline, no high-slit, no see-through, not too tight, and not too much cleavage. She wanted me to look “classy.”

Joaquin refused to tolerate it and confronted his mother. He told her to stop meddling with the wedding dress because she wasn't the bride, not even the bride's mother. He hugged me tight and told me not to listen to his mom.

Meanwhile, MIL was left stewing in her own juice, anxious about what I'd chosen. Her attempts to control the situation through a list of dress "rules" only fueled my resolve.

Our wedding day came, and I walked down the aisle in everything she hated. I wore a strapless gown that showed a little cleavage. Still, I kept it elegant. My dress was fitted in the upper part and flowed beautifully on the skirt. Although my wedding dress did not have a high slit, my reception gown did.

I could feel her eyes glaring at my dress. It was a mixture of shock, disbelief, and dare I say, a bit of realization. The moment was electric.

But truly, walking down the aisle, I felt as if I had won the lottery. I felt beautiful and like the luckiest woman ever as I walked toward the man of my dreams. I may not like my MIL as much, but wow I love her son.

At the reception, my fiancé made it a point to take many photos with me, prominently featuring me in the middle of his family. It was his subtle way of showing that I was indeed part of the family, no matter what his mother had previously implied. We made sure to get a few extra glamour shots, just the two of us, showcasing the dress in all its glory.

Later in the evening, when the atmosphere had warmed up after a few dances and toasts, my MIL approached me. I braced for a confrontation, but instead, she quietly complimented my dress.

"You look beautiful," she admitted, her voice low. It wasn't a grand apology, but in that moment, her words felt like a small victory. "Welcome to the family," she added.

And here's the twist — post-wedding, my MIL's attitude began to change. Perhaps seeing her son genuinely happy and the joy of the day softened her.

Or maybe it was the realization that her antics could push her away from not just one, but all of her sons if she continued down that path. Slowly, we started seeing more inclusiveness from her, and even my future sister-in-law mentioned that MIL had begun treating her a bit better.

So, that’s the scoop. Turning the tables was a bit risky, but it seems like it might have just paid off. Was it too harsh? Maybe a little, but sometimes you've got to stand up for yourself.

Claudia's MIL isn't the only one who was caught off-guard during a wedding. One bride accused her parents of being cheap after receiving their wedding gift.

Our Daughter Accused Us of Being Cheap after Opening Our Wedding Gift and Regretted It after Learning the Truth

I never thought I would have an ungrateful daughter with whom I share a sour relationship. However, our eldest, Lucy, recently made it impossible not to butt heads.

A little background: I am a stay-at-home mom turned full-time homemaker, deeply involved in our community. Thanks to my husband's overwhelmingly successful career, I was allowed this privilege. My husband and I have been married for over three decades. We have three wonderful daughters. Our eldest, Lucy, got married last week.

Lucy married her college sweetheart, Brian. They met during their last year in university and have since been together. Unfortunately, our family hasn't spent as much time with Lucy since she left for university. We would only talk once a week or so.

As I can tell, Lucy and I don't share the same interests. She is a career woman – a go-getter. It seemed that being a stay-at-home wife was not her option. In contrast, it was my full-time job and happiness. Still, I supported her in what she wanted and always showed kindness to her husband-to-be. I knew they would take good care of each other and treat each other well.

Their wedding was beautiful, filled with joy and celebrations, as weddings should be. Our family paid for most of the wedding expenses. Besides that, we still gave them a wedding present. For our gift, my husband and I decided to give Brian and Lucy something truly meaningful — the key to our cottage house. This cottage was a cherished place for us, steeped in family memories and love. It has been with our family for years.

The day after the wedding, Lucy called us. It was the very first time she ever spoke to us with such a tone, one that caught me off guard. She said:

"Thank you for your present, but honestly, I expected something more expensive than this shack. We will probably return it to you."

I was speechless but managed to respond with, "No problem, dear." Before the call ended, Lucy hinted that our gift was pretty cheap, with no sign of gratitude whatsoever. I didn't expect such words from someone who I raised and was taken aback. I had to pause to digest her words and decide how best to address this situation.

Yesterday, we invited all our daughters and their spouses to the cottage. The plan was to show Lucy the true worth of this so-called "shack" she so readily dismissed. The cottage had recently undergone renovations, enhancing its charm and comfort while preserving the memories it housed. Of course, Lucy did not know this.