Any tips in terms of dealing with parents who make you feel guilty for having a destination wedding?

[cherany]

We haven't told our parents yet, as the wedding is scheduled for 2013, but we already expect my side of the family to have a fit over the cost of the trip.  Most of them are people we don't want there, so we feel it works to our advantage.  It saves me the awkwardness of explaining why they are not invited.  My parents may not be there, due to the cost, but I'm not close to them and will not be the least bit bothered, one way or the other.

 

I think it is so different for each person.  Consider whether you cannot imagine getting married without your parents there, or whether you cannot imagine getting married at home.  For me, it's definitely the latter. 

[Aruba Bride]

My FIs family wasn't going to go to the wedding. I felt terrible but my FI said he still wanted a DW. I think i was more upset about them saying they weren't going than he was. About a month after telling us they weren't going to the wedding they booked their trip. I don't know if they were saying they weren't going just to try to get us to change our minds on the DW or what. But for my FI's sake I am sooo happy they are going now. 

[mrsbruff2b]

I did this backwards for an absolutely selfish reason.  Not only was a DW significantly better (budget-wise) on us since we are from Toronto, we had a TON of family drama these past two years, we decided on a DW in hopes that some people COULDN'T make it.  We really wanted to weed out the people who were just in it for a free meal or go all liberal with our guest list (both sets of parents). 

 

We still have our parents asking if their friends can come and I reply, "If they can afford the vacation, of course they're welcome!" It makes me feel good that I'm not paying out of pocket for these "extra guests" that I don't really feel close to.  If they come, great, but FI and I already feel that even if NO ONE came, we'd still be elated and overjoyed to have two weeks together in paradise~