“...when future son-in-law got dollar signs in eyes.”
I was a future son-in-law 23 years ago. I grew up being a busboy at our Midwest church cleaning up the plates and eating leftover meatballs and potato salad in the church basement reception after weddings. (And memorial services).
I made one comment to my future wife (raised and lived in NJ) about how fancy the wedding was getting to be and was it really needed. She told me “My dad gave us a budget (her mom and her), I’m his only daughter, and this is how we do it in New Jersey”. Looking back I see that it wasn’t a fancy wedding by East Coast standards at all. But to a midwest kid, $38? per guest at the nearby resort/lodge/dining hall was quite a bit much compared to meatballs in the church basement!
I feel you. I’m the first to admit that I married what out of my league. Our only commonality is that we’re both bookworms, and well educated. She was truly a princess and I was truly a pauper.
I live in South Jersey now...grew up in philly.
My poor husband had to get acclimated to my family. He was raised differently than I was and we met at college. He was used to the mid-west way of things.
In two weeks, we will be meeting our oldest daughter’s boyfriend’s parents...a year and half going out...they live 2 blocks from us and they are Italian descent (his college grad party). She’s worrying about this meeting. I think she’s worring about me and his mom meeting ;)It will be fine.
I’m looking forward to it. He’s a great guy. I like him. I bet his mom is the reason he’s so nice.